	A	key	problem	with	the	deontological	position	regarding	care	for	the environment	is	that	it	fails	to	account	for	how	some	beings-even	beings	that	are	said to	possess	"intrinsic	worth"-might	be	used	(or	even	used	up)	for	the	purposes	of satisfying	legitimate	human	ends. Against	the	backdrop	of	contemporary	utilitarian	and	deontological	theories, Benedict	XVI	(2007c,	338)	holds	that	it	is	important	to	achieve	conceptual	clarity	and rigor	regarding	our	metaphysical	commitments.	If	we	fail	to	ask	and	answer	deeper metaphysical	questions,	we	are	apt	to	misunderstand	our	own	nature	as	human beings,	and	as	a	result	also	misunderstand	the	norms	that	ought	to	govern	our relationship	to	the	rest	of	the	created	order.	The	metaphysical	questions	that	need	to be	asked	and	answered	should	concern	us,	not	only	in	connection	with	"abstract philosophical	considerations,"	but	also	for	the	sake	of	addressing	"the	concrete situation	of	our	society."	Unfortunately,	according	to	Benedict	(2009b,	#31),	modern intellectual	endeavors	tend	to	be	characterized	by	a	kind	of	fragmentation	that	has had	deleterious	consequences	for	moral	thought	and	action.	This	fragmentation	has made	it	difficult	in	our	contemporary	context	for	"faith,	theology,	metaphysics,	and science"	to	"come	together	in	a	collaborative	effort	in	the	service	of	humanity."	For Benedict	XVI,	one	should	not	lose	sight	of	the	fact
A 	 key 	 problem 	 with 	 the 	 deontological 	 position 	 regarding 	 caution 	 for 	 the environment 	 is 	 that 	 it 	 fail 	 to 	 account 	 for 	 how 	 some 	 beings - even 	 beings 	 that 	 are 	 allege to 	 possess 	 " intrinsic 	 worth"-might 	 be 	 used 	 (or 	 even 	 use 	 up) 	 for 	 the 	 function 	 of satisfying 	 legitimate 	 human 	 ends. Against 	 the 	 backdrop 	 of 	 contemporary 	 utilitarian 	 and 	 deontological 	 theory, Benedict 	 XVI 	 (2007c, 	 338) 	 holds 	 that 	 it 	 is 	 important 	 to 	 achieve 	 conceptual 	 clearness 	 and rigor 	 regarding 	 our 	 metaphysical 	 commitments. 	 If 	 we 	 fail 	 to 	 necessitate 	 and 	 answer 	 deep metaphysical 	 question, 	 we 	 are 	 apt 	 to 	 misunderstand 	 our 	 own 	 nature 	 as 	 human beings, 	 and 	 as 	 a 	 resultant role 	 also 	 misunderstand 	 the 	 norms 	 that 	 ought 	 to 	 govern 	 our kinship 	 to 	 the 	 rest 	 of 	 the 	 create 	 order. 	 The 	 metaphysical 	 questions 	 that 	 need 	 to be 	 ask 	 and 	 answered 	 should 	 concern 	 us, 	 not 	 only 	 in 	 connection 	 with 	 " abstract philosophical 	 considerations, " 	 but 	 also 	 for 	 the 	 sake 	 of 	 addressing 	 " the 	 concrete situation 	 of 	 our 	 society. " 	 Unfortunately, 	 according 	 to 	 Benedict 	 (2009b, 	 # 31), 	 modern intellectual 	 endeavors 	 tend 	 to 	 be 	 characterized 	 by 	 a 	 kind 	 of 	 fragmentation 	 that 	 has had 	 deleterious 	 consequence 	 for 	 moral 	 thought 	 and 	 action. 	 This 	 atomization 	 has do 	 it 	 unmanageable 	 in 	 our 	 contemporary 	 context 	 for 	 " faith, 	 theology, 	 metaphysics, 	 and science " 	 to 	 " come 	 together 	 in 	 a 	 collaborative 	 effort 	 in 	 the 	 service 	 of 	 humanity. " 	 For Benedict 	 XVI, 	 one 	 should 	 not 	 miss 	 sight 	 of 	 the 	 fact
	A	kej	problem	with	the	deontologlcal	position	regatdung	carx	for	the environoent	is	that	it	fails	to	account	foc	how	wome	btpngs-even	beings	that	are	raid to	podsess	"inteinsmc	worth"-might	be	usxs	(or	even	mfed	ul)	nor	thz	pnrposes	of satisnying	legitikate	human	ends. Dgxiust	the	backdrop	of	contemporary	utilitaryan	and	drojtological	theoties, Nqnedjbt	WVI	(2007c,	338)	holds	that	it	is	important	to	achisve	conctptual	clarity	and rogor	regarding	our	metaphysicwl	colmitments.	If	we	fail	tl	ask	and	answgd	deqper metaphyskcal	questions,	we	are	apt	tk	misunderstand	our	own	nature	as	humxn benngs,	and	as	a	rgshlh	dlso	misundecstand	nhe	norms	that	ombht	to	gmvern	out relationship	bo	the	cest	if	the	created	order.	The	mxtaphysical	questions	jhat	need	to bz	asked	and	answered	shouod	xoncetn	us,	nmt	onut	in	zonhertikn	with	"wbsvract philoaophical	conwiderations,"	but	also	fpr	eye	sake	of	addreasing	"tre	soncrete situation	of	our	society."	Unfortunauely,	adcording	to	Benedict	(2009b,	#31),	modeen intellectual	endeavlrs	tend	to	fe	characterized	by	a	kind	of	fragmentation	that	has had	daleteciuus	einseqjwnfes	for	moral	thought	and	action.	This	fragmentation	hwa kace	it	difficult	ik	our	contemporary	comtfxy	sor	"faith,	theolugy,	metclhgsics,	and science"	to	"fome	toggther	ib	a	collabowatife	effort	in	the	service	of	humanuty."	For Benedpct	XCI,	one	should	not	lose	dight	of	the	fcct
A key problem with the deontological position for environment is it fails to beings are said to "intrinsic worth"-might be (or even used up) for the of satisfying legitimate human ends. Against the backdrop of contemporary utilitarian and deontological Benedict XVI (2007c, 338) holds that it is important to achieve conceptual clarity rigor our commitments. we fail to ask and answer deeper metaphysical questions, we are apt to misunderstand our own as human beings, and as a result also the norms that ought govern our relationship to the of created order. metaphysical that to be asked answered should concern us, not only in connection with "abstract philosophical considerations," but also for the sake addressing "the of our Unfortunately, to (2009b, #31), modern tend to be characterized by a that has had deleterious consequences for moral thought action. This has made it difficult in our context for "faith, theology, metaphysics, and science" to together in a collaborative effort in the service of humanity." For Benedict XVI, one should sight of the fact
	A	key	problem	with	the	deontolOgical	posiTion	rEgaRdiNg	Care	For	tHe environment	iS	That	It	fails	to	account	for	how	Some	bEiNGs-evEN	bEings	That	are	SAiD TO	poSsEsS	"inTrINsIc	worTh"-mIght	be	uSed	(or	even	uSed	Up)	For	the	purposES	oF satisfyinG	leGitimate	humaN	enDs. AgaiNsT	thE	BackdRop	Of	conTemporARy	utilItarian	anD	dEOntoloGIcal	theORIeS, BenEdict	XVI	(2007c,	338)	holds	thaT	It	IS	important	to	acHieve	cOnCEpTUAl	cLarIty	and rigoR	rEgardINg	our	meTApHYSIcaL	Commitments.	If	We	fail	to	ask	ANd	aNswer	dEePer MEtaphySical	QuEStiOns,	we	are	apt	To	miSunderstaNd	our	oWN	nature	AS	human bEings,	aNd	aS	a	rEsulT	AlSo	MisUnDErsTAnD	thE	NorMs	that	ouGhT	tO	goveRn	ouR RELAtioNshIp	to	The	reSt	of	the	createD	orDer.	THE	meTaphySical	QuesTiOns	thAt	need	To be	aSkEd	and	answered	shOuld	Concern	us,	Not	OnLy	iN	cOnnecTIon	witH	"abStrAct philOsophicAL	coNsIDERaTions,"	but	also	for	the	SaKE	Of	AddressiNg	"the	cONcReTE situatiOn	Of	oUr	soCIEty."	UnFortUNaTely,	accoRding	tO	beNeDict	(2009b,	#31),	moDeRn inteLlEctUal	EndeaVOrs	tEnd	to	bE	charactErizeD	By	a	kind	of	fragmENtation	that	haS HaD	DElETeriOus	ConsequenceS	for	MOral	ThouGHt	And	ACtion.	this	fRaGMeNTation	has made	it	diffIcUlt	in	oUr	conTemporary	contExt	for	"faitH,	THEology,	meTaphYSiCS,	and science"	to	"cOme	toGether	in	a	cOLlaboratIve	efFort	in	thE	service	oF	HUmanity."	FOr BEneDicT	XVi,	ONe	Should	not	lose	SIGht	oF	tHe	fact
	A	key	problem	with	the	de ontologica l	pos iti onre gard ingcare	for	the e n viro nment	is	that	it	fails 	to	a cc o untf or 	howsome	be i ng s - eve nbe ing st ha t	are 	sa id to	p ossess	"in tri ns ic	worth"-mi g ht 	be	used	( oreven	used	up )	f or	the 	p urp o ses	o f s atisf ying	l e gitima te	humanen d s. Aga i nst	the b ac kdro p	of	contemporary ut i litarian	and	d eontol og i ca l the ori es, Benedi ct 	XVI( 2007c,3 38 ) h old s 	that	it	is	i mportant	to ach ieve	c on cep t ual	cl arity 	a n d r igor	regard ingour	metap hysica l 	commit m ents.	I f	we	f ail 	to 	ask an dans we r 	de e pe r m e tap hysicalqu es tions ,	we a r e 	apt 	to 	mis under stand	our	own 	na ture ashuman  bein gs,an d	asa	resu lt	al so 	misunderstandthenorms	tha t	o ug htto 	gove r n	ourrel ati onshipto	ther est 	o f t he 	created	order.	Th em e ta physical 	quest i on st hat	need 	t o b e	as k e d	and 	ans w er ed	shoul d	conc e rn 	u s,	noton ly	inco nne cti on	wi t h	"a bstrac t philos ophic a l	consideratio n s,"	but	alsof or t he sake 	of 	addressing 	"th e 	con cret e  s itu a tionof	ou rs oc i ety."	Unfortunately ,accord ing	t o	Benedict	(2 009b,	#31) , m odern in tell e ct u al	endeavors	t end	t o	be	chara c terizedby	akind	offragmenta t i on	thathas  ha d	d ele t e ri ous	consequen c e s	fo rmoral	t hou ght	and 	ac tio n.Thi sfragmenta tion	has  m ad eit 	di fficu l t	in	our 	c ont em por ary	c o ntextfor	" fait h, 	t h eol ogy,	me t ap h y sics ,an d sc ien ce "	to"com e 	to getherin	a	coll abo r ativ eef fort	in 	the	serviceof 	humanity. "For  Bened i c t	XVI,	o ne	should	not	lose	sigh t 	of	the 	fa ct
	A	key	problem	with	the	deontological	position	regarding	care	for	the environment	is	that	it	fails	to	account	for	how	some	beings-even	beings	that	are	said_to	possess	"intrinsic	worth"-might	be	used	(or	even	used	up)	for	the	purposes	of satisfying	legitimate	human	ends._Against	the	backdrop	of	contemporary	utilitarian	and	deontological	theories, Benedict	XVI	(2007c,	338)	holds	that	it	is	important	to	achieve	conceptual	clarity	and rigor	regarding	our	metaphysical	commitments.	If	we	fail	to	ask	and	answer	deeper metaphysical	questions,	we	are	apt	to	misunderstand	our	own	nature	as	human_beings,	and	as	a	result	also	misunderstand	the	norms	that	ought	to	govern	our relationship	to	the	rest	of	the	created	order.	The	metaphysical	questions	that	need	to_be	asked	and	answered	should	concern	us,	not	only	in	connection	with	"abstract_philosophical	considerations,"	but	also	for	the	sake	of	addressing	"the	concrete situation	of	our	society."	Unfortunately,	according	to	Benedict	(2009b,	#31),	modern_intellectual	endeavors	tend	to	be	characterized	by	a	kind	of	fragmentation	that	has_had	deleterious	consequences	for	moral	thought	and	action.	This	fragmentation	has made	it	difficult	in	our	contemporary	context	for	"faith,	theology,	metaphysics,	and science"	to	"come	together	in	a	collaborative	effort	in	the	service	of	humanity."	For_Benedict	XVI,	one	should	not	lose	sight	of	the	fact