exam

Question 1

Anthropocentrism

Answer 1

Humans are what create intrinsic value, Humans are the centre.

Question 2

Sentientism

Answer 2

Viewed negatively, only recognizes sentient beings (self aware), neglects ecosystems, endangered animals

Question 3

Biocentrism

Answer 3

Some criticism, ecosystems and species are not alive, therefore neither have moral standing. An individualistic approach (pertaining to individual organisms

Question 4

Holism/Ecocentrism

Answer 4

typically the most favoured approach) places intrinsic value on all living organisms and their natural environment, regardless of their perceived usefulness or importance to human beings.

Question 5

Intrinsic Value

Answer 5

The value that that thing has “in itself

Question 6

Instrumental Value

Answer 6

Specific methods of behavior. Instrumental values are not an end goal, but rather provide the means by which an end goal is accomplished.
Problems

Question 7

Utilitarianism

Answer 7

We should strive, with respect to each act we perform, to maximize the welfare among all those affected by the action

Question 8

Deontology

Answer 8

States that an act that is not good morally can lead to something good, such as shooting the intruder (killing is wrong) to protect your family (protecting them is right)

Question 9

Virtue Ethics and the Criticisms

Answer 9

MIND, CHARACTER AND HONESTY,
Criticism: Varying for different cultures (PRIDE IS A SIN?)
- Virtues can be displayed by different evil people

Question 10

Aldo Leopold created:

What are the three criteria

Answer 10

Ecocentrism

3: Stability, Integrity and Beauty

Question 11

Environmental Pragmatism

Answer 11

Environmental pragmatism is a new strategy in environmental thought: it argues that theoretical debates are hindering the ability of the environmental movement to forge agreement on basic policy imperatives.

Question 12

Satisficing

Answer 12

Setting minimum aspirational levels for what we wish to obtain

Question 13

What is Risk Assessment

Answer 13

Assessing the Risk= the possibility of suffering harm (death…etc.) from a hazard

Question 14

Risk Management

Answer 14

Cost benefit analysis
Do the benefits outweigh the costs of regulation?
Risk benefit analysis
Do the environmental/health benefits outweigh the environmental/health risks?
Public preferences
what is the public tolerance for the risk

Question 15

False Comfort

Answer 15

Group A is given lottery ticket numbers
Group B picks numbers
Each group can sell the ticket back, group B would charge more to sell back

Question 16

Societal Concerns

Answer 16

It is estimated that the coal generated electricity costs about 10 000 lives per year (mining, transportation…)
80% of the American public think that coal burning is safer than nuclear power
Risk from nuclear power is overwhelmingly regarded as involuntary, uncontrollable…etc
Automobiles result in far more deaths

Question 17

Precautionary Principle

Answer 17

Look before you leap, Where there is serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason

Question 18

Opportunity Costs

Answer 18

→ The loss of potential gain from other alternatives.

→ Money spent on mitigation of a current risk is money not spent on health, education and welfare

Question 19

Haida

Answer 19

The government of British Columbia failed moral obligations to consult the Haida on the topic of tree farming. In 2004 it was passed to be a legal obligation

Question 20

Taku

Answer 20

In plans to reopen a mine and run a road through an area with a river in TRTFN’S territory, an environmental assessment was done. TRTFN brought a petition to the chamber and had the rule overturned.

Question 21

Jones Nadjiwan Decision 1993

Answer 21

The crown recognized that the saugeen objibiwa had the right to comercially fish.

• -> Commercial fishing rights were more important than aboriginal rights
• -> The SON realized that the court based their decisions on empirical evidence. They sponsored a faculty position, and targeted things like fish habitat management.

Question 22

Bruce Power Build Environmental Assessment

Answer 22

Joint Panel review, EIS released in 2008, NO adverse effects were determined.

Question 23

What was missed during the Bruce Power Build Environmental Assessment?

Answer 23

No population level assessment, geographically and ecologically important location

Question 24

Lake Whitefish

Answer 24

Cultural and commercial Importance, Valued ecosystem

components

Question 25

Problems with Risk Assessment

Answer 25

→ Some risks are unknown, and the quantification may even be beyond the ability of science
→ If risk can be quantified, it can be dealt with, but…
Problems with quantifying risk…
Eg.
→ You have no prior ideas (new situation)
→ There’s no dollar value
→ unanticipated effects
→ Issues of behaviour, trust, compliance
→ Language

Question 26

What is the rivet popping hypothesis

Answer 26

If the plane loses one rivet among the million, it may not significantly affect the aircraft as a whole. But if it starts losing rivets successively, it may weaken the aircraft and affect flight. BIODIVERSITY

Question 27

What are the 5 Stages of Impact assessment

Answer 27

Planning, Impact statement, Impact Assessment, Decision making, Post Decision

Question 28

Moral Agents

Answer 28

an individual’s ability to make moral judgments based on some notion of right and wrong and to be held accountable for these actions

Question 29

Animal Welfarism

Answer 29

view that some individual non-humans animals have intrinsic value and this imposes on us duties to them.
Connecting animal citizenship to intrinsic value —> claim that “non-human animals have rights”

Question 30

VEC

Answer 30

Valued Ecosystem Component

Question 31

Productive Capacity

Answer 31

Maximum Possible Output for an economy

Question 32

Adaptive Capacity

Answer 32

relates to the capacity of systems, institutions, humans and other organisms to adjust to potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to respond to consequences

Question 33

What is the difference between Animal Welfarism and environmentalists?

Answer 33

Animal welfarists believe the primary value is the individual animal, while environmentalists value the “species” or collective.