The question should be asked if humanity has a right to exploit the environment for its own purposes, knowing that such intentional behavior will eventually destroy the Earth? I would reply that we do not have the right to make such a selfish decision in that the Earth is a living organism that has by our own conception of morality, a right to exist and follow its own destiny. Given the essence of the universe in all its complexity, beauty and unfathomable mysteries, it is hard to justify, in any way and for any reason, the destruction of such an entity by one of its own inhabitants.
There are many laymen, religious leaders, scientists and professionals from a variety of disciplines that speculate that the universe may well have a purpose and meaning that is well beyond the limits of our ability to comprehend such a concept. Our purpose and meaning may also be integrally tied to the destiny of the universe as well. Given our present knowledge and understanding of the cosmos is limited, it would appear that further rigorous investigation into this mystery is both prudent and ethical and will necessitate time and patience for us to arrive at a viable conclusion. The Earth has been our home for thousands of years and has provided everything we have needed to evolve and discover ourselves. It is time we look beyond ourselves to discover and embrace the larger story of creation.
Reference:
Waking up in Time, Peter Russell, Origin Press Inc., 1122 Grant Ave., Suite C, Novato, CA 94945, Copyright 1992 by Peter Russell, Knowing—A Conscious Universe, pp. 181-184. Accessed 1 July2020.
Passionate Earth Project 