Volume 1, 1999
Ethics
Gunnar Skirbekk
Pages 95-106
Discourse-Ethical Gradualism
Beyond Anthropocentrism and Biocentrism?
My question is the following: to what extent is ethical anthropocentrism tenable? In a “discourse ethical” perspective I will consider some case-oriented arguments in favor of a paradigmatically unique ethical standing for humans and some arguments in favor of an ethical gradualism between humans and other mammals and between humans and nature, ending with a conclusion in favor of a fair treatment of all moral subjects, human and non-human.