Environmental Science

Do Now The View from Here! If you stand in the middle of Fremont campus, what do you see? 1 2 3

The View from Here If you moved to the top floor of the Staples center, what would you see from there? 1 2 3

The View from Here If you looked down from an airplane at 32,000 feet over Los Angeles, what would you see? 1 2 3

The View from Here What you see depends on where you stand Obvious when you talk about geography Perhaps not so obvious when you talk about worldviews

Worldview A worldview is ‘where you stand’ as you look at the world It forms the basis of your decision-making process

Worldview The tools we use to organize our lives come from what we have around us –Socio-economic status –Religious/ethical resources –Family –Community –Education level –Shared opinions

Worldview Many members of a society share the same worldview Such worldviews represent the common experience of those persons who are part of that society Worldviews change as time passes –Think of marriage, sex, pollution, diseases

Shared World Views

Shared Worldviews Frontier Mentality Planetary Management Biocentric Environmental Ecocentric or Earth-centered Environmental Earth-Wisdom Alternatives such as ecoreligion, ecofeminism, social ecology, deep ecology

Frontier Mentality Common at end of 19 th Century Shared experience was the physical western boundary or frontier of the nation Beyond the frontier the land was considered undeveloped and hostile Such undeveloped areas ‘must be brought under control’ A person with this worldview constantly feels as if standing on a new frontier

Frontier Mentality (2) Summary –Always more to exploit –Undeveloped areas are hostile –Hostile areas must be subdued –Ours is the dominant culture

Planetary Management Most common (Devall & Sessions) Anthropocentric (human + centered) Humans have dominion over earth Humans are masters of their destiny World provides unlimited opportunities Every problem has a solution

Planetary Management –All problems have solutions –All problems can be solved by humans –Many problems can be solved by technology –If no technology solution, there is one in politics, economics, and/or in combination with technology –If things are bad we need only apply ourselves to solve any problem before it is too late

Planetary Management Summary –We are most important and in charge –There is always more –All economic growth is good –Potential for economic growth is limitless –Success depends on understanding, controlling, and managing the earth

Planetary Management Some concerns: – that the earth is too complex to be effectively managed (Brownson) –humans do not have a long term vision of the needs –we have no accumulated wisdom (culture) on how to survive on earth (lost in modern society)

Biocentric Worldview Life centered (biocentric vs anthropocentric) –All life has value apart from usefulness to humans –Human actions should not lead to the premature extinction of species Sometimes difficult to sustain because humans like to save ‘cuddly’ animals, less fond of scaly, slimy, creepy sorts

Ecocentric Worldview Earth centered (eco = household) Task is to become responsible earth citizens Need to limit our activities to those that do not degrade or destroy life Need to preserve biodiversity “we are part of, not apart from, the community of life” (Brownson)

Earth-Wisdom Worldview Nature exists for all creatures, not just us “we need the earth, the earth does not need us” (Brownson) There is not always more Harmful economic growth should be discouraged Success comes from cooperating with one another and other species A focus on future generations