Lecture 2 Flashcards
Where can the origins of conservation be traced to?
The origins of conservation can be traced to religious and philosophical beliefs on the relationship between humans and nature.
How do many interpret Islamic, Judaic, and Christian teachings?
Many interpret Islamic, Judaic, and Christian teachings as supporting a guardianship or stewardship role towards nature
What forms the foundation for American views?
Christianity influenced European views of nature, which forms the foundation for American views
Who is Ralph Waldo Emerson?
- 19th century philosopher/writer
- among the first to argue for the protection of nature
- father of transcendentalism, saw nature as a temple in which people could achieve enlightenment
Who is Henry David Thoreau?
- 19th century philosopher/writer
- among the first to argue for the protection of nature
- author of Walden (1854), believed that in “wilderness is the preservation of the world”
What is wilderness?
Wilderness is large areas that remain essentially unoccupied, unmanaged, and unmodified by human beings
Who is John Muir?
- advocated strongly for the preservation of wilderness
- natural areas such as wilderness, waterfalls, and mountaintops are spiritually necessary for humanity
- also serve as inspiration for philosophers, poets, and artists
- was among the first American conservationists to explicitly state that nature has INTRINSIC VALUE
- argued for the protection of nature on biblical grounds, since God created nature and individual species and to destroy them was undoing God’s work
- viewed biological communities as assemblages of species evolving together and dependent on one another (similar to the view of modern ecologists)
What is intrinsic value?
Intrinsic value is value in and of itself, apart from its value to humanity
Who is Gifford Pinchot?
- resource conservation ethic
- “wise use”
- resource use should be based on whatever will further “the greatest good of the greatest number [of people] for the longest time”
- resources should be fairly distributed among individuals and between present and future generations
- developed into modern sustainable use doctrines and the economic valuation of natural resources
- resources should be used as efficiently as possible
- the forest head of the U.S. Forest Service and his wise-use philosophy came to dominate American thinking in the 20th century
- argued that government entities should regulate natural resources to prevent their destruction
Who is Aldo Leopold?
- government forester
- originally embraced the resource conservation ethic of Pinchot but EVENTUALLY came to believe that this ethic didn’t fully embody the importance of nature
- nature was not just a collection of useful goods
- most important goal of conservation is to maintain the health of natural ecosystems and ecological processes
- his land ethic advocated a land use policy in which human use of natural resources was dependent upon biodiversity
What was Leopold’s land ethic?
Leopold’s land ethic advocated a land use policy in which human use of natural resources was dependent upon biodiversity
Who is Ellen Swallow Richards?
- a chemistry instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she developed the first course in the new science of ecology
- emphasized the need to protect human health through the protection of the natural environment, especially water quality being affected through sewage and industrial waste
Who is Rachel Carson?
- key figure in the conservation movement in the 20th century
- wrote Silent Spring (1962) and documented the role of pesticides in the decline of bird populations
- heavily criticized by the chemical industry, her persistence and many writings influenced the ban on DDT in many countries, that later led to the recovery of many bird species, such as falcons, eagles, and ospreys
The American conservation movement continues to be influenced by numerous advocates and writers. What are the names of some of the most influential?
Some of the most influential are:
- Aldo Leopold, “A Sand County Almanac” (1949)
- Paul Ehrlich, “The Population Bomb” (1968)
- Edward Abby, “Desert Solitaire” (1968)
- Edward O. Wilson, “Biophilia” (1986) and “Naturalist” (1994)
- John McPhee, “The Control of Nature” (1989)
- Al Gore, “Earth in the Balance” (1992) and “An Inconvenient Truth” (2006)
- Richard Ellis, “The Empty Ocean” (2004)
- Jared Diamond, “Collapse” (2005)
- Bill McKibben, “The End of Nature” (2006) and “eearth” (2011)
