Philosophy 303: Environmental Philosophy (Part One: Environmental Concepts) under construction

NOTE: The following is barely an outline of the intended article.

Contents:

Introduction

Section 1: Basic environmental concepts
Section 2: Sorts of environed
Section 3: Sorts of internal environment
Section 4: Sorts of external environment
Section n: Environmental change

Appendix: The Three Groups in this topic

In 1770 the great maritime explorer Captain James Cook anchored his ship Endeavour in a bay immediately south of the the great harbour he named Port Jackson - better known as Sydney Harbour. On board was a botanist, later to be dubbed Sir Joseph Banks, who was so impressed by the natural wonders of the area that he persuaded Cook to name the bay Botany Bay. Although the expedition spent some time in the area, it did not enter Sydney Harbour, which was unfortunate for them because it was to gain the reputation of being among the best and most beautiful harbours in the world.

In the 20th century, the shores of Botany Bay became home to Sydney International Airport and the Kurnell Oil Refinery, amongst other developments.

And yesterday, 24th January 2006, all potential seafood caught in the waters of Sydney Harbour was officially declared unfit for human consumption due to the dangerous level of toxins (such as Dioxin) found in it. The toxins were identified as by-products of various industries adjacent to the Harbour and the streams that flow into it.

The most deceptive thing about The World Environmental Crisis is that it is a slow-motion crisis, so slow that we are often tempted to ignore or down-play it. In regard to this, the analogy of the frog and the pot of water is always relevant and instructive. It is said that if you put a frog into a pot of hot water it will react to the sudden heat and scramble back out. But if you put a frog into a pot of luke-warm water and then slowly add more heat, it will stay there and be slowly boiled to death. Whether or not this is true, it does serve to illustrate the deceptive nature of the environmental crisis.

Hence the importance of Environmental Philosophy, and particuarly of Environmental Ethics.

Section 1: Basic environmental concepts

G1: The environed. The sorts of the environed are sorts of self.

G2: Internal environment. The sorts of internal environment are internal to the sorts of self.

G3: External environment. The sorts of external environment are external to the sorts of self.

Section 2: Sorts of environed

G1: The mental self
G2: The social self
G2: The bodily self

Section 3: Sorts of internal environment

G1: Conceptual
G2: Genetic
G3: Emotional

Section 4: Sorts of external environment

G1: Conceptual
G2: Social
G3: Physical / ecological

Section n: Environmental change

Sorts of change

G1: Change and the environed

G2: Change and internal environment

G3: Change and external environment