Philosophy in the Contemporary World

Volume 8, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 2001

Environmental Virtue Ethics

Geoffrey B. Frasz
Pages 5-14

What is Environmental Virtue Ethics That We Should Be Mindful of It?

There has been increased interest in developing what I call environmental virtue ethics (EVE). This paper presents some of the central features of this project. The first part is a general description of EVE, showing why there is a need for it. The second part spells out the central features of EVE including an account of the good life as flourishing in an expanded or mixed biotic community, and provides a tentative list of important environmental virtues. The third part examines one virtue: friendship, showing how an understanding of it provides insight into current issues in environmental ethics. The final section addresses a challenge to the project of EVE.