ECOCENTRISM &

SENTIOCENTRISM

UCSP
 WHAT’S
ECOCENTRISM?
LET'S GET STARTED!
ECOCENTRISM
Ecocentrism is an ethical worldview that
recognizes the inherent value of all lifeforms
and ecosystems themselves which are in turn
to be considered morally.
9 ECOCENTRISM
EXAMPLE
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Various new legal instruments
incorporate nature by granting legal
rights to the natural world and
enforcement rights to affected
communities.
 JAINISM
According to the Jain definition
of life, the four elements; earth,
wind, water and fire, are alive
and should, like all things alive,
therefore be considered morally.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
The premise of wildlife conservation
is the protection of both animals and
their natural habitats with the aim
of reparation or improvement of the
natural ecosystem
 CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION
More and more people recognize and condemn the anthropogenic nature of
climate change and see it as their duty to mitigate climate change in any
way possible. Their attitude thereby shifts from an anthropocentric; the
exploitation of natural resources for humanity’s benefit, to a more
ecocentric viewpoint; valuing the ecosystem as a whole and assessing the
environment and nature as an integrated community of which humanity
forms part (Salinger, 2010).
 RECYCLING
Recycling is an act that
showcases an ecocentric
attitude in the sense that
people who recycle are most
likely concerned with the
reparation and preservation of
the ecosystem as a whole.
 VEGETARIANISM AND VEGANISM
– Refraining from the consumption of animal products can have
diverging moral grounds depending on the individual and can thus
subscribe to either a biocentric or an ecocentric attitude. Acting
out of a concern for the lives of animals and to counter animal
suffering is rather biocentric, whereas acting out of concern with
the impact of the food industry on the ecosphere is rather
ecocentric.
SAVING BEES
Dedication to saving bees tends to
be based upon the realisation of their
vital importance for biodiversity and
thus the ecosystem as a whole.
 DEEP ECOTOURISM
– Ecotourism broadly refers to an effort at environmentally
sustainable tourism. Deep ecotourism “encapsulates a range of ideas
which include the importance of intrinsic value in nature, emphasis on
small-scale and community identity, the importance of community
participation, a lack of faith in modern large scale technology and an
underlying assumption that materialism for its own sake is wrong.”
 WHAT’S
SENTIOCENTRISM?
Sentiocentrism is the philosophy that
sentient individuals, primarily humans and
most animals, are the centre of moral
concern. It contrasts with
anthropocentrism (humans are what
matters), biocentrism (all living things
matter) and ecocentrism (all nature
matters).
 HOW CAN
SENTIOCENTRISM HELP?
Sentientism has much in common with humanism. Like
humanism, it is pro-human rights and focused on our
common global humanity. It is anti-sexist, anti-racist,
anti-ageist, anti-ableist, anti-nationalistic, and anti-
LGBTQ+phobic. Both humanism and sentientism help us
focus on what we have in common—our humanity and
our sentience. Identity politics can help identify
problems and provide mutual support within groups.
THANK YOU
FOR
LISTENING!