Abstract

This semester (Fall 2022), in my Ethics class for my final I decided to film a social experiment to understand the ethical reasoning individuals have when it comes to the environment. We talked about how most people view the world in an anthropocentric lens (viewing humans above all), but a recent class discussion showed many individuals of my generation see themselves as biocentric (where every living being is on a moral status). I wanted to test this theory, so I used a dying plant of mine and put up a sign asking people to water the plant. I was hoping to see busy individuals stop by for one second to water the plant. This is what I found.