Człowiek w perspektywie bioetyki środowiskowej

Abstract

This article takes up the issue of how man is perceived by different analyses of environmental bioethics. Three basic approaches deploy the role of man as a starting point: anthropocentrism, non-anthropocentrism and biocentrism. The main problem coming out from these stances is that man gradually loses her/his unique position. Within the anthropocentric perspective the human being does have a central place. Nevertheless, this is weakened by the non-anthropocentric critique: man is equally valuable as a sentient animal. Biocentrism, in turn, goes yet further; it places man on the level of all live things, that is animals and plants. The adherents of that later approach claim that everything has its intrinsic value, and it is difficult to prove that man’s value transgresses both the value of animal life and the value of other living things. The article tries to challenge the views that diminish the human being’s position in the natural world. Man must indeed occupy the central place in the whole range of the biosphere because any idea of ontology or axiology of the natural world is inconceivable if there is no one to grasp the deeper meaning of things. The suggestion of “biotic egalitarianism” seems to be rather a dull philosophical concept and therefore, a kind of anthropocentrism should be deployed, in one way or another. That said, it does not mean that the utilitarian or instrumental attitude is to be upheld as far as the relation of the human being and the environment is concerned. The anthropocentric position should rather be carried out within its weak or middle version. Therefore it strongly recommends feelings of respect towards nature drawing upon the picture of environment as a human home, and as a source of aesthetic or even moral inspiration.