Environmental Ethics - Essay Example

? ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS In recent times a new concept has emerged which amalgamates ecology and feminism in such a way that both become reinforcing. They tend to challenge the male model of domination which is very biased and contradict their practices. One needs to understand here that no society can prosper which only focuses on one-sided domination. Therefore a system needs to be developed that amalgamates both these movements so that a radical primary socioeconomic system is established. Ecofeminist have different perspectives and argue on various basic concepts that build up the philosophy. ( McCann, 2003). Today, many feminist supports that our environment is apparently a feminist issue. This philosophy has been really popular and many relate the ethics of the environment to feminism and have their contradictions over the patriarchal issue and the biases as well as the dominance that comes in hand with the situation. One needs to understand in depth the basis of this philosophy. "A feminist uses gender analysis as the starting point; gender is the lens through which the initial description and analysis occur." (Warren, 2000) Similarly like feminism many forms of ecofeminism prevail. Ecofeminism is basically a name given to various feminist practices and philosophical ideas. These various approaches not only represent feminism but also how different forces of nature play and how they can overcome environmental concerns. Some examples of different perspective are: liberal, Marxist, black etc. Therefore various environmental philosophical positions that accepts feminine issues and support feminism are generally referred to as ecofeminist positions. "Views which uncritically embrace unified or one stance views of feminine sides of gender dichotomies are not feminist; they are better understood as ecofeminine than ecofeminist. They are, in fact, dangerous views from a genuinely feminist perspective." (Darion, 1999) The question here arises that what does one perceive about ecofeminism? What makes this philosophy so concrete that it stands as a complete concept which deals with its theoretical support or the political movement? Although there are significant differences between ecofeminism and feminism from which it has actually rooted, but all ecofeminist agree about certain things which are prominent in feminism. For instance, there is always a significant link between the dominant forces of nature and women, which is essential to understand three things that is feminism, philosophy of the environment and environmentalism. The major reason to establish this movement is to highlight the links between nature and women and how dangerous these connections can be at times. Ecofeminist have been successful in identifying eight different sorts of links. The links between these two intriguing forces are at times due to competition, at times they are complementing each other or can also be supportive, all this can eventually sum up to analyze forces of nature and the dominance between the two i.e women and nature. The eight connections are as follows: 1. Historical connection (causal): a link between women and nature can be historical. One of the causals is the historic data that develop and nurture theories which deal with the initialization and connection between the domination of women and nature. This concept is so concrete that Ariel Salleh claim's that ecofeminism is particularly a cent progress in the feministic approach and believes that the recent crisis that has occurred globally and environmentally is basically because of the prevailing culture of patriarchal. (katz,2000) 2. Concept based Connections: Most of the scholars that study ecofeminism believe that the dominant power between women and nature is because of the causal connection which basically stems from causal links which take their branches from concept based structures of domination that develop and nurture women and nature in a social system which consist of male biases. 3.  Empirical and Experiential Connections: Most of those people who do not side with ecofeminism or contradict views of an ecofeminist these days tend to link the destruction and chaos in the world is because of women other than that they blame children, races and the lower class. They consider them to be the root cause of environmental destructions. Various medicinal and health risking issues have aroused because of women, children, racism, class ratification, and the poverty that has aroused because of the saturation of power, self-centered attitude etc. another issue is that lack of sustainable living and basic requirements that are essential to keep life going are quite missing. Thus food, water etc. unavailability can make life merely impossible for women and their family. Some feminist who propagate animal rights believe that practices like hunting, consuming meat or damaging animals for humanly preferences is basically a men generated concept. Also depiction of explicit content (pornography), rape or any adultery related activity is linked to men and considered to be an insult and abuse of women and nature. All this leads to circumstances which favour the domination of women and nature. As the initially mentioned acts are taboo and are considered to be unethical and unreasonable therefore experimental connections between ecofeminism develops. 4. Symbolic Connections. This ecofeminism basically deals with portrayal of women as something symbolic such as beauty, supernatural or power which is usually seen in art, literature, religion etc... This rejuvenates and brings about new concepts that depict women in a diverse manner which contradicts the prior patriarchal views of the world. 5. Epistemological Connections: the previously mentioned connections have given their way to a completely new concept in ecofeminism that is epistemology .This is basically a new way which challenges the prior concepts like reason, rationality, knowledge etc. One actually forgets that ethics of the environment and the humans are interlinked to each other and work together. This deals with negating the unethical practices that are prevailing in the philosophies. 6. Political (Praxis) Connections: this term was introduced so that ecofeminism a new concept can highlight women power. Ecofeminism is basically a movement that has political uproots empowering women. These deals with a broad range from technology, development, environmental health, peace, serenity, anti-weapons, antinuclear and anti-military activities. All these are required to rectify and form a balanced political system. 7. Ethical Connections: recently, the entire link between nature and women focus on environmental ethics. A feminist ethics based analysis and response is necessary to counter all the issues of women and nature. The basic idea is to develop theories and practices which are contradicting the male biases and delivering a feminist concept of environmental ethics. 8. Theoretical Connections:  the above mentioned theories are different in their context which sometimes contradict, agree, theorize the ecofeminist prevailing concepts. All this is most significant in the field of environmental ethics. This is majorly because of limited capacity; the conversation on basically "theoretical connections" that is presented here has been limited to environmental ethics. The term ecofeminism has been derived from feminism that associates with environment and the concerns that uproots with it. It is about how feminist inspire and propagate the environmental ethics. Indeed the biggest issue that philosophy encounters is to balance the concepts, theories and their analysis. Ecofeminism develops important concerns that deal with concepts in philosophy, enlightment and the enlightened, rationalize and reason, objectives and also the dualism that persists in theory of philosophy. "Ecofeminism concerns itself with multiple issues, attempts to be globally oriented, and draws from a wide array of intellectual tradition. (Eaton, 2003). Also the philosophical concepts. These points need to be further rectified for male biases. The challenges to philosophy are to overcome and verify concept based schemes, theory, and practice that empower women. There what can be concluded is that feminism, environmentalism, environmental philosophy, and philosophy all go hand in hand. Works cited: McCann, C. R., & Kim, S. (2003). Feminist theory reader: local and global perspectives. New York: Routledge. Katz, E., Light, A., & Rothenberg, D. (2000).Beneath the surface critical essays in the philosophy of deep ecology. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Eaton, H., & Lorentzen, L. A. (2003).Ecofeminism and globalization: exploring culture, context, and religion. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Warren, K. (2000). Ecofeminist philosophy: a western perspective on what it is and why it matters. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield In Davion, V., & In Light, A. (1999). Ecofeminism. JAI Press. Read More