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non-moral yet inclusive approach, the relational approach, the value-in-nature approach
— see Kallhoff— Paola — Schérgenhumer 2018: 2—3). Some philosophers argue that an
ethical approach to plants must rest on their value to other beings; others focus on
human practices that depend on plants; others again examine plants, botanic life as
such, separately. Eco-ethics also looks closely at hybrid breeding technologies, agricultural
robotics, genetically modified variants and laboratory experimentation. With the new
theoretical frameworks and methods, attempts are being made to rethink classic themes
(such as the garden and food). Brand new areas (e.g. the planetoid — an object inspired
by robots) are also being studied.
Conclusion
As shown both by the beginning of the paper and also some later parts, the radical
trends of environmental philosophy have been tightly linked to movements of
counter-culture. The representatives of these trends have aimed to expose the
conceptual, social, cultural and historical background, drivers and functioning of
the environmental crisis. They have argued that a fundamental social or cultural
transformation is required for humanity to ward off a long-term ecological disaster.
They differ from other trends in environmental philosophy by their lack of trust
in political and other reforms. This is because on the one hand, these are too slow,
while on the other, they concentrate on symptoms instead of causes (Zimmerman
2001; Hubbell — Ryan 2022: 122-123), without which only temporary, superficial
solutions are possible.
However, the contemporary environmental and social problems are no longer
mere problems, but rather crises that threaten the existence of life on Earth. The
awakening world is eagerly awaiting urgent answers. This general state of mind
and attitude influences the more recent, specialized ecophilosophical trends
which address such ontological and epistemological issues as plant ethics, food
ethics, climate ethics, climate engineering, Anthropocene feminism, and
sustainability ethics, all of which would have been extreme as little as 20 years
ago (Hubbell — Ryan 2022: 121). Such radically new ideas are, obviously, also
motivated by contemporary scientific achievements. To remain with plants: the
latest scientific findings that plants experience pain or that they communicate
with one another — and the further perspectives afforded by research — may result
in the complete reconsideration of our natural environment and our relationship
to it. These scientific results also lay claim to what EH so often and emphatically
reiterates: inter- and cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration.