- In full:
- Paul Warren Taylor
- Born:
- November 19, 1923, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Died:
- October 14, 2015, Hamilton, New Jersey (aged 91)
- Notable Works:
- “Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics”
- Subjects Of Study:
- biocentrism
- environmental ethics
Paul W. Taylor
-
Who was Paul W. Taylor?
Paul W. Taylor (1923–2015) was an American philosopher known for his work Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics (1986), a foundational text in environmental philosophy that advocated for biocentrism.
Taylor served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946 and later earned a doctorate in philosophy from Princeton University in 1950, where he also briefly taught. From 1950 to 1990, Taylor was a philosophy faculty member at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.
In Respect for Nature, Taylor supported biocentrism, which gives priority to individuals in nature, including humans, but does not consider humans as having higher priority. He argued that all organisms have inherent value and are worthy of moral consideration.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is Paul W. Taylor best known for in philosophy?
Paul W. Taylor was an American philosopher recognized for his work in environmental ethics, specifically his book Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics (1986). This book is known as a foundational work that advocated a biocentric viewpoint, which gives moral consideration to all living beings.
Taylor argued that humans should not be considered superior and have a moral responsibility to act in the best interest of other life forms. His biocentric ethics emphasized duties of nonmaleficence, noninterference, fidelity, and restitutive justice towards the natural environment.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is the main idea behind Paul W. Taylor's theory of environmental ethics?
Paul W. Taylor's environmental ethics theory, outlined in his book Respect for Nature, advocates for a biocentric viewpoint. He posits that all living organisms possess inherent value and are worthy of equal moral consideration. Taylor argues that humans are not superior and have a moral responsibility to act in the best interest of other life forms. This biocentric view requires humans to adhere to duties such as nonmaleficence, noninterference, fidelity, and restitutive justice, ensuring ethical treatment of the natural environment and its inhabitants.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What does 'respect for nature' mean in Paul W. Taylor's work?
In Paul W. Taylor's environmental ethics, "respect for nature" is grounded in biocentrism, which posits that all living beings have moral standing. Taylor argues that each organism is a "teleological centre of autonomous choice," inherently valuable and deserving of equal moral consideration.
Taylor's "respect for nature" includes duties of nonmaleficence, noninterference, fidelity, and restitutive justice. These duties require humans to avoid harming natural entities, respect the freedom and functions of ecosystems, remain faithful in our interactions with wild animals, and restore ethical balance when human actions cause harm.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How does Taylor believe humans should treat plants and animals?
Paul Taylor's biocentric viewpoint emphasizes that humans should respect all living organisms, not just other humans. He believed that every organism has inherent value and is a "teleological centre of autonomous choice," deserving equal moral consideration. Taylor saw no basis for human superiority and stressed our responsibility to act in the best interest of all life forms. This responsibility includes:
- Nonmaleficence: Avoiding harm to any natural entity
- Noninterference: Respecting the freedom and natural functions of ecosystems
- Fidelity: Being faithful in our interactions with wild animals
- Restitutive justice: Correcting ethical imbalances between humans and animals caused by human actions
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What impact has Paul W. Taylor's philosophy had on the environmental movement?
Paul W. Taylor's philosophy, particularly his biocentric viewpoint presented in Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics (1986), has had a foundational impact on the environmental movement.
Taylor's work, which came at a time when environmental philosophy was heavily scrutinized, built credibility for the field through its rigor. He grounded his theory in commonly understood norms in human ethics, arguing for the inherent worth and equal moral consideration of all individual organisms.
Taylor's biocentrism obligates humans to follow rules regarding nonmaleficence, noninterference, fidelity, and restitutive justice. By asserting these principles, Taylor's philosophy has provided a robust ethical framework for environmental advocacy, influencing how environmentalists perceive and argue for the protection of nature.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Paul W. Taylor (born November 19, 1923, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died October 14, 2015, Hamilton, New Jersey) was an American philosopher best known for his book Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics (1986), which promulgated the biocentric viewpoint in environmental ethics and was a foundational work of environmental philosophy.
(Read Peter Singer’s Britannica entry on ethics.)
Taylor served in the United States Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946. After he was discharged, he obtained an undergraduate degree (1947) and a doctorate (1950) in philosophy from Princeton University. He also taught at Princeton University from 1949 to 1950. He spent the remainder of his career (1950–90) as a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. In 1990 he became an emeritus professor in the department.
In Respect for Nature, Taylor supported a biocentric viewpoint in environmental ethics. Biocentrism in general prioritizes individuals in nature, including humans, but does not assign humans higher priority. Respect for Nature came at a time when environmental philosophy was a new subdiscipline heavily scrutinized by mainstream philosophers, and the rigour Taylor used to outline his theory of biocentrism built credibility for the field.
A key strength of Taylor’s theory was its use of commonly understood norms in human ethics to build a foundation for environmental ethics. He argued that humans are members of Earth’s community of life, that Earth’s ecosystems are a complex web of interconnected elements, that each individual organism, like each individual human, is a teleological (purposeful) centre of autonomous choice, and thus that each organism is an end in itself. In addition, just as German philosopher Immanuel Kant posited that every person possesses inherent worth, Taylor posited that each individual organism is inherently valuable and worthy of equal moral consideration.
Taylor saw as groundless the claim that humans, by their very nature, are superior to other beings simply because they are rational forms of life. However, he acknowledged that humans have a moral responsibility (due to their unique decision-making faculties) to act in the best interest of other forms of life. He argued that biocentrism obligates humans to follow rules regarding nonmaleficence (the duty to not cause harm to any entity in the natural environment imbued with intrinsic worth), noninterference (the duty to refrain from placing restrictions on the freedom of individuals as well as to refrain from interfering with the functions of ecosystems and biotic communities), fidelity (the duty to remain faithful to the trust between humans and wild animals [because wild animals can be deceived and thus exploited by humans]), and restitutive justice (the duty to restore the moral and ethical balance between humans and animals that has been wronged by human activities).
His two other books, Normative Discourse (1961) and Principles of Ethics: An Introduction (1975), cover more traditional philosophy.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
