On the Meaning of Eudemonic Arguments for a Deep Anthropocentric Environmental Ethics

There are three broad categories of values in environmental ethics: instrumental, inherent moral, and eudemonistic. While instrumental values refer to ways humans are reliant on nature, inherent moral values give natural beings direct moral standing. Eudemonic values can pave the way to a “deep” anthropo-related approach. The article substantiates this claim in six steps. First, it criticizes the dichotomy between instrumental and inherent values. Second, eudemonic values are grounded in the phenomenological concept of experience. It is argued that experiences must be articulated through language. Third, eudemonic values are traced back to Goethean and Romantic traditions. Fourth, the scope of eudemonic values is opened. Fifth, the paradigm example of experiencing natural beauty is presented. Sixth, the gap between phenomenology, eudemonic values, and morals is addressed. In respect to morals, eudemonic values refer to Immanuel Kant's notion of “humanity within personhood.”