Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Elizabeth Cockrell - Land Ethic: why you need it and how to get one (FRI)
Planet Earth is home to over 6 billion people and over 1.5 millions species. The expanding populations on Earth have raised the question of how to use the limited amount of land available to us. In order to protect the land for future use it is necessary to develop a Land Ethic. The concept of a Land Ethic was developed by Aldo Leopold in his book A Sand County Almanac. Leopold argued that throughout the history of mankind what has been taken into moral consideration has changed and it is time to update our moral consciousness to consider the impact our actions will have on the land. This update in mankind’s ethics is necessary because it is becoming more apparent that our consumption habits are exceeding Earth’s ability to provide resources and absorb waste. It is important to note that under the Land Ethic it is not the state’s responsibility to protect the environment; it is the responsibility of each individual to consider what impact their actions will have on the land. However, if each individual personally utilizes the Land Ethic and through Value Effective Analysis encourages their representatives in Congress to do the same, change will start occurring on a national level as well as on a personal level. Through adoption of a Land Ethic and Value Effective Analysis it is possible to reform the unsustainable way we currently think about and use land.
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Your topic sounds very broad, are you trying to make some kind of universal land ethics that every country would accept? How would you Respond if some culture relativist group in Europe challenge your land ethics with the statement, what is right within your culture is totally not acceptable in my culture, therefore, we total deny to corporate with your land ethics in our country.
ReplyDeleteCould you explain your topic in terms of the definitions of rights? For example, does the Land Ethic follow the classic definition or the more modern definition? How would you define the rights you think the environment deserves, and why does it deserve those rights?
ReplyDeleteAre you advocating for a complete adoption of the Land Ethic, or are you encouraging people to learn about it and make a decision on their own? Would you be alright with people adopting one or two elements of the Land Ethic as you present it, or is your video only deemed a success if people adopt the Land Ethic in its entirety?
ReplyDeleteOne could argue that in some areas, such as parks (which are protected by state or national government) the land is being used in a sustainable and appreciative manner. Do you mean to focus on those tracts of land that are perhaps more unsustainable in the public's eye, like mountain top removal and monocultured farms? If so, I would be more explicit in that area, and perhaps that would solve some of the questions asked by those above.
ReplyDeleteHow could we go about making everyone develop their own land ethic? Obviously not everyone adheres to it now, so why should we expect them to in the future?
ReplyDeleteMatt Lee
ReplyDeleteAre there anyways of changing societies habits of using up resources and what alternatives can be done to stop our resources from disappearing that will have an impact globally?
How do you account for societies that apply value effective analysis in different ways, such as countries where different applications of communism are present? Also, is there an element of egoism in the ethic you are arguing for? A better question might be to ask why there is a particular significance in first adapting a personal philosophy?
ReplyDeleteHow can we get the message of a land ethic out to those that think in a mechanistic way where they only see nature as having instrumental value? Should mechanists view nature with intrinsic value even if they are helping to stop the consumption of our resources simply based on an economic stand?
ReplyDeleteAre you thinking of specific guidelines that we humans should follow in order to obtain a land ethic? Also, you discuss how our human population is extremely large and expanding. Does your idea of a land ethic go beyond treating the land with respect and not destroying resources? Would you suggest population control or something similar?
ReplyDeleteIs value effective analysis the best way to convince our government and the rest of society to adapt the Land Ethic? Could a cost-benefit analysis be used as well, and if so how is this different than using a value effective analysis to substantiate your claim?
ReplyDeleteIn addition, will you be discussing the criticisms of the Leopold's land ethic in your paper? Many people find fault in the land ethic.
Propsing that everyone form an individual "land ethic" as modeled by Aldo Lepold In "A Sand County Almanc", although it sounds very logical and capitalist, I think that this may be impractical. Also, are you specifically talking about the population of the United States forming a land ethic or everyone in the entire world as to create more of a "green planet". Although I cerainly do agree that the American land ethic does indeed need some major re-vamping, how would the concept of allodial rights fit into this picture? I believe that if every person were to form their own individual land ethic that it would just perpetuate ethical egoism and chaos among memebers of society. On the other hand, if the governement were in charge of the American land ethic, then it would become in a way a totaliarian or communist state in this manner, which wouldn't work as well. So what level of governement would represent the collective individual need without becoming simply a monist principle?
ReplyDeleteIs the idea of a "land ethic" a new one (e.g., orginating in the 20th century) or does it have its roots further back? What are the premises of the land ethic? How do you suggest people being to incorporate or start to follow the "Land ethic"?
ReplyDeleteWhat obligations do we have (if any) to each other? Also what does it mean mean Leopold says that we should regard land as a community rather than a commodity?
ReplyDeletehow do you know land ethic is the right one for human being?
ReplyDeleteHow is it possible to get everyone to follow the land ethic? How is guaranteed that change will, in fact, come? What kind of legislation is needed to pass?
ReplyDelete