Title: That Land is a community is the basic concepts of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respecte
1The 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
2What 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.
3The 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.
4The 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.
5The 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.
6The 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.
7The 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.
8Problems 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.
9Land 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.
10The End
- We can be ethical only in relation to something
we can see, feel, understand, love, or otherwise
have faith in. - -Aldo Leopold