Do we have an ethical responsibility to save the planet?
According to traditional Iroquois law, in every decision the seventh generation must be taken into consideration; each choice must be made while keeping one’s own great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren in mind.
Stewardship ethics, a movement within many Christian denominations, declares the responsibility God gave man in keeping watch over Gods creation. Genesis 1:26 states that, “(man) will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” Continued references to man’s duty to rule and watch over Gods creation, as well as Gods joy in His labors, can be seen in Psalms, Matthew, and Deuteronomy.
Philosophers struggle to find agreement on any specific ethical argument for going eco; it’s philosophically impossible to keep the well-being of a seventh generation individual – that does not yet exist – in mind. Christian doctrine may support environmental friendliness for some, but endless interpretations of such creed make it difficult to outline any uniform belief.
Dr. Chris Diehm, philosophy and environmental ethics professor at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, explains that while philosophy can’t account for making decisions based on the welfare of not-yet-existing humans, it’s an intuitive idea that people reflect on.
This doesn’t mean our environmentally destructive practices have no philosophical or ethical ramifications.
“Effects that cause global warming are bad enough now; oil drilling, highway building … they’re causing problems for the future but also causing problems now,” said Diehm.
America is particularly famous for its wasteful practices – consumerist culture is what America is known for. An American child has produced more waste by the age of three than an average African will produce in his entire life, said Diehm.
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