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That Land is a community is the basic concepts of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respecte

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Van Rensselaer Potter's 'bioethics' theory stated that any ethic for the human ... Contributors to Bioethical Concepts. Environment Ethics Ideas/Principles ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: That Land is a community is the basic concepts of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respecte


1
The Land Ethic
Adam Kullberg, Sophomore Creative Writing Major
  • That Land is a community is the basic concepts
    of ecology, but that land is to be loved and
    respected is an extension of ethics
  • -Aldo
    Leopold

2
What is The Land Ethic?
  • land n.
  • The solid ground of the earth.
  • The people of a nation, district, or region.
  • ethic n.
  • A set of principles of right conduct.
  • A theory or a system of moral values moral
    philosophy.
  • Land Ethic A set of moral principles, conduct,
    or philosophies applying to the earth and people
    of a nation, district, or region.

3
The Origins of Land Ethic
  • Henry David Thoreau, George Marsh, John Muir,
    and Ralph Waldo Emerson were all early
    philosophers/environmentalists who embraced and
    appreciated nature.
  • In books like Walden and Nature some of the
    earliest examples of bioethical thoughts can be
    seen.
  • Though these early philosophers dealt with the
    beauty, divinity, and inspiration accompanying
    nature, they, for the most part, did not examine
    a way to change human habits and conserve nature
    as a whole. This change of attitude did not come
    about until the early 1930s through Aldo
    Leopold.

4
The Origins of Land Ethic
Aldo Leopold (1887-1948)
Aldo Leopold is commonly known as the father of
wildlife management and the US wilderness system.
He was a conservationist, forester, philosopher,
educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast and
began the movement now known as conservation
ethics.
Late in his life, Leopold wrote A Sand County
Almanac, combining a love of nature and aesthetic
with philosophical ethics. This collection of
sketches and writings soon became the basis for
all conservation ethics and is still seen in
bioethical efforts today.
Today, the Aldo Leopold Foundation, established
in 1983 by Leopolds children, stands as a
monument to ecological restoration and
conservation ethics.
5
The History of Land Ethic
Contributors to Bioethical Concepts
Environment Ethics Ideas/Principles
  • Schweitzer (1959)
  • Carson (1962)
  • Schweitzer demonstrated the ethical response for
    humans- reverence for life- by stressing the
    interdependence and unity of all life. He was
    awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for 1952 and wrote
    Peace or Atomic War? In 1959, which still
    influences thinking today on nuclear testing and
    bombs.
  • Rachel Carson was one of the first
    environmentalists to study life underwater, and
    is commonly known as the mother of the modern
    environmental movement. Her famous book Silent
    Spring establishes a necessary ethical link
    between humans and all life.

6
The History of Land Ethic
Contributors to Bioethical Concepts
Environment Ethics Ideas/Principles
  • Naess (1973)
  • Potter (1988)
  • Arne Naess founded the concept of Deep Ecology, a
    movement where one not only does good for the
    planet for the sake of humans but also for the
    sake of the planet itself.
  • Van Rensselaer Potters bioethics theory stated
    that any ethic for the human species has to be
    based on the possibility of severely degraded
    quality of life--even human extinction--and that
    each of us has the capacity to figure out how we
    ought to live, in order to avoid the fate of
    most other species.

7
The History of Land Ethic
Contributors to Bioethical Concepts
Environment Ethics Ideas/Principles
  • Weiss (1989)
  • Griffin (1992)
  • Edith Brown Weiss expresses concern for future
    generations, hoping to influence human care for
    nature by a sense of familial emotion rather than
    love of nature. Simply put, we are preparing the
    earth for the generations to come and their
    benefits
  • Donald Griffin explains that any effective
    response to the ecological crisis requires that
    the dominant worldview be succeeded by an
    alternative worldview or views that give instead
    a high priority to an ecologically sustainable
    future for the Earth. In essence, culture and
    human habits must change drastically before we
    can coexist with earth efficiently.

8
Problems Facing Land Ethic
  • The lack of reading done on environmental issues,
    even though publications on the issue are
    increasing.
  • A lack of participation by communities in
    ecological efforts, recycling, conservation, and
    a generally small number of hands on projects.
  • Overwhelming amounts of greed, poverty, war, and
    countless other vices running rampant in modern
    society.
  • A deficiency of people to help in changing the
    ways in which society works, whether it is
    sensitivity to nature or the necessity for human
    involvement.

9
Land Ethic and the Future
  • As people such as Dr. Ricardo Rozzi and Dr. A.
    Carl Leopold (along with his siblings) pave the
    way for future conservation efforts, many look
    back to the efforts of bioethical concepts of the
    past for guidance. Despite the many different
    approaches to conservation, conservationists are
    brought together by a common love of nature and
    hope for a better future, allowing all living
    beings to coexist in a mutually beneficial
    environment for present and future.

10
The End
  • We can be ethical only in relation to something
    we can see, feel, understand, love, or otherwise
    have faith in.
  • -Aldo Leopold
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