An Examination of the Underlying Moral Frameworks of Environmental Philosophy

In this paper I discuss and analyse the views of radical ecology and holistic environmental ethics to identify their underlying moral frameworks also considering internal logical coherence, practicality of application, and the implications for the human species. Chapter One presents and analyses the radical ecology position identifying the underlying ethical framework and consequent costs and benefits of this position with regards to humanity. Chapter Two follows the same method as Chapter One with the analysis of holistic environmental ethics. Chapter Three argues that both radical ecology and holistic environmental ethics are too quick to dismiss the uniqueness of the human condition. Revisiting the structures of radical ecology and holistic environmental ethics with the uniqueness of humanity in mind, I argue that these methods must be modified with a humanistic approach in order to establish a more logically coherent and plausible environmental ethic.