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Anthropocentric - Ecocentric Controversy: Finding a Common Ground

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ANTHROPOCENTRIC - ECOCENTRIC CONTROVERSY: FINDING A COMMON GROUND FREDRICK MUNINI MUSEE (B.A.Phil) C50/14540/2009 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (PHILOSOPHY) IN THE SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES OF KENYATTA UNIVERSITY SEPTEMBER 2017 ii DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. Signature_________________________ Date____________________ Fredrick Munini Musee, (B.A. Philosophy) Reg. No. C50/14540/2009 This thesis has been submitted with our approval as University supervisors. 1. __________________________ Date__________________ Dr. Kibaba Makokha Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Kenyatta University 2. __________________________ Date__________________ Dr. Thomas Namwambah Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Kenyatta University iii DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my beloved wife Loise Vaati and to my sons Benedict Mumo and Reinhard Mshindi.Their love, concern and encouragement gave me the impetus to continue with the study. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The completion of this study would not have been possible without the assistance and cooperation of many people to whom I am indebted. I am particularly grateful to Dr. Kibaba Makokha and Dr. Thomas Namwambah who directed this study as my supervisors. Their honest and insightful guidance, as well as their patience and encouragement, were a major drive throughout this research. Clarity of their criticism enhanced conceptualization of my ideas. I wish to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Josephat Oyigo for his genuine concern, mentorship and encouragement at the moments of difficulties. This kept my vision alive and made it possible for me to struggle with the strenuous task of completing this work. To be sincere, this will always ring in my mind. To my fellow postgraduate students, I am grateful for their persistent motivation and positive criticism. To my family members I extend my unreserved gratitude. They have been source of strength at the moments of hardships. Especially, I thank my dear wife, Loise Vaati for all the support any person can expect from a true companion in life. I appreciate her understanding, concern and patience as well as taking care of our children all the time I busied myself with studies. Sincerely, she gave me humble time necessary for such a strenuous exercise. Deserving my gratitude also is my son, Benedict Mumo: he kept his demands minimal especially when I faced financial crunch. This contributed to my ability to meet the cost of my studies. I am grateful too to my brothers and sisters fir their direct and indirect support. Particularly, I appreciate the material and moral support of my elder brother Joseph and his family. The same applies to my young brothers, Litrus Mwangangi and Onesmus Maluki. v Last but not least, I am grateful to my parents; the late Musee Nzengu, my father and Miti Musee, my mother. The sacrifice they made to educate me at primary and secondary level gave me a strong academic foundation without which subsequent studies would have been impossible. Their hardworking character and unrelenting spirit inculcated in me the value of determination. The memories of my father’s encouraging words as well as his vision for an intellectually informed and successful family kept me going. Sincerely, there cannot be words apt enough to express my gratitude to them. Unfortunately my father did not live to see the product of his inspiration. May he rest in peace. vi ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS B.C.E : Before Common Era C.E : Common Era GVA : Great Value Assumption i.e. : id est (Translated into English as ‘that is’) M.o.E : Ministry of Education SVA : Sole Value Assumption Vs : versus vii DEFINITION OF TERMS These are operational definitions as used in this thesis: Animism: - This belief that the world and its contents are alive by the virtue of being inhabited by souls or spirits. The term is derived from Latin term ‘anima’ which means soul as the principle of life. Bio-centrism: version of ecocentric moral theory which seeks to extend intrinsic value and therefore moral concern to all life. It includes what is considered inanimate in strictly biological sense. Biotic Egalitarianism: this is a moral principle according to which all natural entities should be given equal treatment in the event of competing claims between the needs of human and nonhuman beings .It is mainly held by ecocentrists. Deep Ecology: a moral theory in environmental ethics which attempts to extend moral concern to the whole world and all its contents, both animate and inanimate beings, individuals as well as the wholes. Eco-centrism: stand for theories of environmental ethics that seeks to extend intrinsic Value to all nonhuman beings and their classes. It is an umbrella term for all nonanthropocentric moral theories which seek to extend moral concern to all life. It includes deep ecology, bio- centrism and animism Environmental /ecological problem: anthropogenically induced anomaly in the functioning of natural system, solvable through human intervention. It is opposed to naturally occurring phenomena Environmental ethics: - philosophical discipline concerned with the study of moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its nonhuman contents. Environmentalism: - a concern that the environment should be protected particularly viii Environmentalist: - a person or a group of people concerned with protection and preservation of natural environment and resources through changes in public policy or individual behavior from harmful aspect of human activities. Indigenous worldviews: - the basic beliefs found among indigenous cultures which are not influenced by Judeo–Christianity and modern western science and technology. Instrumental Value: the worthiness of something as a means to further some other ends. It is the main attitude towards nonhuman nature in anthropocentric moral theory. Nonhuman exists solely as the means to human ends/welfare New environmentalism/ contemporary environmentalism: - both terms refer to a 20th century movement seeking to limit or even to halt human activities destructive to natural environment. Its newness consists in the fact that it is wide in scope both in geographical coverage (global) and the range of its activities. This is contrasted with the previous environmental movements which were regional and addressed quite few issues. Preferentialism: the moral principle according to which human beings should be given priority in the event of competing claims between the needs of human and nonhuman. It is mainly held by anthropocentrists. Social critique: - an approach to environmental problems that conceives such problems as components of large social and political issues rather than moral problems. Strong Anthropocentrism: - a theory of environmental ethics that considers human beings as the only intrinsically valuable and morally considerable entities. It interprets the basis of value in terms of human concern/interests. Strong ecocentrism: a version of ecocentric moral theory according to which nonhuman beings have intrinsic value independent of consciousness of a valuing subject. Vital population: the number of individuals of any given species sufficient enough to enable it (the species) to fulfill its special duty in the ecosystem most efficiently and effectively, ix Weak Anthropocentrism: a version of human-centered ethics which extends intrinsic value to some nonhuman beings. This value is however lesser than that of man. Like Strong Anthropocentrism it interprets the basis of value in terms of human concern/interests. Weak ecocentrism: a version of ecocentric mortal theory according to which the intrinsic value nonhuman beings have intrinsic value independent of consciousness of a valuing subject. Worldview: - a system of beliefs expressive of our general understanding of ourselves and the world. It includes both basic (primary) and secondary beliefs. The former are beliefs upon which our lives as well as secondary beliefs are based. They include metaphysical, epistemological and ethical beliefs. Secondary beliefs are those upon which the various aspects of our social life are based. They include social and political philosophy, to mention a few. x TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION………………………………………………………………………..…...ii DEDICATION…………………………………………………...………………..…...…….iii ACKNOWLEDGMENT…………………………………………………………..……..….iv ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS………………………………………...………….vi DEFINITION OF TERMS……………………………………………………………..…..vii TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………...…...….x ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………...………..…xv CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study……………………………………………...……………………1 1.2 Statement of Problem………………………………………………….……..…………….8 1.3 Objectives of the Study………………………………………………………………..…...9 1.4 Research Questions………………………………………………………...………………9 1.5 Research Assumptions ………………………………………….……………..…………10 1.6 Justification and Significance of the Study ………….……………………...……………11 1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study …………..……………………………...…………..12 1.8 Literature Review, Theoretical and Conceptual Framework………………….………….13 1.8.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….13 1.8.2 Reviewed Literature …………………………………………………………………14 1.8.3 Theoretical and Conceptual Frame Work………………………..…………….…….23 1.8.3.1 Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………………………32 1.8.3.2 Conceptual Framework………....................................................................………26
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