Paul Taylors Respect for Nature Human Superiority Essay

In Respect for Nature, Paul Taylor develops the following four elements of the biocentric outlook on nature: 1. Humans are members of the Earths community of life in the same sense and on the same terms as other living things. 2. The natural world is an interdependent system. 3. Each organism is a Teleological Center of Life (TCL) with a good of its own. 4. Humans are not inherently superior to other living things. Taylor believes that if one concedes and accepts the first three components then acceptance of the fourth component is not unreasonable. He also suggests that in order to adopt the attitude of respect for nature one must accept all four elements of the biocentric outlook. â€Å"Once we reject the claim that humans are†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, nearly all organisms can exist without humans. There are some exceptions to this, such as endangered species or pets but, in general, most wildlife does not need human presence in order to survive. This is a fact of life and is accepted as an ecological truth. Accepting and understanding our equality with and interdependence on the Earth’s community of life is the first step in adopting the attitude of respect for nature. The third component, however, is somewhat difficult to grasp and harder for some to accept; but it is also the most crucial when adopting the attitude of respect. If one fails to accept Taylor’s third element then one cannot adopt the attitude of respect. This is where Taylor is mistaken. Taylor fails, or at least neglects, to consider the importance of his third element. Instead, he places most of the emphasis on moving to deny human superiority and then concludes that by doing so only then can one respect nature. Yet, in order to allow Taylor’s fourth element, one must first concede that all Teleological Centers of Life have equal inherent worth. Therefore, when one accepts and believes the third component of the biocentric outlook only then can they adopt the attitude of respect. Subsequently, I plan to show that the third element and not the fourth is fundamental in adopting the attitude of respect. In Taylor’s third element, all living organisms (plants, animals, insects, fungi, microbes)Show MoreRelatedThe Ethics For Respect For Nature1477 Words   |  6 Pages In Paul Taylor’s essay, â€Å"The Ethics for Respect for Nature,† he argues that†¦ In this paper I will first describe Taylor’s concept of â€Å"respect for nature.† I will then explain the part this attitude plays in rationally grounding a biocentric outlook on environmental ethics. Lastly, I will present Rosalind Hursthouse’s criticism of Taylor’s view, and state how Taylor might respond to this criticism. 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