INTEGRATING CONSCIOUSNESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

ABSTRACT: The paper will discuss the integration of consciousness in environmental ethics. It will consist in an evaluation of the status of the discipline of ethical system and urge for broad-based consideration in the ongoing discourse in environmental ethics. Specifically, it will argue for the inclusion of cosmic-consciousness which emphasizes the relationship and constructive function of humanity and nature. This is in recognition of the fact that ethics is party a cosmic-consciousness with accompanying philosophical assumptions. The paper will propose four ethical approaches which are appropriate for an elaboration of a cosmic consciousness namely; transformative (reflective) consciousness, rebuilding reasoning, moral convergence and cosmic-consciousness. These four are suggested because first, they are the desiderata of all ethical disciplines, secondly, there are transferable to all spheres of life and lastly, they are relatively amenable to tests and measurements whose outcomes can form the basis of an argument thereby making a case for inclusion of cosmic-consciousness in the broader philosophical inquiries.