Lecture 9: Radical Environmental Philosophy

Question 1

So far we have addressed things from a reformation approach, but some argue that ____ is necessary and environmental problems are deeply rooted in the cultural and social fabric of our lives.

Answer 1

Transformative Policies: radical change

Question 2

What is Deep Ecology?

Answer 2

• the worldview as problematic
• the need to revise our view of humans’ place in world
• should be less self-centered

Question 3

What is Ecofeminism?

Answer 3

• the unjust human institutions/practices are critical
• sees Deep Ecology as too abstract)
• abuse of environment parallels other forms of domination

Question 4

Who are the predecessors of Deep Ecology?

Answer 4

Muir, Carson, & White

Question 5

The Goals of Deep Ecology are to ask deeper ____, because it focuses on the secondary & tertiary qualities of objects (science addresses the primary).

Answer 5

questions, “why, how did it get this way?” instead of asking what the problem is

Question 6

The goals of Deep Ecology are to clarify the values underlying _____, It is like what White says that we need to do regarding religion, but more broadly.

Answer 6

economic approaches

A revision of our social engagement.

Question 7

The goals of Deep Ecology are to put ____ into practice and move away from anthropocentrism.

Answer 7

ecocentrism

Question 8

Deep ecology’s primary earmarks include ____, which is is less likely that someone like Taylor to favor human interests when there’s a clash.

Answer 8

Biocentric egalitarianism

Question 9

Deep ecology’s primary earmarks include ____, whichincludes a sense of spiritual self, deeply connected self.

Answer 9

self realization

Question 10

What are the 8 specific principles of Deep Ecology?

Answer 10

page 208

Question 11

Deep ecology is NOT an attempt to discover? Because?

Answer 11

Intrinsic value or to develop universal moral rules, because these already exist.

What we need is to change our consciousness in order to recognize them.

The task is to work on ourselves, recognize the best decision without needing human imposed set of guidelines.

Question 12

Deep ecology is NOT a __1__, because this is based on a reductionist view, which disassembles and reconstructs elements of the whole.
Instead deep ecology is __2__.

Answer 12

1. putting together of pieces

2. Movement

Question 13

Critics not that deep ecology does not do much to help us weight competing interests. However how does Naess argue back?

Answer 13

we cannot formulate rules “a priori” , requires a “posteriori action”.

Naess has a culture bound perspective.

example: force bear to do all these other things, but bear might do something else.

Question 14

What does the critic Guha say about deep ecology?

Answer 14

• categorizes deep ecology with mystical movements and antihuman, because it blames humans for famine, epidemic, poverty, hunger

Question 15

In Guha’s Radical American Evironmentalism, he doesn’t disagree with the principle but sees ____ of putting deep ecology into practice on a worldwide basis.

Answer 15

“social consequences”

• if you try to implement that philosophical approach worldwide, there will be some problems.

Question 16

In Guha’s Radical American Evironmentalism, he says if we are imposing our ideas of _____ on developing nations doesn’t make sense, because this would ignore the culture bound nature of our values.

Answer 16

“preservation”

• You are not coming from a developing world. We should put more emphasis in the developed world. Do less consuming.

We can afford to preserve; they often cannot.

Question 17

In Guha’s Radical American Evironmentalism, the Greater emphasis on temperance, doing with less, will get more for us. American deep-ecologists would do well to focus more efforts here, and on integrating ______. This would be more effective and would serve the ends of social justice, too.

Answer 17

“ecological concerns with those of livelihood and work.”

Question 18

____ makes connections between domination of nature and domination of women using “logic of domination”.

Answer 18

Ecofeminism

by distinctions between groups, value hierarchy added, subordination of 1 group justified by lack of valued characteristic

Question 19

How does Ecofeminism note distinctions between forms of feminist thinking?

Answer 19

1. Liberal: moral equality
2. Marxist: recognition of labor
3. Socialist: economic and gender role equality
4. Radical: reformulating biology-based values

Question 20

Both Radical Feminism and Ecofeminism recognize that?

Answer 20

(1) there are differences, but that the masculine isn’t always superior
(2) potential dangers implicit in accepting dualism (M/F)

Question 21

Both Radical Feminism and Ecofeminism apply the?

Answer 21

ethics of care to the environment (Gilligan, Noddings, Ruddick)

Question 22

What is the form of protest using civil disobedience?

Answer 22

typically non-violent, you accept responsibility and punishment for your actions

example: you do things that are illegal (you block the streets) but you accept your punishment

Question 23

What is the form of protest using Ecosabotage?

Answer 23

having the intent of escaping detection and punishment, it is destructive although its aim is to avoid harming humans

example: you do things that are illegal, to draw a lot of attention, disrupt and harm the system

Question 24

Who founded “of Earth First! organization” and Strategic Monkeywrenching tactics such as ecosabatage and nightwork?

Answer 24

Foreman

Question 25

What does Foreman argue?

Answer 25

we must be heroes, we must act defiantly, and illegally to put a monkeywrench into the system that is destroying the earth.

In a cost-benefit analysis, is it worth it?
If it is strategic, thoughtful, deliberate, Foreman says it can be.

Question 26

How can Strategic Monkeywrenching be safe, easy, fun, and effective?

Answer 26

it can stop timber cutting, road building, overgrazing, etc.

Question 27

How can Strategic Monkeywrenching be unsafe?

Answer 27

innocents can be harmed.

Question 28

Who started Sea Shepherds?

Answer 28

Paul Watson

Question 29

Why did Sea Shepherds start?

Answer 29

International Whaling Commission seemed powerless to enforce rules (and were not strict).
Sea Shepherds was to attack on the Sierra coast of Portugal

Question 30

According to Kristin Shrader-Frechette, how is the playing field not even?

Answer 30

Corporate money supports universities, other research institutions, biasing them toward special interests. This tilts against environmental interests, fair play, open exchange. Thus, we need to advocate.

Question 31

How does Kristin Shrader-Frechette support her claims?

Answer 31

1. Being objective and being neutral are not the same thing
2. Advocacy doesn’t always work, but outcomes are likely to be worse in its absence because greater harm can occur without advocacy.
3. We do not need to treat unequal things (arguments, values, goals) as equal. We are bound to advocate for the better things.
   We need to advocate fairly (present on both sides)
   We need to advocate without selfish aims.

Question 32

Who wrote “An Apologia for Activism: Global responsibility, Ethical Advocate and Environmental Problems”?

Answer 32

Kristin Shrader-Frechette