Session 2: Anthropocentrism, Biocentrism, Ecocentrism & Adaptive Systems

Reading Assignment: "Breaking Down Biocentrism: Two Distinct Forms of Moral Concern for Nature," Joshua Rottman (2014), "Dark Green or Deep (Ecocentric) Ethics," Patrick Curry (2011); "Anthropocentrism," Lissy Goralnik & Michael Paul Nelson (2012); "Adaptive Management of Social Ecological Systems," (2015) Ahjond S. Garmestani & Craig R. Allen.

Video Assignment : Anthropocentrism vs Ecocentrism; Adaptive Systems Theory; Complex Adaptive Systems; Complex Adaptive Systems Part 2; Adaptive Systems 3; Environmentalism as Adaptive Management - Bryan G. Norton; European Anthropocentrism vs American Ecocentrism Clashing Values Regarding Wolves ; Restore Hetch Hetchy - Hetch Hetchy; The Wilderness Idea; Harrison Ford - Discover Hetch Hetchy; Alex Simon; Hetch Hetchy Water System - Legendary Past, Visionary Future

Homework Assignment:

1. Describe and illustrate examples of the two forms of moral concern associated with biocentrism?

2. Describe and discuss - to include providing examples as illustrations - the two criteria that "deep green" ecological ethics must meet.

3. Likewise research this question relating to environmental justice. Are people of color and other impoverished groups disproportionately exposed to environmental pollutants? Explain your answer.

4. Describe, discuss and provide at least to examples of the land ethic at work in an environmental setting.

5. Describe and discuss the feasiblity of Gaia Theory in ecological practice. 6. Describe the eight tenets of the platfor for Deep Ecology.

7. Define biocentrism and ecocentrism.

8. What challenges to adaptive systems pose for ethicists and policy makers seeking to act ethically?

9. Define anthropodcentrism and discuss the degree to which humans can actually and sustainability act in non-anthropocentric ways.

10. Your readings this session assert that "Adaptive management is considered to be the best existing approach for daling with the unpredictability of social-ecological systems." Explain why.