Categorical Imperative in Defense of Strong Sustainability

Abstract

Strong sustainability defends that certain forms of natural capital (environment) are critical and therefore, non-substitutable. There is an increasing concern for conserving the natural environment due to its unique contribution for sustenance and wellbeing of all living beings. The development process which does not preserve its natural capital is bound to lead towards an unsustainable growth path. In the wake of strong sustainability, it is an imperative to preserve the natural environment as it is degrading beyond its thresh-old limit. The ethical aspect of strong sustainability raises the ethical question what is right thing to do and emphasizes on ethical relations of humans with natural environment. The paper defends strong sustainability from Kant’s Categorical Imperative. Categorical Imperative motivates every human to act out of duty. Actions done for the sake of duty alone are morally worthy. A duty is the relationship between one’s moral action and his autonomy of the will. Concerning the sustenance and wellbeing of the present and the future generation, it is the moral duty of the humans to preserve the natural environment.

Keywords: strong sustainability, weak sustainability, natural capital, categorical imperatives, direct and indirect duty

JEL Classification: O13, Q20, Q32, Q41, R11, M14