Environmental Ethics Research Articles

Unveiling ethical challenges: An in-depth analysis of unethical behavior in Albanian preschool education

Background: The study delves into the prevalence and severity of unethical behavior among educators and parents in Albanian early childhood education institutions, a topic previously unexplored. Objective: The research aims to identify the most common unethical behaviors among educators and parents, understand the primary determinants of unethical behavior in preschool settings, and provide recommendations for policy development in Albanian public preschools to improve ethical norms. Settings: The study was conducted in Albanian early childhood education institutions, focusing on both educators and parents as key stakeholders. Methods: A comprehensive analysis was undertaken, utilizing questionnaires administered to educators and parents, drawing on codes of ethical behavior and thematic analysis to identify and categorize unethical behaviors. Statistical analysis using SPSS was employed to derive insights from the data. Results: Findings revealed a notable discrepancy between educators' and parents' perceptions of unethical behavior, with guardians reporting higher frequencies of unethical conduct. The most prevalent unethical behaviors included unequal treatment of children, favoritism, and use of punishment by educators, while parents commonly violated norms such as disrespecting educators and encouraging physical aggression in children. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of addressing unethical behavior in Albanian preschool settings through enhanced awareness, training, and policy interventions. Strategies to foster better communication between educators and parents, improve professional standards, and combat discrimination are imperative for creating a more ethical environment conducive to positive child development.

Ecological Existentialism in Echoes: Existence of Human Life and Nature

This research article delves into the philosophical foundations of the novel, Echoes, which centers on the central character’s pursuit, as a teacher, of goodness over greatness and his existential quest for meaning. With the objective of examining the novel’s themes and narrative structure from eco-existential point of view, the study investigates the principles of ecological existentialism and the interplay between human existence and the natural world. Central to this exploration, as the research questions, are the concepts of solitude, freedom, and Karma, which the author employs to advocate for existentialism within an ecological framework. By employing ecocriticism and existentialism as theoretical lenses, the article elucidates how the novel portrays the co-existential relationship between humanity and ecology, emphasizing human responsibility and the freedom to imbue life with meaning. This analysis is significant in fostering environmental values and highlighting the interconnectedness of human existence and the natural environment. The study underscores the novel’s potential to illuminate paths towards ecological harmony and deepen understanding of existential philosophy, particularly as it pertains to questions of individuality, freedom, and the search for meaning in the context of environmental ethics. Ultimately, it advocates for a holistic approach to existence that acknowledges the profound influence of ecological factors on human life and underscores the importance of aligning existential values with environmental stewardship.

Integrating perspectives from engineering ethics into the study of technology: A synthesis of research on critical cases

Ethics play a crucial role in the work of engineers, and therefore in everyone’s life, from the field of artificial intelligence ethics to the fields of environmental ethics and biomedical ethics. Analyzing critical technology case studies from the perspective of engineering ethics affords us the opportunity to understand if engineers acted ethically or not in a given situation, what they could have done otherwise, and what they should bear in mind for future case studies regarding ethics. In this article, at first, we draw upon primary and secondary sources in order to analyze two case studies that are of critical importance because, according to the engineers involved in them, it was likely they could have led to fatal accidents. Then, we offer engineering ethics perspectives into the studies. Studying engineering cases from an engineering ethics perspective is crucial for two reasons. First, engineers could have a more completed point of view regarding engineering ethics in order to understand how to act ethically during their work. Second, engineers and others (philosophers of technology, historians of technology, etc.), who analyze these cases in retrospect, could present a more adequate story that would be more useful for the engineers who are taught from it.

Konference Faces of Nature in Contemporary Phenomenology: Challenges of Ecological Ethics and Philosophy of Nature

Conference report

Artificial Intelligence in the French Law of 2024

The use of artificial intelligence in France is growing and intensifying in many areas, particularly in the field of justice. French President Macron has made it one of his government’s priorities to build on these assets and make France a world leader in AI. In parallel, the French government has deployed some efforts towards anticipating the regulatory challenges related to AI, the “National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence” launched as part of «France 2030» . As an illustration of the developments in artificial intelligence and its specific regulation, the French parliament passed a law to ensure the proper conduct of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Law N° 2023-380 of 19.05.2023). The law permits the use of the experimental “augmented video-protection” technology, which uses cameras equipped with AI systems to detect and report specific events in real time. French regulations begin already now in the area of justice and must continue in the fields of AI liability and intellectual property. AI is a source of fears, particularly for the respect of human rights, and requires a very elaborate legal and ethical environment that is flexible enough to avoid slowing down the development of AI. The AI Liability EU Directive complements the Artificial Intelligence Act by introducing a new liability regime that ensures legal certainty, enhances consumer trust in AI, and assists consumers’ liability claims for damage caused by AI-enabled products and services. But the new European AI Act does not resolve all issues that therefore need to be addressed nationally. 

Does culture matter for household carbon emissions? Evidence from “confucian” households in China

ABSTRACT Exploring cultural factors in household carbon emissions is of positive significance in promoting low carbon life. This research uses China Household Financial Survey 2015 (CHFS 2015) to investigate how Confucian culture impacts carbon emission of Chinese household. We found that Confucian households have significant lower level of carbon emissions due to the ‘inhibited’ consumption level and the service-oriented consumption structure; Specifically speaking, larger household sizes, stronger propensity to save, and stronger housing preferences lead to Confucian households’ lower consumption level, and an expenditure arrangement favouring education and medical care shapes a service-oriented consumption structure, which is also a low-carbon emissions consumption structure. Furthermore, Confucian ecological ethics did not notably enhance households’ subjective environmental attitudes, but strengthen adaptive behaviours in response to ecological deterioration, thereby reducing household carbon emission levels. Our research contributes fresh evidence and findings to the study of the environmental implications of Confucian culture.

ENCOURAGING PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOUR: THE FUNCTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONNECTEDNESS, ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS, & ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE

The environment is essential in determining the well-being and quality of human life. The rapid development of human civilization causes humans to depend highly on the world of science and technology. Unfortunately, this speed causes people to become complacent in carrying out their responsibility to protect the environment. The effects of these activities have begun to be felt by today's generation. Despite a strong consensus about human environmental responsibility, many people fail to behave in line with their pro-environmental behaviour. This study examines the interrelationship between environmental connectedness, ethics, knowledge, and pro-environmental behaviour. The quantitative survey method and convenience sampling collected data from the Malaysian public. The final valid data of 247 respondents were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis conducted within SPSS. The regression results showed that environmental connectedness, ethics, and knowledge significantly influenced pro-environmental behaviour. These results indicate that citizens who are emotionally attached to the environment, ethically value the environment, and are highly knowledgeable on how to preserve and conserve the environment will help guarantee a comfortable life. Several theoretical and practical implications are also highlighted in this paper.

If “Denial of Death” Is a Problem, Then “Reverence for Life” Is a Meaningful Answer: Ernest Becker's Significance for Applied Animal and Environmental Ethics

Abstract Ernest Becker analyzed human death anxiety and explained how it governs our ideologies and behaviors—something now confirmed by thousands of psychological experiments in terror management theory. This anxiety is managed through what he terms “hero systems,” cultural ideals we create to give us a sense of meaning. Most hero systems deny that we are, like all animals, creatures in a mortal body. This denial of our basic biological nature has caused humans to stand against their world, leading to an assault on the planet and nonhuman animals. Becker believed pacifism/nonviolence was the only hero system capable of keeping humans from destroying the earth and each other. But “reverence for life” transcends concern for humans alone and extends safeguards to all life, making it a vital solution to many of our modern problems.

The wisdom of ecofeminism in Arjasari as a link between Hadith and community practice

This research aims to discuss ecological wisdom in Arjasari as a link between hadith and community practice. This qualitative research used a case study. It used hadith science theory as the formal object, and the practice of ecofeminism the material object. Using observation, interviews, and documentation for data collection, this study analyzed the data through inventory, classification, and interpretation stages. The research involved two community organizations affiliated with the Sapa Institute: Bale Istri Community and Islamic Organization in Arjasari, Bandung, Indonesia, from July 2022 to December 2022. This research is unique because it explores thematic hadiths, which serve as a basic source for integrating Islamic teachings into the practice of ecofeminism. This study explores the matan of traditions related to ecology, using a thematic approach to understand their relevance to contemporary environmental challenges comprehensively. The research shows that ecofeminism practices of community organizations from the perspective of hadith were found in Arjasari Village, Bandung. The identified hadiths emphasize responsible land use, sustainable agriculture, and preservation of natural resources, contributing to developing an ecofeminist framework in Arjasari, harmonizing Islamic values with environmental ethics. This study's unique contribution lies in exploring thematic hadith, which integrates ecofeminist practices. The deliberate linkage of religious principles with ecofeminist discourse promotes the equivalence between environmental standards and Islamic values.

Ecosystemic Alienation from the Perspective of Paraecology

Individual alienation, which began in the previous century with the industrialization revolution, has now progressed to the level of ecosystem alienation. Catastrophic destruction that occurs with the disruption of natural ecosystem functions proceeds insidiously. The main objective of this study is to make paraecological approaches more understandable, and aid efforts to make nature conservation and environmental ethics a way of life in the solution of environmental problems caused by ecosystemic alienation. With the magic of hedonism, an alienated person becomes lonely and robotic. Today, modernity is the main activator of alienation. Weak living things, which constitute the basic paradigm of modernity, must constantly feed this system. However, maintaining modernity tends to destroy the system by exploiting it. Ecological destruction, such as climate change, drought, and desertification have reached a global threat level. Living things are unaware that they are preparing to perish under the threat of alienation, along with their systems. Ecosystemic alienation, a latent virus that has existed for over a century, is the highest level of alienation. Selling or bartering these functions by calculating the financial value of the services and functions of natural ecosystems is another indicator of alienation. The solution is not to destroy the alienated humans (aliens) responsible for the degradation of ecosystems, but to push them to the limits and neutralize them. Efforts to create virtuous people who will solve ecological problems and adopt living as a part of nature cannot be realized with utopian principles. Adoption of global nature conservation ethics is possible with lifelong education for all ages.

Mapping the Research Landscape: A Bibliometric Analysis of Islam's Role in Sustainable Development

This bibliometric analysis delves into the expansive landscape of research where Islam intersects with sustainable development, covering the period from 1991 to 2023. The dataset, comprising 586 documents from 354 sources, signifies a dynamic and rapidly growing field, with an impressive annual growth rate of 11.44%. The relatively low average document age of 5.08 years highlights the contemporary nature of the research, while the high average citations per document (5.795) and substantial reference count (25,019) underscore the field's influence and interconnected character. Key contributors include Malaysia, with 369 articles, and Indonesia with 269 articles, emphasizing their leadership roles. The USA emerges as the most cited country, with 284 total citations, reflecting its significant impact. The global collaboration map highlights Malaysia as a central hub, collaborating notably with Indonesia, Bangladesh, and the USA, illustrating the collaborative nature of research in this area. Trending topics reveal a shift towards holistic themes like environmental protection, ethics, and public health. The enduring presence of keywords such as "sustainable development" and "Islam" underscores central themes, providing valuable insights into the evolving discourse. These discoveries have important ramifications for scientific education, strengthening tactics and curriculum via a deeper comprehension of sustainable development in Islamic contexts. This research fosters a more comprehensive approach to sustainability education by addressing global concerns with cultural and religious components and bridging multidisciplinary barriers by clearly highlighting these links. This increases the study's applicability to a wide variety of multidisciplinary audiences, such as academics, educators, and decision-makers who want to improve scientific education within Islamic contexts.

Exploring the Interplay of Ethics and Built Environment

In the wake of unprecedented global challenges ranging from inequalities to pandemics, the ethical dimensions of the built environment have garnered heightened attention. This thematic issue delves into the evolving role of planning, design, and materialities within the built environment in addressing ethical concerns amidst contemporary crises. This study delves into the intricate interplay between ethics and the built environment, elucidating its manifold implications in shaping daily experiences, behaviors, and societal norms. It explores the ethical implications of individual and collective behaviors within the built environment, analyzing phenomena such as public space use, resource consumption, and environmental stewardship. Ultimately, these efforts seek to inform both theoretical discourse and practical interventions aimed at fostering more ethically conscious approaches to urban design, planning, and governance.

Criminal Policy as an Effort to Overcome Defamation Crimes on Social Networks (Research in the Jurisdiction of the North Sumatra Regional Police)

The development of information technology, especially in the realm of computers, has created a significant impact on security in cyberspace, including increasing cases of cyber crimes such as defamation. This article analyzes the laws related to defamation in social networks based on the ITE Law. This research uses normative and empirical juridical approaches to highlight weaknesses in policy implementation, such as ambiguous definitions and differences in interpretation between the ITE Law and the Criminal Code. In addition, the article proposes non-penal policy alternatives, such as religious and moral approaches, in addressing cybercrime. However, obstacles such as the lack of public understanding of the ITE Law and limited infrastructure and human resources in the police cyber unit were also identified. By understanding these challenges, it is hoped that law enforcement against cybercrime can be improved to create a safer and more ethical cyber environment.

Powerful tool or too powerful? Early public discourse about ChatGPT across 4 million tweets.

This paper investigates initial exuberance and emotions surrounding ChatGPT's first three months of launch (1 December 2022-1 March 2023). The impetus for studying active discussions surrounding its implications, fears, and opinions is motivated by its nascent popularity and potential to disrupt existing professions; compounded by its significance as a crucial inflexion point in history. Capturing the public zeitgeist on new innovations-much like the advent of the printing press, radio, newspapers, or the internet-provides a retrospective overview of public sentiments, common themes, and issues. Since launch, few big data studies delved into initial public discourse surrounding the chatbot. This report firstly identifies highest-engagement issues and themes that generated the most interaction; secondly, identifies the highest-engaged keywords on both sides of the sentiment valence scale (positive and negative) associated with ChatGPT. We interrogate a large twitter corpus (n = 4,251,662) of all publicly available English-language tweets containing the ChatGPT keyword. Our first research aim utilizes a prominent peaks model (upper-quartile significance threshold of prominence>20,000). Our second research aim utilized sentiment analysis to identify, week-on-week, highest-frequency negative, and positive keywords and emojis. Six prominent peaks were identified with the following themes: 'hype and hesitance', 'utility and misuse in professional and academic settings', 'demographic bias', 'philosophical thought experiments on morality' and 'artificial intelligence as a mirror of human knowledge'. Of high-frequency valence, negativity included credibility concerns, implicit bias, environmental ethics, employment rights of data annotators and programmers, the ethicality of neural network datasets. Positivity included excitement over application, especially in coding, as a creative tool, education, and personal productivity. Overall, sentiments and themes were double-edged, expressing excitement over this powerful new tool and wariness toward its potential for misuse.

Exploring economic dimensions of social ecological crises: A reply to special issue papers

In this paper I consider various shifts in my research and understanding stimulated by seeking how to combat social ecological crises connected to modern economies. The discussion and critical reflections are structured around five papers that were submitted to Environmental Values in an open call to address my work. A common aspect is the move away from neoclassical environmental economics, and its reductionist monetary valuation, to a more realist theory and multiple methods. This relates to my work on environmental ethics, plural values, stated preference validity and deliberative monetary valuation. Expanding beyond the narrow confines of mainstream orthodoxy has involved exploring a range of other disciplines (e.g. applied philosophy, social psychology, human geography, political science, social anthropology, history of thought and philosophy of science) and learning from this literature to rethink economics and develop social ecological economics. A broad range of subjects are covered here, including: personal responsibility, social practice, psychology of the individual, participatory processes, value (intrinsic, instrumental and relational), Nature–society relationships and interdependencies, critical realism and the conduct of unifying interdisciplinary science. I end with a series of comments concerning the failings of orthodox economics and the conduct of scientific research for social ecological transformation.

Youth and Community Work for Climate Justice: Towards an Ecocentric Ethics for Practice

ABSTRACT This paper traces an expanded ethical perspective for youth and community work (YCW) practice in response to the climate and biodiversity crises. Discussing ecological ethics, we problematise the liberal humanist emphasis on utilitarianism and reject it as inappropriate for YCW in these times. Instead, we argue for an ecocentric practice ethic which intrinsically values the non-human world. To advance an ecocentric ethical perspective for YCW we draw on decolonial and posthuman theory. Inspired by a Freirean dialogical approach, we apply these theoretical domains as lenses to problematise YCW practice, seeking a generative dialogue between perspectives. Through this, we identify three emergent tasks for ecocentric YCW: (a) thinking and acting beyond the individual; (b) cultivating reciprocal care and connection and (c) practicing critical pedagogies of place. This third element builds on YCW's social pedagogic tradition and provides a practical means to incorporate ecocentric ideas into practice. We conclude that, given the unprecedented implications of climate crises and biodiversity collapse, a YCW ethics that does not consider these implications for young people is insufficient for the context of practice today. Enacting an ecocentric YCW ethics requires ongoing collective praxis and dialogue between young people, practitioners, educators, managers and students.

An analysis of some ethical argumentation about genetically modified food

We present an analysis of ethical argumentation and rhetorical elements in an article on the debate about growing genetically modified food (GMF), an issue of current interest in environmental ethics. Ethical argumentation is argumentation that a certain action is permissible, forbidden, or obligatory in terms of ethical intuitions, principles, or theories. Based on analysis of argumentation in the article, we propose several argumentation schemes for descriptive modeling of utilitarian arguments as an alternative to using more general schemes such as practical reasoning and argument from consequences. We also show how the article promoted its pro-GMF stance using rhetorical elements such as quotation, argument from expert opinion, and ad hominem attacks. Pedagogical and computational implications of the analysis of argumentation and rhetoric are discussed.

Exploring success factors and relationships in virtual learning using ISM and fuzzy MICMAC analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic's consequences have led to a global change in educational settings towards online learning. The utilization of virtual learning (VL) has increased significantly. This study aimed to extract the success factors of VL and also examine the relationships among them. The research method involves examining factors identified in the literature review and seeking confirmation from experts using the Content Validity Index (CVI) method. Ten success factors are extracted and confirmed, including Technological, Management, Learning Capability, Pedagogical, Ethical, Resource Support, Interface Design, Evaluation, Institutional, and Study Environment. Based on the Interpretive Structural Model (ISM) method and the fuzzy matrix of cross-impact multiplications applied to classification (MICMAC), which divides the factors into five levels, the relationship between these factors is examined. Level I emphasizes the importance of evaluation mechanisms. Level II stresses integrating pedagogical, ethical, resource support, and institutional aspects. Level III highlights the alignment of learner capabilities with platform interfaces. Level IV underscores the significance of the learning environment. Lastly, Level V emphasizes the interplay between technology and management in VL's expansion. The findings of this study can be developed and customized through collaboration among instructors, learners, and institutions. Moreover, the findings from correlating success factors can be applied in practical learning experiments or utilized to develop efficient modeling manuals.

Goethe’s Platonic Natural Philosophy: How Goethean Science Provides an Alternative Conception of the Cosmos

While popularly known for his works of literature and poetry, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe viewed his lesser-known scientific pieces as his most enduring achievement. I will argue that Goethe’s unique scientific methodology is informed by a metaphysical commitment to a form of Platonism and that Goethe provides an intriguing alternative paradigm that unifies science, philosophy, theology, and ethics. I begin by demonstrating how Goethe’s concept of the Urphänomen offers a Platonic conception of natural beings. I then briefly outline how this alternative scientific approach ultimately derives from his Platonic commitments. Next, I demonstrate the ethical and spiritual implications of Goethean science, establishing that Goethe’s approach bridges the divide between our scientific endeavors and spiritual formation. There is, then, a continued relevance for Goethe in conversations regarding ecological ethics and our perception of nature.

Energy Efficiency Measures in Public Sector: An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of Adoption of Low-Cost Energy Efficiency

This research delves into the intricate interplay between leadership styles, eco-innovation, and energy efficiency in the Indonesian public sector, examining the roles of green transformational leadership and ethical leadership. Acknowledging the pivotal role of public sector institutions in fostering sustainable practices, the study addresses the ongoing debate surrounding the efficacy of these leadership styles in the context of eco-innovation and energy efficiency. Using a quantitative research approach, data was collected from 227 faculty members across various Indonesian public sector institutions through a questionnaire. SmartPLS 4 software was employed for data analysis. The findings reveal that green transformational leadership positively influences eco-innovation, yet it does not directly impact energy efficiency. Conversely, ethical leadership does not directly drive eco-innovation but demonstrates a positive association with energy efficiency. Eco-innovation emerges as a direct contributor to energy efficiency. Significantly, the research identifies eco-innovation as a mediator between green transformational leadership and energy efficiency. However, this mediating effect is not observed in the relationship between ethical leadership and energy efficiency. The study underscores the need for leadership emphasizing environmental consciousness and ethics, coupled with the promotion of eco-innovation, to effectively attain sustainability and energy efficiency objectives within the Indonesian public sector.