Human Being and Natural World. On the Concept of Species Egalitarianism by Paul W. Taylor

Abstract

The paper takes up Paul W. Taylor’s theses (beliefs) concerning the relations between human beings and the environment. First thesis sets forth that humans are members of the Earth community of life; second, humans are interrelated with other species; third, all organisms are teleological centers of life tending to fulfill their inner good; fourth, humans are equal with other living creatures. These theses are analyzed in-depth and critically assessed. Most controversial is the last belief. It implies that all living creatures have the same value and should be treated equally. The paper shows that these assertions are not viable. More realistic is the idea that natural living creatures differ as far as their values are concerned. Hence, in the paper is undertaken an attempt to figure out a method of disclosing these axiological differences, starting from a personalist model describing mutual relations between anthropology and ethics.