Title: Glossary
Course: HUM 299 Environmental Humanities > Section: HUM 299 Environmental Humanities

Glossary

Terms

Term | Definitions
Anthropocentrism | A philosophy or presumption that says that ethical decision-making should be totally centered on human needs and interests. Non-anthropocentric views, by contrast, recognize the importance of non- ...
Environmental impact assessment | A systematic evaluation of how prospective developments might have impacts on the surrounding world, for better or for worse. Such an assessment is not limited to economic considerations, but is i ...
Environmental justice | Concerns fairness (or lack thereof) in how environmental benefits and burdens are distributed throughout a community. Here the ethical emphasis is not simply on the total benefits to humans (or ot ...
Precautionary approach | The evaluation of risk is an important part of environmental assessments, and to that end, a precautionary approach to risk evaluation gives priority to avoiding catastrophe. As such, a precaution ...
Standard of living vs. quality of life | This distinction is between how much one has and how well one is living. Those advocating sustainable development emphasize the distinction to prioritize high quality of life without assuming an e ...
Sustainable development | Refers to an ecological, ethical, and socioeconomic ideal. Where development involves progress and growth toward some aim, sustainability demands processes or practices that can continue in perpet ...