A Defense of Anthropocentrism

Paper Summary:

This essay presents opposing arguments to those presented in Mark Sagoff's article, "Zuckerman's Dilemma: A Plea for Environmental Ethics," in which Sagoff analyzes the concept of value and discusses the kinds of value that objects of environmental concern can have. The author of of this paper takes the position, instead, that man is designed to have dominion over the animals and fields.

From the Paper:

"Sagoff uses examples of things in nature which society wishes to preserve for various values. For example, he discusses obvious instrumental grounds, like potential medicinal reasons for preservation. He then contrasts that society may wish to preserve a ten thousand-year-old forest for its aesthetic qualities. Clearly, the very definition of aesthetics is the appreciation of beauty! If man appreciates the beauty of an object, it serves him! Lastly, Sagoff talks of moral value of objects in nature. Yes, we must preserve resources, but only for the sake of preserving human resources, not to preserve nature for its own sake, or for its value to non human beings."

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