UTILITARIAN ETHICS AS A FOUNDATION OF COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.

The Case of Urban Coastal Management in the Municipality of João Pessoa, Northeast Brazil.

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Considering environmental ethics as a branch of applied philosophy, environmental philosophy, which studies the moral relationship of the human being with the environment and its non-human contents, as well as the value and moral status of oneself, this article proposes a reflection on the quality of coastal environmental management from the perspective of the concept proposed by the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham. The guiding question of this research was: When we add up all the economic and social benefits brought by the government programs and actions implemented in the urban coastal system of João Pessoa and subtracting all the environmental costs derived from these activities, the final result produced generates truly happiness for the whole community (social, economic and environmental) or is there an alternative decision capable of satisfying all these local segments? The results show that the application of the utilitarian philosophy does not have a clearly observed environmental plan in attitudes and actions (social justifications) in the use of cost systems for users and residents. In addition, it should be noted that the economic activities carried out in this coastal region, covered by regulatory exceptions loaded with utilitarian values, such as restaurants, bars, sports practices, etc. showing that these activities are ratified and many times implemented by the State as a way to guarantee the maximum well-being of the community, basic assumptions of utilitarianism contributing to a great extent to the loss of quality in these spaces.

Keywords: Environmental Ethics; utilitarian ethics; Coastal Environmental Management; João Pessoa Coastal System.