Abstract
To appreciate what an African perspective can contribute to environmental ethics, we should be careful, all things considered, not to get entangled in the dualisms that have characterized the central debates in Western environmental ethics. Dualisms such as anthropocentrism versus non anthropocentrism; or individualism versus holism may have been useful in informing particular positions on certain issues, however, they have often led to seemingly irreconcilable differences. Moreover, the positions taken by choosing either side of the dualisms are individually inadequate to capture what goes on in real life given the multifaceted human interactions with the natural world. Understanding justice within the framework of the African emphasis on harmonious relationships has a lot to contribute to an African conception of environmental ethics. Furthermore, some of the fundamental concerns about justice have the potential to stand up to the tide of Western influences which may not be the case with mere nostalgic references to African beliefs and attitudes toward the natural environment.
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- 1.
In this sense, an African view of morality is something akin to virtue ethics although it is based on different motivations and ontology as opposed to the mere questions about politics and the good life.
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On the same basis, concepts such as Ubuntu can also be a source of confusion if not properly contextualised.
- 3.
It is from this perspective that Callicott would seem to claim that “…mention of African culture evokes no thoughts of indigenous environmental ethics” (Callicott 1994: 156).
- 4.
Tangwa, for instance, proposes what he refers to as “eco-bio-communitarianism”.
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As he claims, we need not recognise the intrinsic value of nonhuman objects; instead we can recognise the intrinsic value of our fellow humans and their preferences that nonhuman objects not be harmed.
- 6.
Behrens refers to his theory (or perspective) as “African Relational Environmentalism”.
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An ethnic group of people in Ethiopia.
- 8.
This perspective appears to imply that in order to determine what is just, we must first determine what is moral. There can be a challenge therefore if what is considered just turns out or appears to be immoral.
- 9.
In dealing with some of the disagreements between social ecology and deep ecology we will have to deal also with some disagreements between the principles of justice and ethics.
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Mweshi, J. (2019). The African Emphasis on Harmonious Relations: Implications for Environmental Ethics and Justice. In: Chemhuru, M. (eds) African Environmental Ethics. The International Library of Environmental, Agricultural and Food Ethics, vol 29. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18807-8_13
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