An altruistic constituent of the environmental ethics

The article studies the altruistic component of the environmental ethics in the context of ecological crisis. It is shown that, considering the ambiguity, ambivalence of a human being, possibilities of human nature, both modes of attitude towards the nature - egoism and altruism - can potentially take place in the “human - nature" system. The author examines the relationship of the environmental ethics and altruism based on Luhmann’s theory of self-referential systems, Schweitzer’s principle of reverence for life, ‘ordo amoris’ ideas of Scheler, and the principle of organic solidarity of Durkheim. It is emphasized that the nature should have its own voice in the moral and legal sphere of the society, and the selfish conquest of nature must give way to collective responsibility.