Anthropocentrism: A Misunderstood Problem

Abstract

Anthropocentrism can intelligibly be criticised as an ontological error, but attempts to conceive of it as an ethical error are liable to conceptual and practical confusion. After noting the paradox that the clearest instances of overcoming anthropocentrism involve precisely the sort of objectivating knowledge which many ecological critics see as itself archetypically anthropocentric, the article presents the following arguments: there are some ways in which anthropocentrism is not objectionable; the defects associated with anthropocentrism in ethics are better understood as instances of speciesism and human chauvinism; it is unhelpful to call these defects anthropocentrism because there is an ineliminable element of anthropocentrism in any ethic at all; moreover, because the defects do not typically involve a concern with human interests as such, the rhetoric of anti-anthropocentrism is counterproductive in practice.

Anthropocentrism: More than Just a Misunderstood Problem

“…We should be cautious to assume that 'self-love can be considered a precondition of loving others' (Hayward 1997) as sometimes in consumer-oriented and often narcissistic societies, self-love often happens to be the goal in and of itself (Carnegie 2004). While it is presently fashionable in wealthy neoliberal societies to raise individualism and personal freedom to the level of an intrinsic good, self-loving people do not necessarily care more about others-humans or animals (Pearce 2002).…”

“…Tallis et al 2014;Doak et al 2015;Mathews 2016;Cafaro et al 2017;Kopnina et al 2018;Piccolo et al 2018). Hayward (1997) argued that the term anthropocentrism is often misused as a criticism of humanity as a whole, and that this is counterproductive for environmental protection, and even misanthropic. The arguments put forward by Hayward are reflected in the wider literature relating the issues of human agency to environmental damage and protection that will be discussed in this article.…”

“…In this article we take a deeper look at the anthropocentrism versus ecocentrism debate, with a particular focus on arguments put forward by Tim Hayward (1997) in Anthropocentrism: A Misunderstood Problem. A review of this debate is timely because there is a rising interest in the ethical underpinnings of animal rights and welfare (e.g.…”

Teoria evolutiva e quadrinhos: tiras da níquel náusea e a tematização da evolução biológica

“…Hayward (1997) define o termo antropocentrismo como "práticas valores ou atitudes dos humanos em favor de seus interesses e em detrimento de interesses ou bem-estar das outras espécies ou do ambiente". Numa das tiras nessa categoria (Quadro 9), o Sábio do Buraco diz que o homem foi o último animal a ocupar a Terra, a seguir um homem afirma ser "o escolhido de Deus" e, portanto, pode dominar tudo.…”

Description, prescription and the choice of discount rates

“…Some have argued that our analyses are inevitably "anthropocentric" in the sense that they are inevitably performed by humans. However, just as one human analyst can, at least approximately, factor in the interests of other humans, so too can the analyst factor in the interests of non-humans (Hayward, 1997). The challenge of granting non-humans standing is different in magnitude from the challenge of granting other humans standing, but it is not different in kind.…”