Finally, the most extreme version of "so what" suggests that nothing on earth matters, whether before, during, or after the reign of human beings, because, ultimately, all life and all planets will die, and even the smallest particles of matter (i.e. protons) will eventually decay into complete nothingness in time (p.444).
Article Critique and Personal Response
The description of various philosophical perspectives and the corresponding ethical conclusions provides an accurate account of the different possible points-of-view that one can take about ecology and relative value of preserving the planet. The author presents a conclusion that I support. Specifically, he suggests that the most appropriate application of the "so what?" perspective is that it does not really matter whether or not anything matters on earth. He suggests that instead of worrying so much about whether human life will exist forever or how long the planet or the universe will...
In the author's words, "So what if we're screwed? Seize the day" (p.444).
This is a perspective with which I agree. The welfare of all human beings matters as long as there are human beings and even non-human animals experience pain and suffering because of human irresponsibility and selfishness. It may be true that human life will not go on forever and that even the planet and the entire universe will eventually disappear. If we focus on that aspect of our situation, there would be no point to doing anything at all. Instead, we should make the most responsible and ethical choices that we can during our lives without worrying about whether it matters in the broadest possible perspective.
Reference
Moral Ground: Ethical Action for a Planet in Peril Edited by Kathleen Dean Moore & Michael P. Nelson: 440 -- 444.
