Question

Could a utilitarian justify copying software for one's friends? Explain your answer (either pro or con) in 7-10 sentences.

Read Paul Taylor's argument about respect for nature on pp. 483-493, then answer this question: According to Taylor, every "organism, species, population, and community of life has a good of its own.: What does Taylor mean by this? How is this relevant to environmental ethics? Explain your answer in at least 5-7 sentences.

Answer 1

Paul Taylor believes that all specie inhabiting our planet belong to the same origin of space,has similar evolutionary processes and is governed by the laws of genetic sharing and natural selection, which is common in all the species. This in unity has given birth to the bio-diversity and the existence of each. He further elaborates on the idea that each member of this biodiversity have a 'good of their own'. This is reflective of the bio ethics of the nature. He basically means that a being, let's say a plant does not have an subjective interest in something, but for the plant there is something that serves its objective interest(i.e. survival) .A plant is objectively benefited by the preservation of a condition (favourable climatic and soil condition) that helps it produce photosynthesis for its growth.This favourable condition aids the plants in growing, which in return becomes a favourable condition for the garden bees to survive. This represents the symbiotic interdependent relation between the species of the planet. Therefore, presence of each being is beneficial for the continuation of the other being, and therefore deducting what Paul Taylor says, every being "has good of theor own". Each being in this biodiversity is a theological center in its own essence , and is pursuing its own good , in its own way. Therefore, to conclude that humans are the superior specie of all is pathologically narcissistic and ethically wrong.