The Ethics of Deforestation According to Deontology and Utilitarianism

One ethical dilemma rising in today`s society comes from deforestation. According to Britannica, deforestation is "The clearing or thinning of forest by humans." This allows for more roadways, land for population growth, and it even creates new jobs, which helps the economy. Even though this may sound good, it also leads to many environmental problems. One problem is the removal of many of the Earth`s trees has caused soil erosion. Without the roots of these trees to support the land, the soil begins to erode with heavy rain or wind. Another problem is more and more greenhouse gases are left in the air, since there is less forest to absorb them. This causes the atmosphere to be weaker.

Deforestation also leads to the destruction of much of the planet`s plant and animal life. Many animals build their homes in the trees or on the canopies. With a lot of these trees being cut down, their homes are then destroyed, leaving many animals homeless and without shelter, and many of them do not survive when harsh weather occurs. Plant life is vulnerable, because the ground has dried up and eroded away. Trees help continue the water cycle, returning water vapor into the air. Without this process the land begins to dry up and plants can`t get the water they need to survive.

All of these problems lead to one ethical dilemma; is it right to destroy the planet, just so humans can be comfortable in today`s society? The answer to this question is based on which ethical system a person believes in. One ethical system to solve this problem is Deontology. A second ethical system is Utilitarianism, which argues against Deontology. Depending on which lens a person looks through, will show which system is more right.