anthropocentrism

[ an-thruh-poh-sen-triz-uhm ]

noun

1. the view that human beings are the central fact or the final aim and end of the universe. Compare biocentrism ( def 2 ).
2. the tendency to view and interpret everything in terms of human experience, making it the only operative consideration in determining the moral or ethical value of a course of action. Compare biocentrism ( def 1 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of anthropocentrism¹

First recorded in 1905–10; anthropocentr(ic) + -ism

Example Sentences

It is our anthropocentrism that got us in this mess to begin with.

From Nautilus