An Analysis of Ethical Theories in the Direction of Sustainable Development: Aristotelian Virtue Ethics is the Greatest Option for Long-term Sustainability
Subhasmita Maharana
subhasmitamaharana951@gmail.comDepartment of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad (India)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9691-2124
Ajit Kumar Behura
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad (India)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7738-0588
Abstract
Environmental issues such as deforestation, climate change, ozone layer depletion, greenhouse effect, and pollution of air, water, and soil are among the most difficult to address. These are the results of human beings’ immoral actions. Humans are the most powerful living beings on the planet, and they have abused their physical and mental abilities to fulfill their greed rather than their needs, resulting in environmental destruction. They have abused nature and exploited it for their own economic gain, giving them control over it. Furthermore, environmental degradation and human moral decline are intertwined, necessitating a moral revolution to reform human conduct for the sake of society, with a focus on Aristotelian Virtue Ethics rather than consequentialist or deontological ethics. The main focus of Aristotelian Virtue Ethics is, on what type of persons we should be, what kind of characteristics we should have, and how we should act. This leads to the development of one’s character and environmental attitudes; resulting in the smart use of natural resources and, more particularly, the preservation of the natural environment, ensuring environmental sustainability.
Keywords:
environmental problems, Consequentialist Theory, Deontology Theory, Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, Environmental sustainabilityReferences
BANKS C., 2012, Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice, Third edition, Sage publications.
Google Scholar
CHOPRA R., 2016, Environmental degradation in India: causes and consequences. International Journal of Applied Environmental Sciences, 11(6): 1593-1601.
Google Scholar
CREED J. L., 1978, Is It Wrong to Call Plato a Utilitarian? The Classical Quarterly, 28(2) 349-365.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S000983880003487X
Google Scholar
ENGSTROM S., WHITING J., 1998, Aristotle, Kant, and Stoics: Rethinking Happiness and Duty, Cambridge University Press.
Google Scholar
FLANNERY K. L., 2013, Action and Character According to Aristotle, The Catholic University of America Press.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt4cg8k2
Google Scholar
GERT B., 1998, Morality: Its Nature and Justification, Oxford University Press.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195122558.001.0001
Google Scholar
GRUBLER A., 2003, Technology and Global Change, Cambridge University Press, Australia.
Google Scholar
JOSEPH, 2006, Environmental Studies (Jntu), Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi.
Google Scholar
SINGH K., 2009, Environmental Degradation and Measures for Its Mitigation with Special Reference to India’s Agricul-tural Sector, Indian journal of agriculture and economics, 64(1): 40-61.
Google Scholar
SREEKUMAR S., 2012, An Analysis of Consequentialism and Deontology in the Normative Ethics of the ‘Bhaga-vadgītā’, Journal of Indian Philosophy, 40(3): 277-315.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10781-012-9154-3
Google Scholar
SZOSTAK R., 2005, Interdisciplinarity and the Teaching of Public Policy, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 24(4): 853-863.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.20146
Google Scholar
SVOBODA T., 2015, Duties Regarding Nature: A Kantian Environmental Ethic, Routledge.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315713588
Google Scholar
THIROUX J.P., 2004, Ethics: Theory and practice, Pearson Prentice Hall.
Google Scholar
WYKA K. A., MATHEWS P. J., CLARK W.F., 2002, Foundations of Respiratory Care, Cengage Learning.
Google Scholar
Authors
Subhasmita Maharanasubhasmitamaharana951@gmail.com
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad India
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9691-2124
Authors
Ajit Kumar BehuraDepartment of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad India
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7738-0588
Statistics
Abstract views: 76PDF downloads: 42
