biocentrism
|bi-o-cen-tris-m|
🇺🇸
/ˌbaɪ.oʊˈsɛn.trɪ.zəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌbaɪ.əʊˈsɛn.trɪ.zəm/
life-centered value
Etymology
'biocentrism' originates from a modern formation based on Greek elements, specifically the elements 'bios' and 'kentron', where 'bio-' meant 'life' and 'kentron' meant 'center'.
'biocentrism' changed from the adjective 'biocentric' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ism' (a modern English formation), and it entered use in English in the 20th century within discussions of ethics and ecology.
Initially, it meant 'placing life at the center of moral consideration'; over time the term broadened to cover various life-centered ethical positions in environmentalism and has also been applied in other contexts (e.g., some cosmological claims called 'biocentrism').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an ethical or philosophical position that assigns inherent value to all living organisms, holding that humans are not inherently superior to other forms of life.
Biocentrism argues that forests, animals, and plants deserve moral consideration in their own right.
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Noun 2
a viewpoint in environmentalism and ecology emphasizing that ecosystems and living organisms should be central in decision-making about the environment and human actions.
Policy debates often contrast biocentrism with development-focused approaches.
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Last updated: 2025/10/10 17:56