Lecture 8: The Land Ethic

Question 1

____ initially argued for minimizing the predators, because he viewed animals as “crops”. But he realized that this method of thinking only underestimates the connectedness of nature and views the earth as dead when its not.

Answer 1

Aldo Leopold

Question 2

Aldo Leopold was a _____, like Pinchot.

Answer 2

conservationist

Question 3

Aldo Leopold is known for his book, _____, for understanding of the ways of nature, a land ethic with ecocentric ethics.

Answer 3

Sand County Almanac

Question 4

Aldo Leopold initially argued for minimizing the predators, but realized that this method of thinking only underestimates the connectedness of nature and views the earth as dead when its not. He retells the “killing of the wolf”. Wolves have made a difference, but have they fixed Yellowstone?

Answer 4

No, Yellowstone still many issues.

1. Beetle/fungus infestations of whitebark pine
2. Lake trout (non-native) are invasive
3. Climate changes in forests/grasslands
4. Bison kills (outside the park) to protect grazing cattle
5. Natural gas drilling affect winter range and migratory wildlife

Question 5

What did Aldo Leopold argue about the land ethic?

Answer 5

• that the moral standing we extend to humans (and some animals) should be extended to land, plants, and animals
• Leopold still maintains a conservationist view, with the tension between view of land as “resource” and deserving of moral standing.

Question 6

Leopold says the ____ is what has moral standing, not the individuals within it. Its well being determines right and wrong. This is opposite of many animal-rights activists, who do not attribute to moral standing to species, but to the individuals who comprise them.

Answer 6

land community

Question 7

Explain Leopold’s Biotic Pyramid:

1. Soil
2. Plant
3. Insect
4. Bird
5. Rodent and so on, with large carnivores on top

Answer 7

• there is congruence with an ecosystem community model
• argues for conservation at all levels because we do not know how actions will influence entities further up the chain
• views everything, from oaks to humans as part of the system. (early concepts of recycling)

Question 8

What do the Philosophical Elements of Leopold provide?

Answer 8

guidance for decisions in a broader way than some other perspectives (animal welfware)

Question 9

What do the Philosophical Elements of Leopold avoid?

Answer 9

the extremes of biocentrism, since focus is on the system not on the individuals.
This is a practical approach, because focus on individuals leads to policies/practices that ultimately harms individuals.
This is implicit in ecology itself.

Question 10

The Philosophical Elements of Leopold are completely _____.

Answer 10

non-anthropocentric.
He comes from an ecocentric perspective, but does not distinguish clearly amongst ecocentric models (organic vs ecosystem, for example)

Question 11

The Naturalistic Fallacy is a criticism, which states?

Answer 11

“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise” p 186)

Question 12

Considered a criticism, what is the Nature of ecological wholes with the Aristotlean view?

Answer 12

the idea of developmental trajectory, a movement toward a goal

Question 13

Considered a criticism, what is the Nature of ecological wholes with the Darwinian view?

Answer 13

a competition amongst individuals extended to systems

Question 14

Considered a criticism, what is the holistic element itself?

Answer 14

• Utilitarian
• de-emphasizes individuals.
• It is non-anthropocentric

Question 15

How do you avoid the charges of “environmental fascism” without abandoning the holistic vision? (Marietta)

Answer 15

• we need to re-frame such that 1 source of right/wrong comes from the good of the community. But not the only one.
• it recognizes that things can be right in 1 sense, while wrong in another (simultaneously)

Question 16

What does Moline say about avoiding the charges of “environmental fascism” without abandoning the holistic vision?

Answer 16

Moline focuses on “thing” and construes this as “a type of” (instead of specific) action.
- labels this “indirect holism”.

Question 17

Who frames Leopold in the Hume-Darwin tradition?

Answer 17

Callicott

Question 18

Explain Callicott’s Hume-Darwin tradition.

Answer 18

1. the moral sentiments at the root of ethics (sympathy, affection)
2. leads to behaviors consistent with pre-theoretical orientation (this set of ethical boundaries/guidelines are only good if they are consistent with gut feeling and formula)
3. argues that relationships are prior to the things that are related

Question 19

____ contradicts Callicott, because he wanted categorical imperatives, not merely the hypothetical imperatives that emerge from psychology. He argued that right/wrong could be derived from logica with no need for sentiments.

Answer 19

Kant