Cultural relativism and environmental ethics
Citation
Willett, Lawrence T. (1984).Cultural relativism and environmental ethics. -- Lambda Alpha Journal of Man, v.16, no.2, p7-14.
Abstract
In this paper the scientific objectivity of
anthropologists is represented as a major hindrance to the
development of an appropriate environmental ethic in Western
culture. This is because anthropologists avoid the
necessary feeling of responsibility which could allow a
different attitude to develop. Moral neutrality is not the
basis for overriding cultural relativism in matters of
experimenting on humans; here I suggest it is not a valid
basis for matters of environmental concerns to humans.
Also, I urge fellow anthropologists to re-view our
position in nature, and suggest ways we might contribute to
a more appropriate scientific and ethical world view.