From Nash, Rights of Nature
From the reader:
2) What are the differences between the animal rights and the systems approaches to the rights of nature?
3) Pick two philosophers with from within animal rights, or ecological ethics, or some other area, and explore their similarities and differences.
2) Do the radical environmentalists in Ch. 6 contradict the basic principles of American liberalism that Nash says underlie the extension of ethics to the environment? Why or why not, and what difference does it make?
2) Is "ecodefense" ethically justifiable? Use the day's readings to provide a reasoned response to this question.
2) What in your opinion are the 3 key tenets of deep ecology, and how do they distinguish deep ecology from other approaches to environmentalism?
3) Is deep ecology politically viable? Explain your response and spell out its implications.
2) What are the dilemmas for a democracy of a high-technology path? What characteristics of nuclear power made these dilemmas especially potent?
3) Rothman says, "Everyone was willing to enjoy the benefits of technological innnovations, but when the benefits had consequences, no one stepped forward to should a share of the responsibility" (167). What is the role of an environmental ethic in this situation? What should be its limits?
2) Explain what Warren means by the "logic of domination."
3) Can you think of examples where 'gendered social reality' is linked with 'naturism' (domination of nature)?
4) Do you agree with her that "ecofeminism is necessary to any critique of patriarchy"? What is the basis of her case for expanding feminism to include ecofeminism?
5) What is your response to the different relationship to the rock described by the climber's words? Beyond any personal lessons, can you see lessons for ethical discourse generally, as Warren suggests?
6) Warren develops the strengths of a relational mode of thought and perception - a mode which is not necessarily gender-linked, one that everyone can employ. Can you provide examples of your own that help illuminate it?
7) Can you explain why a stress on sameness is a weakness of traditional moral extensionism?
8) How do you see all of Warren's 'boundary conditions' of a feminist ethic working together (331ff)?
9) do you agree with Warren's reasons for saying environmental ethics must be feminist (336)?
2) In this distillation of Bookchin's thought, he insists we view ourselves as in every respect natural creatures. How does he account for our ostensible 'separateness' from nature? How does this conception of ourselves fit into his larger framework? What mistakes does he argue it avoids, and do you agree these would be mistakes?
3) Can you explain Bookchin's complaints about 'biocentric' thinking?
4) Bookchin criticizes various schools of thought (for example, analyses stressing cultural, spiritual, or individualistic solutions) for not sufficiently examining the 'social' roots of ecological problems. What does he mean? What does his analysis stress, and do you agree with his prescriptions?
2) What relationships can you see between civil rights and environmental rights?
3) Some mainstream environmental groups have tried to get more minorities on their boards of directors, and to incorporate more environmental concerns into their agendas. President Clinton has issued an order that all federal agencies take environmental justice into consideration in their decisions. What would Bullard say these efforts should aim to substantively accomplish? When would they no longer be 'racist'?
4) Suppose it were proposed that minority and poor communities be relocated away from environmental hazards. What are the arguments on both sides of this question?
5) Suppose it were proposed that minority and poor communities be compensated with money for health and other damages due to environmental hazards. What are the arguments on both sides of this question?
6) Which areana of environmental concerns do you think is most pressing? Consider international, local, and national problems.
7) Do you think it is a serious problem if wilderness-oriented environmentalists ignore environmental justice concerns? Why or why not?
8) Compare and contrast the features (origins, tactics, etc.) of Bullard's case study examples with the features we have seen characterize mainstream environmental movement groups.
9) Distill the main principles of environmental justice out of Bullard's piece.
2) What should we do when development - even subsistence development - conflicts with biodiversity?
3) What intellectual resources in American environmentalism might provide a better foundation for a third-world environmental ethic, or at least a better match?
4) Do you think Guha's critique is devastating? Or might he be misguided in some respect? What would be lost or potentially lost if we followed his advise?
5) One might expect a third-world critique to end with a call for equal 'development'; is this Guha's conclusion? What, if anything, differentiates his perspective from one solely informed by mainstream economic development, or even socially-oriented development? Envr 305 Home Page