Hunting, Ethics, and the Environment

Overview In this discussion, you will explain whether or not you think hunting is ethical, addressing either holism or the land ethic (or both) as you express your opinion about the justification of hunting.

In Chapter 8 of DesJardins, read the discussion topic “Hunting, Ethics, and the Environment” on pp. 177–178.

Use information from this reading, as well as other assigned texts from this Module, to answer these discussion questions from the text. “Is hunting an environmentally responsible activity?

On one hand, concern and care for the natural world would seem to count against a practice that intentionally kills animals for sport.

On the other hand, hunting can play a role in wildlife management that seems to contribute to healthy ecosystems.

While some defenders of animal rights and biocentric ethics argue that hunting is always unethical in all forms, other critics challenge hunting along several dimensions: which animals are hunted, and how, when, why, and with what they are hunted.” (DesJardins 177).

Respond to the question that begins Chapter 8: Is hunting an environmentally responsible activity? (Desjardins 177) Why or why not?

When might hunting be justified, or unjustified, on environmental grounds? Use the land ethic and/or holism to explain. Is it ironic that there is a code of ethics for hunting, when the entire aim of the hunt is to kill, and this aim is supposed to meet an ethical code? Why or why not? (Desjardins 178)