This post is due by Tuesday, November 12 @ midnight. No credit given for late posts.
Read the assigned chapters above, and then:
1. Provide 3 SPECIFIC observations about Ethics and the Environment, using 2-3 sentences combining the book and your own IYOW analysis.
2. Finally, ask ONE specific question you have of ethics and the environment after completing our reading.
1. Provide 3 SPECIFIC observations about Ethics and the Environment, using 2-3 sentences combining the book and your own IYOW analysis.
2. Finally, ask ONE specific question you have of ethics and the environment after completing our reading.
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ReplyDeleteChapter 9
ReplyDelete1. The first point Desjardins brings up is the idea of deep ecology. It is a philosophical movement that places humans amongst the rest of nature. I would beg to say that it is a Leaver movement by the Takers because some people realized their destructive ways and wanted to change. Desjardins also explained the platforms for deep ecology and they definitely seem to be deeply rooted in Leaver culture, which is fantastic.
2. The second point Desjardins brings up is the idea of self-realization and biocentric equality. Starting with self-realization, he argues that deep ecologists believe that self-realization is the key to a good life. He even quotes Socrates by saying “know thyself” to try and justify his point. He then ties in self-realization with biocentric equality. This is where the biotic community has priority over human need. It is basically putting everything at equal value instead of in a hierarchy with humans at the top, like Mother Culture wants.
3. The last major point that I would like to bring up is ecofeminism. Towards the end of the chapter, he brings up this idea, which is actually a fairly new idea. Coined in 1974, ecofeminism has spread fairly quickly and has been adopted by quite a few Takers. Feminism is that idea that women should not be treated as inferior to men and it is a movement that still has relevance today. When you combine it with eco, it starts to bring feminist ideas into ecology and starts bringing up ideas that problems in the current society are caused by the male dominance in it.
Chapter 10
1. Libertarians believe in individual property rights and a free market. It is definitely a very Laissez faire way. This way also seems tied to one aspect of Taker culture and that is the right to do what you want with your property. The problem that happens with this that the when you do something that harms someone else (or the environment), it starts to cause problems with those rights. This argument between Libertarians and environmentalists is a fairly big one.
2. Towards the middle of the chapter, Desjardins brings up the idea of environmental racism. It is basically the idea that the pollution happens in the same land as the poor for two reasons. For starters, it is more cost effective to put it there because there isn’t as many regulations, the fines are probably cheaper, and the land is cheaper. The second reason is because the poor seem to have less protection from these pollutions than the white person. This racism actually continues to cause problems in Taker culture.
3. At the end of the chapter, Desjardins brings up Bookchin’s argument and his philosophy. I think that it is a bit strange that he brings up Bookchin, especially in the way he did considering Bookchin’s philosophy seems against the ideas that Desjardins tries to push in his book. Granted, if someone was to be aware environmentally and ethically, it would make sense to show both sides of the story.
Question: What would it take for people who pollute in low income areas and land to not only clean up their act but to regulate them better to prevent the same problem from happening again?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Commonly, when trying to bring about reforms, people attend rallies, lobby for legislation, write letters, support political candidates with similar views, and so forth. In some cases, however, these approaches don’t exactly work. The cause of these more radical approaches is primarily because of beliefs that the political and economic systems are responsible for environmental problems. With this issue, the government and political system are not considered to be effective at fixing the issues at hand. There are two ways of combating this. Civil disobedience is a tactic that has been used for years as a method of protesting some rule which one is opposed to. It is typically “the intentional refusal to obey a law on moral grounds as a method of protesting or thwarting government policy.” Civil disobedience isn’t a very violent or harmful way to protest, people merely ignore rules in a nonviolent manner. On the opposite side of things, those who practice ecoterrorism purposefully inflict harm by damaging things related to what they’re against.
2. Contradictory to shallow ecology which is committed to the “fight against pollution and resource depletion,” deep ecology looks at more fundamental issues, normally considered as the dominant worldview. The dominant worldview causes issues like pollution and resource depletion. As such, deep ecology focuses on a holistic view rather than a human centered one. The platform upon which deep ecology is based includes eight principles which contradict the Taker beliefs in many ways, such as saying that people have no right to reduce the richness and diversity of the natural world except by how much is needed to survive and saying that all life has a value in itself.
3. Ecofeminism is a subset of feminism that focuses on the connections between feminism and ecological concerns. Feminists offer differing views from the normal Taker myth of Mother Culture by supporting how women have as much of a role and importance and men. Because of this, feminists can offer many different viewpoints concerning the domination of women and the domination of nature. Radical feminism gave feminists a great deal of insight into the relation between humanity and the natural world and led to ecofeminism. Ecofeminism accepts that there are “women’s ways” of experiencing, understanding, and valuing the world. The bond which a mother shares with her child is reminiscent of the ways in which women can understand the value of nature.
Chapter 10
ReplyDelete1. Changes in the environment and global warming have created refugees since people have had to leave their homes as a result of environmental changes. These refugees most often would have left their homes due to changes such as water shortages, sea level rises, desertification, drought, pollution, or environment natural disasters. These environmental refugees will create further problems as Takers continue to destroy the environment. There will not be enough space to put all the people who currently live in drier climates when they get even drier and hotter.
2. Environmentalists and supporters of property rights often clash about what people can and cannot do with land. Libertarian justice believes that every individual has a right to liberty - meaning that private property is necessary for personal liberty. This conflicts with environment rules protecting various species. Utilitarianism can also conflict with environmental ethics and policies when the greatest good for the greatest number is killing off the last few hundred animals of a species for the benefit of thousands of humans.
3. Most traditional property rights rules are based around the work of seventeenth-century philosopher John Locke. Locke’s property argument has three main points. First off, people have exclusive rights over their bodies and their labor. Secondly, land in its natural state is unowned and no individual can rightfully claim control over it. Thirdly, whenever someone’s labor (owned) is mixed with unowned land, that person gains rights and ownership to the land. The concept of property is, in essence, one of the main things which has arisen in Taker culture. Before the Leavers didn’t really own the land, they just used it and then moved on to a new land area.
Question: Ishmael tells his student to spread the word about what he has learned. What do you think the best way of doing this would be? Would some form of protesting work to change the world’s environmental views?
Chapter Nine
ReplyDelete1. I agree that individual attempts to be more green, though helpful to a degree and expressing concern for our environment, are just not enough to guide the necessary changes in our society because our practices reflect much of humankind's deeply embedded social, cultural, and economic values. In order to make necessary changes it is imperative that we seek environmental policy for guidance, but even policy can be greatly influenced by economic and political forces.
2. By simply reforming policy and human behaviors in regard to the environmental crisis, we are unable to make the radical changes necessary. Deep ecology philosophies suggest that we must radically change both personally and culturally in order to impact economy and our worldview. Deep ecology entails altering our worldview by accepting that humans are very much a part of nature and not exempt from the laws of nature. In order to live well-balanced with nature we must become self-reliant, living more simply without relying too much on technology and foregoing our desires for many materialistic things.
3. Ecofeminism theory suggests that we change our worldview by restructuring our notion of power and no longer thinking in the typical societal dualistic way. We must not think that humans can dominate nature for the purpose of our own benefit; our relationships with nature should be unified rather than continuously exercising control over the environment. It is important that we regard all of Earth's inhabitants as having intrinsic value and as being part of the same living organism.
Chapter Ten
1. The UNHCR doesn't recognize “environmental refugees” as a legitimate class. Political refugees receive assistance from UNHCR and they are granted rights to asylum and basic goods, but those rights do not extend to “environmental” or “economic” migrants. I'm not sure that it matters what type of refugee seeks help, they are doing so for the well-being of their lives and for their family's. If someone is leaving their country because their life is in danger of persecution, I find that similar to a refugee leaving due to environmental degradation and lack of resources that negatively affects their quality of living.
2. Environmental racism is another form of social injustice that consists of the unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. There has been strong evidence showing that minorities, regardless of their socioeconomic class, are more at risk of living near toxic dumps and in areas of high pollution. Not only do the minorities live in a less environmentally friendly area, but they are subject to much of the pollution not getting cleaned up and the individuals responsible for the pollution are more likely to receive less of a punishment than a person living in a dominating white neighborhood.
3. We live in such a socially unjust society; it is all too often the oppressed populations that experience a lesser quality of living as a result of Taker intervention and their consumerist ways. Despite all the destruction that North American's have caused upon the environment, we somehow feel that we have the right to implement policies stating that any folks in underdeveloped countries should not strive to live closer to the American standard because they must preserve the wilderness and biological diversity rather than seek economic development.
What does it matter what “type” of refugee seeks aid when all they are trying to do is survive the political, economical, and environmental forces working against? What makes it okay for Americans to take resources and exploit the lands of underdeveloped countries and not play more of a role in assisting them when they seek help as a result of those interventions? What makes any person regarding their socioeconomic class, race, gender, or ethnicity any more of less worthy?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Deep ecology relies on the science of ecology because it tells us a lot about the environment. How ecosystems function, diagnosing environmental ‘disorders’, and understanding the ecosystems are all apart of ecology which helps people begin to come up with solutions based on the science ecology provides.
2. The two most common norms of ecology are self-realization and biocentric equality. Self-realization is when people realize they live interconnected with nature and biocentric equality is the recognition that all organisms and beings are equal to the whole.
3. One critique of deep ecology is that it suggests “treating human interests as equal to the interests of other living things, as well as of the more general biotic community.” If this were the guidelines we lived in today the world would look completely different. In my opinion this mindset will never be the norm.
Chapter 10
1. Rawl’s theory of justice has fairness as the utmost important thing. Making a decision under his idea of “original position” ensures that individuals will be treated as an end and not a mean.
2. We live in a world where environmental racism is very prevalent. Toxic waste dumps, landfills, and other polluting industries are in poorer and colored neighborhoods in comparison to richer white neighborhoods. Also, it is less likely the pollution will be picked up in these neighborhoods. This unequal exposure is very unfair.
3. Societies that have a high degree of hierarchy are more likely to abuse the environment because their system creates an environment for exploitation and the domination of nature.
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1 All of the environmental philosophies we have examined within this book have been “reformist”. Meaning that something about the way we live needs to change in order for it to work. And because of this book and reading Ishmael I’m coming to terms with the fact that there is no way we can live sustainably with the environment without total social and cultural change.
2 Deep Ecology: I find the concept of shallow and deep ecologies but complex but very straight forward. Deep ecologist “work out an alternative philosophical worldview that is holistic and not human-centered” (207). I find it funny that even while trying to help the environment we, as takers, are still selfish and shallow. And then it comes to mind that there are those of us who don’t want to help the environment because they care about it, but because they are afraid for themselves.
3 The two ultimate norms of deep ecology are self-realization and biocentric equality. Self-realization is when someone understands themselves as existing, and biocentric equality is a recognition that all organisms have equal intrinsic worth. We need to identify the difference between our needs and wants and obey the peace keeping law. A community that seeks harmony with the environment rather than dominance over it is considered an “ecotopia”
Chapter 10
1 Often society places burdens upon the least advantaged people, usually the poor and people of color are put into living situations surrounded by toxic waste dumps, and factories: this is an example of environmental racism. This also results on an international level, developing countries are more likely to experience environmental degradation.
2 The price of land is considerably less in a rural area then in an urban area. I find this funny because this is implying that land that is urbanized and populated by people is more valuable than that which is untouched by man. The value of something differs so greatly from person to person.
3 Environmental ethics must address questions of social justice as well as individual rights and duties. Environmental justice has “already made significant contributions to environmental ethics” (249) and philosophy. This is because they are all interrelated, and now are stimulating of thinking between those connections between them.
Question: How can we begin to transition from our shallow ecology to a deeper and more environmentally concerned (and less human concerned) ecology?
Chapter 9.
ReplyDelete1. Some people believe that only a slight reform is needed to make things better while others believe that a radical transformation is necessary. Both parties, however, agree that the problem lies within both social and cultural factors that are deeply engraved in our minds.
2. Deep ecology includes a large variety of philosophies such as nonanthropocentric theories as well as more technical philosophies by Arne Naess. It legitimizes the radical environmentalism movement and has been developed by Naess, Bill Devall, and George Sessions.
3. It is believed that it may be dangerous to take ecologism, the idea that ecology is the ultimate science, too seriously. If we see it as another science, we may think of it as just another quick fix to a problem that cannot be fixed without serious change.
Chapter 10.
1. An important start to social justice is the individual’s right to liberty. This means that we have the freedom to be left alone and it is a huge way that society can learn to respect the individual.
2. John Rawls developed a theory of justice which included a method for how to decide the principals of justice and then what those principals are. It includes an idea of “original position” which includes the decisions you make while behind a “veil of ignorance.” From this, he decided the principals of justice are that each individual has equal rights to liberties and social and economic benefits as well as burdens should be distributed equally unless and uneven distribution would benefit the least advantaged individuals and then only if the benefits are attached to things that all people have an equal opportunity to have.
3. Environmental justice involves the social distribution of environment-related benefits and burdens. Society often places the burdens on people who can handle them the least and we need to figure out a way to change that.
Question.
Would it make sense to try reform in smaller areas first and then move on to radical changes, that way we could see if one worked without arguing over which is better?
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1. Just as it would be precarious to use medicine to simply treat an illness without trying to discover the underlying causes, it would be a mistake for environmentalists to be worried only about pollution and resource depletion without looking for the human causes. Deep ecology and ecofeminism are environmental philosophies that hold this belief, putting forth the thought that social change is necessary to get at the root of environmental issues. Where these two views disagree is in identifying the underlying causes.
2. Deep ecology focuses on more fundamental issues that underlie such issues as resource exploitation, basing their positions on holistic and non-anthropocentric views. This goes beyond the shallow ecology movement as Arne Naess calls it, where people are simply concerned with fighting against pollution and resource depletion on the surface without defining the causes. Deep ecology is concerned with humans living simply and in a self-reliant manner, with decentralized communities.
3. One of the criticisms held against deep ecology is that it denies only humans have intrinsic value. This brings about issues when human interests conflict with the interests of elements of the nonhuman natural world. If we favor human interests, the nonanthropocentric holism is abandoned. On the other hand, if we favor the nonhuman world, we border a misanthropic position, something deep ecologists want to deny. With such a battle between interests, deep ecologists are required to produce a clear hierarchy of vital needs.
Question: While the point that our world is more centered around a patriarchy is valid, is it unhelpful to argue this concerning environmental views and dominance over nature, since many men may become defensive and miss the actual point?
Chapter 10:
1. It is often tempting to look at environmental problems in terms of general humanity, like explaining that humans would benefit from wilderness preservation. Such general claims miss important distinctions, however. It is necessary for us to examine precisely who benefits from, and who pays the price for, environmental problems and environmentalist solutions. Furthermore, we need to examine who is at fault.
2. During the past few centuries, many countries that today are underdeveloped were run as colonies, with the purpose of supplying natural resources to fuel the industrial growth of much of Europe. Resources were used up without thought about the environmental costs, which is part of the reason why now poorer countries are more likely to suffer environmental degradation. The poorest of the poor are likely to suffer the most, while wealthy countries are able to negate such consequences to some extent.
3. Our society portrays human success in terms of dominance and control, which leaks over to the domination and control of nonhuman nature. Desjardins highlights how societies characterized by a high degree of hierarchy are more likely to abuse their natural environment, since such hierarchies provide the motivation and means for dominating nature. Just as forms of agriculture and technology are designed in ways that facilitate control, so are many other practices that portray the goal of domination.
Question: Our society has a clear issue with power and the way we look at control as an ultimate goal. Is such an extreme view more likely to change by reasoning and logic, or by a fear based incentive? (Such as the threat of global starvation, or a water shortage epidemic)
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1. The result of deeply ingrained social, economic, and cultural values and practices is known to most as environmental destruction. This is essentially true, for acting on behalf of the environment will require broad changes and not just small individual adjustments and reform. In this, environmental ethics becomes more of a matter of environmental politics.
2. If environmental problems continue to become so deeply connected to social political positions, then opposition to change will become so deeply ingrained that it will require many degrees of political and social activism. These including; lobbying for legislation, writing letters, supporting political candidates, attending rallies, protesting, filing lawsuits, and staging economic boycotts.
3. There are two categories that social and cultural critics fall into, either those who believe that the states quo needs only reform, and those who believe that radical chance is necessary to address problems. They do agree on one thing though, that we should reform economics and extend our understanding or moral standing to create a better integration of science and ethics.
Chapter 10:
1. In 1949, the United Nations High Commission on Refugees was founded with the mission statement, that read "to provide, on a non-political and humanitarian basis, international protection to refugees and to seek permanent solutions for them." The organization was originally founded to help millions of European refugees during World War II, but during the following years they expanded their support to those looking for refuge from Africa, the Middle East, China, Vietnam, Rwanda, and Somalia.
2. According to the UNHCR, the definition of a refugee is "a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, and membership of a particular social group or political opinion , is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country." This means that they are granted rights to receiving food, shelter, protection, and medical care.
3. At the start of the 1970's, a new definition of "refugee" came to surface. This one was known as an "environmental refugee." This definition was given to people who were threatened by environmental factors that changed their living situation in their country. Factors such as, water shortages, sea level rises, drought, pollution, or natural disasters.
Question: Is there a way to change environmental policies without all of the political debates and protesting?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Pollution and resource pollution directly affect the lifestyle and health of modern industrial societies. Pollution and resource depletion are environmental issues, that can be solved by approaching industry and life with a sense of environmental ethics. If it is so clear that they are interrelated, it is simply our own arrogance which prevents us from approaching related issues with mutually beneficial solutions.
2. The development of human sense of individualism is the root of the disconnection of humanity from the natural world. Anthropocentric ideology is a result of people acting with their own best interests in mind, and when people think about what is best for them, more often than not they do not consider how their actions and inactions will affect those other than themselves, including the natural world. So as great as individual empowerment and individual rights have been in the scope of societal living, it has been disastrous for our environment.
3. An objective approach to nature is the best way to move forward and solve issues, but the very romantic and aesthetic qualities about the natural world more often than not attract the free-spirited souls that view the world in a subjective and implicit sense. Not many people can adequately objectify nature and that is an issue.
Q: How can we make the field of ecology a more attractive field of study for up and coming youths? How can we instill a sense of value for the objective qualities of science and the natural world?
Chapter 10
1. Theories of justice- "contemporary theories of justice...focus less on what people are due, and more on how they ought to be treated" (234). This is a very subjective approach to an objective issue. This can only work in a vacuum where one has the luxury of leading a life of principle. In nature, there is a law, but it is natural law and it isn't always fair. People are used to this approach to problems, and they need to understand that there is a framework already in place that we must adhere to. We cannot create our own rules, we must follow the rules of the natural world, which I do not think we are doing currently.
2. If "environmental justice investigates the social distribution of environmental benefits and burdens" (240), our society is environmentally unjust in practically every way. Water is privately owned, but with universal need, it is not equally distributed amongst those who need it. This also happens naturally, as there are some places where water is harder to find than others, but that is by natural law, not by mandating ownership of a natural resource in proximity and withholding it from others for financial gain.
3. The very nature of a hierarchy (in context to societal living) creates a distance between peoples and the nature environment in which they live. The very nature of society propagates environmental destruction.
Q: If the society in which we live is hell-bent on the destruction of our natural world, and we NEED the world to be healthy in order to sustain life, who is going to the one(s) to be radical, go against the grain, and inspire reform/revolution? You? Me? Us?
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1. Believers in ecology and ecofeminism think that the cause of environmental and ecological destruction is due to cultural and social factors that are deeply entrenched in the contemporary world. By addressing these issues and making changes we can address the present environmental crisis.
2. Unlike the land ethic, deep ecology has not been developed out of one primary source, nor does it refer to one systematic philosophy. Deep ecology has been used to describe a variety of environmental philosophies.
3. The dominant metaphysics that underlies modern industrial society is individualistic and reductionistic. This view holds that only individuals are real and that we approach a more fundamental level of reality by reducing objects to their more basic elements.
Chapter 10:
1. Libertarian justice has long held that individual property rights and free markets are crucial elements of individual liberty. Free market exchanges represent the essence of personal liberty.
2. The utilitarian defense of property argues that allowing individuals to acquire private ownership of property will produce greater social benefits. However because this defense of privacy property is made in terms of beneficial consequences, we would always have to calculate all the consequences of any limitation on property rights.
3. According to many observers, all too often society places the burdens on people in the least advantaged positions, for example the poor and people of color. These policies are more accurately described as examples of environmental racism.
Question: Should wealthy countries have a responsibility to help the victims of environmental disasters in other countries?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Many Environmentalist chose to further their views either through Civil disobedience or eco-sabotage. The man difference between these viewpoints is whether the protester believes that change within the current system is actually possible. Civil disobedience is personal, the laws it breaks are minor offences. The perpetrators of civil disobedience accept the punishment for their law-breaking and hope it brings publicity to the cause, Eco-terrorist believe that change is not possible within the current system an instead function completely outside the law, and do not take personal responsibility for their actions.
2. The current way we view ecology is “Shallow ecology”, we reform our actions to lessen our environmental impact, but we maintain the same social and political structure. Some more radical environmentalists, and a majority of eco-terrorists, liken this to treating a cough without looking for the underlying cause. The idea of “Deep Ecology” is that our actions (pollution, deforestation) isn’t what needs to change, our fundamental culture has to change. The core change being seeing humans as a part of nature instead of separate from it. While this theory makes sense, it would be almost impossible to implement over the short term, it would take generations to see the kind of global cultural change Deep Ecology would require.
3. Individualism is what many Deep Ecologists feel is at the core of our ecological problems. They feel that until people are able to stop seeing themselves as individuals, and recognize that they are simply a part of the web of nature. The second realization that has to happen is that each member of this web is equal. This belief is through self- reflection and is closely related to ancient Taoist and Buddhist beliefs.
Chapter 10
1. The current western idea of property ownership is based on the writings of a 17th century philosopher named Locke. He said that the wilderness is un-owned and that by “mixing labor with the land” a person would receive ownership of the land he worked on. The problem is that this theory only allows private ownership to those who are agriculturists. Locke assumes that any non-agrarian use of land is worthless.
2. Environmental racism is the known trend, minority and low income areas offten have greater pollution and far more lenient penalties for polluters. This trend can be seen in the United States and well as on a global scale. The most economic damage happens in poor countries. The United States continually prides itself on being a “green” country, while outsourcing the most environmentally damaging production overseas. The human impact on the environment is unfairly felt by those without the affluence to protest or change the system.
3. Social Ecology is a theory of Murray Bookchin, which contrasts with Deep Ecology on several points. Social ecology is the idea that hierarches preexist ecological damage by humans. But as you move further up a hierarchy you find people more responsible for environmental damage, contrasting directly with the idea of each member of the web being equal. Bookchin condemns this thought with “When you say that a black kid in Harlem is as much to blame or the ecological crisis as the president of Exxon, you are letting one of the hook and slandering the other.” Or in superhero terms, with great power comes great responsibility.
Question
1. Between the current generation and the last we see far fewer deniers of climate change, with gradual changes like this over time will we reach a Deep Ecological culture over time through education?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. On page 207 the author asks the question, “How do we step outside our personal and cultural worldview or ideology to compare it with something radically different?” I think that this question is the exact reason why those who believe in reform find it so difficult to see the benefits of radical changes. It is difficult for some to wrap their heads around how exactly a certain radical change may actually be put into place and exactly what the outcomes of the change will be. There is so much ambiguity that not everyone is able to see the reasoning for radical change as opposed to reform.
2. On page 214, there is a discussion about the difference between certain types of judgments about the environment and how they can be viewed as being true or false based on the context. I thought it was extremely interesting, but true, that when someone says they feel something is wrong or should be changed, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the truth. On the other hand, if someone gives an actual fact about how something has been destroyed, then it is actually true. When actual facts are given, they give people the opportunity to actually access the matter and decide if it is truly something that is of utmost importance. When someone gives an opinion, it my clash against someone else’s and will turn into an argument rather than an attempt to fix the problem.
3. I thought it was very interesting that the author connected ecology to feminism. I would have never thought that they would have any sort of connection to each other, but there are many points made that made me realize how the same connection can be made to many other aspects of life. A lot of it has to do with values. Takers put values on almost everything and the way we value those things help us to make ethical decisions in whatever situation. We put value on the environment as well as women, and both deal with ethical issues that must be solved.
Chapter 10
1. “ The challenge, of course, is to explain which rights are important enough to trump majoritarian decisions” (235). There are so many environmental and ethical issues going on in the world today that not all of them can be addressed. Although I believe many of these issues are because of takers own doing, it is disappointing that there are so many problems in the world, that we do not have time for all of them. I think that instead of addressing what the majority says we should address, I think we should make sure we put the most detrimental issues to the Earth first, not just what the public wants to hear and is not as important.
2. Section 10.3 discusses a lot about justice and the benefits and burdens of the environment. The question that is continuously asked is who bears the burden? I think the answer to that question is everyone, but we tend to brush it off and put it behind us. No one wants to bear the burden or admit that they do, so nothing ever gets done about that burden that we are most likely putting on ourselves through the negative influences we have on the environment.
3. “One problem with the principle of biocentric equality is that it tends to treat all humans as equally responsible for ecological destruction” (248). I do not necessarily agree with this statement. I agree that it is a problem that leavers should not be included in ecological destruction, but otherwise I think that all humans are equally responsible. It is true that there are large groups of people who contribute more to the destruction, but every taker on this Earth in some way adds to the destruction, and if you do, then you have that responsibility, whether it be large or small.
Question: Is the amount of people fighting to help the environment and stop the destruction actually making a difference or are they just speaking out about it and not actually taking action?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Leopold stated that land shouldn't be mans property, but land should be viewed as a living organism that "can be healthy or unhealthy, injured or killed." Additionally, our ethics should be extended to land as well as all biotic creatures. Although he also believed that we should reap the benefits of other "community" members as long as the well being of the overall community is kept in mind.
2. Deep ecology consists of "self realization" which is when someone understands that they are existing and "biocentric equality" which means that all living organisms have intrinsic value and should be respected.
3. Naturalistic fallacy states that there is a gap in logic between facts and values. The gap can be bridged however by bringing in sentiments or emotions so that other humans may identify.
Chapter 10
1. Deep ecologists believe that our environmental crisis`s require more that mere social reform but we need a radical transformation of our worldview. Some seek to change the world view through art or science, while others are determined to develop and articulate a new "ecophilosophy."
2. Deep ecology traces much of the worlds back to modern "taker" industrial society. Metaphysical questions such as, what is human nature? and what is the relation of humans to the rest of nature? are perhaps the key to a world wide reform.
3. Murray Bookchin presents contrasting views to deep ecology. Social ecology states that the worlds problems stem from purely social issues such as a dominating hierarchy. Therefore, before we can better the world we must first fix the social problems that abound in society.
Joshua Popielarczyk
ReplyDeleteChapters 9-10
Chapter 9 Observation 1:
I think the key to change is simply to inform and act. This book represents the first part as it informs the readers about pollution and the depletion of resources. However, as takers looking to change, we must apply this knowledge to our everyday life, and even further, spread the knowledge and advocate environmentally friendly living.
Observation2:
Deep Ecology seems to blame, or at least suggest that takers are the sole reason for our downfall is humans. Further, they advocate solving the problems through our own actions. However, I wonder what the true motive is. Are we trying to solve this problem because we are now beginning to feel the effects? See our resources disappear? Or we actually doing to because we care about the preservation of the planet we call home.
Observation 3:
I like the idea behind Ecofeminism. It suggests a re-figuration in our structure, but more so a change in mindset. It advocates equality between humans and nature rater than a domination. I think its most important that we adopt this mindset and treat nature and humans as one.
Chapter 10 Observation 1:
I find it a little disturbing that the UNHCR doesn’t recognize environmental refugees as a legit class. UNHCR grants rights to political refugees providing them with basic goods. However, environmental refugees receive no support. I think we need to start taking environmental threats seriously, thus recognizing the struggles they cause some people. Theses people should be respected as their cause is equally important and impactful as politics.
Observation 2:
I find it astounding that there is evidence of environmental racism. This book highlights how toxic waste, landfills, and dumps are located in lower income, colored neighborhoods. This disgusts me and opens my eyes to yet another ethical implication of the environment and how we deal with it.
Observation 3:
For us to solve the many problems of how we treat nature, we have to place the burden on ourselves. This is because we have created the majority of problems, and the first step to solving a problem is to recognize it. By assuming responsibility we can put our ego’s aside, and rather blame others, take steps to solve the problems.
How can we advocate taking responsibility for our actions and creating solutions?
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1. Deep ecology is a form of environmentalism that aims at protecting the welfare of the environment regardless of the effects it could have on human life. Deep ecology has its roots in poetry, Buddhism, spiritualism and political activism.
2. There are two important models for deep ecology which are self-realization and biocentric equality. Self-realization is the process of understanding oneself through association with nature. Biocentric equality is the awareness of all organisms and beings as being a whole. Personally I like the biocentric model more because I believe that everything in the universe is connected
3. Ecofeminism is a movement that connects feminism and ecology. Ecofeminism argues that there is a union between women and nature due to their oppression in Western culture.
Chapter 10:
1. There are two specific principles of justice. The first principle suggests that burdens should be resolved even if personal freedoms are limited as a result. The second principle suggests that benefits and burdens should be evenly distributed. I agree with Rawl’s principles of justice, I find them to be very fair and simple.
2. When it comes to the environment there is both environmental justice and environmental racism. Environmental justice investigates the proper doling of benefits and burdens. Environmental racism is burdening the poor and minorities in order to control population growth.
3. Murray Bookchin is a social theorist who has connected social domination with the domination of the environment. Bookchin believes that humans need to begin practicing sustainable practices in order to stop dominating the environment.
Question: How long would it take the world to become fully sustainable?
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1.) Deep ecology was developed by multiple sources and it also refers to multiple systematic philosophies. It also has been used to describe a list of environmental philosophies and active approaches to ecological issues that share some fundamental ecocentric and nonanthropocentric assumptions.
2.) Ecology contributes to deep ecology in the same ways in which scientific understanding has often contributed to ethical analysis. We gain an ecological understanding with new insights, an ethics that relies on ecology can be expected to offer new evaluations and prescriptions. Like that, we gain a better understanding of the world, and on the basis of this understanding, we are in better position to offer ethical evaluations and prescriptions.
3.) Feminists have diverse views concerning the connections between the domination of women and the domination of nature. This is because feminists offer a wide variety of viewpoints concerning the nature and analysis of women's oppressions.
Chapter 10:
1.) "One influential approach to social justice that has significant impact on environmental issues begins with the individual right to liberty." Humans have the right to and expect to be left alone from harassment. The environment should have that right too. But who's to actually say it doesn't? It just lacks the personal defense.
2.) Prima facie unjust is a society that distributes these benefits and burdens unequally. Environmental justice investigates the social distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.
3.) A strong relation between social domination and the environmental domination would suggest that we will be unable to meet environmental challenges. This is unless we eradicate social hierarchies.
EATE Question:
Do we, as a Taker society, really have to treat the environment in ways we treat other humans? Why can't we come to a full understanding that we have destroyed our home and start treating the environment as an immortal being that we have severely injured and change our ways of living? Because a primitive lifestyle worked once, it can work again.
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1. Deep ecology was not developed from one source. "Deep ecology has been used to describe a variety of environmental philosophies, ranging from a general description of all non anthropocentric theories to the highly technical philosophy developed by the Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess." Years before, deep ecology was meant to describe environmental issues.
2. Deep ecology, like the land ethic heavily relies on the science of ecology. Ecology helps diagnose environment issues as well as give us a lot of general information about ecosystems and how they work.
3. One of the hardest things about deep ecology is to connect metaphysics with "normative prescriptions." In Western philosophical traditions there are two ways to distinct things, objectivity and subjectivity.
Chapter 10 :
1. United Nations High Commission on Refugees mission is "to provide, on a non-political and humanitarian basis, international protection to refugees and to see permanent solutions for them." The UNCHR was originally to help World War II refugees and now supports millions of refugees.
2. John Rawls, an American philosopher, created a very powerful and "influential contemporary accounts of justice." Within his accounts of justice he included personal liberty as well as fairness.
3. There are two principles regarding justice. The first one being that every individual has an equal right "to the most extensive system of liberties." The second one says that "benefits and burdens of a society should generally be distributed equally."
Question:
How would we go about changing environmental laws and regulations? Wouldn't there be a lot of protest going on?
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Individualism was interesting to me because I have also thought that until Takers can realize that life isn’t about them as well as the land belonging to them, then Takers can begin to repair the damage done to the environment and other living organisms.
2. The idea that Deep Ecology is consisted on a multitude of principles is interesting in that if more philosophies that are already in place can come together such at ecology and economy, and try and repair the damage being done to the earth.
3. I thought it was pretty sad how feminism can be connected to ecology. The ethical issues within the Taker culture on women are just as similar to those in the environment. An example of this would be the idea of “value” on something such as a beautiful woman or a national park. When in reality women have as much equality as any living man or any living thing on earth.
Chapter 10
1. Living in Massachusetts I’ve heard quite a bit about those who, after reading this chapter, would be called environmental refugees. Down in Cape Cod due to storms as well as other factors, houses have been slipping away with the loss of sand. It was interesting since this is still a reoccurring issue in my home state.
2. I always remember my dad telling me about how the Native Americans always believed that no one could “own” the land and that it was for all living things to live with each other in balance. It still annoys me today that the old western idea of the land being something that can be bought or sold is still happening today.
3. From reading this book I found that the way for our ecosystem to heal is to recognize that we are the problem. It’s then that we Takers can responsibly coexist with the other organisms.
Question: Do you think more people today are becoming aware as well as responsible for their actions and environment?
chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. There are two major view points when it comes to social and cultural crisis. Those two views are either deep ecology or ecofeminism. Deep ecology identifies with the roots of ecological destruction lies in social and cultural factors. Basically they believe that the fundamentals of human thinking is based around self centered way of life and there needs to be a change in that fundamental state of thinking in order for an actual change to be made. Ecofeminists think that this is too abstract and instead think specific human institutions and practices are more to blame and that is the major change we need to make.
2. The real world is what is taken to be that which exists independently of human beings and understanding of science to comprehend reality. What it comes down to is there are things that are factual and real and then there are the pieces of reality that humans chose to believe in. We need to learn what real things we need to fix. We need to focus on the truths of the real world.
3. The two ultimate norms of deep ecology are self realization and biocentric equality. Self realization is the process through which people come to understand themselves as existing through nature. A sense of biocentric equality is the recognition that all organisms are equally members of an interrelated whole and equal worth.
chapter 10
1 When it comes to the environment there is environmental justice and environmental racism. Environmental racism is holding back lesser developed countries from becoming developed and environmental justice is is finding the proper way to deal with the environment issues.
2. Societies that are well developed and powerful often abuse that power and the environment takes the burden. The dominance of a powerful society over other societies is what motivates the treatment of the environment and explains why humans have such a dominance over it nature.
3. Locke's property argument has three points; people have rights to their own bodies and labor, land in its natural state in unowned and untouchable and if man labor over that unowned land collide the man who labored now has rights to the unowned land. this is the set of laws most people follow according to Dejardins.
3. According to the way the natural earth runs currently even if we wanted to could we go back to the leaver ways? Would the earth be able to support us still?
Good musings here, EATE'rs!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to knocking out our presentations the next few classes - powerful stuff.
Dr. Rob