A Land Ethic

Ecologically
a limitation on freedom of an action
in the struggle for existence,
a land ethic is physically
existing and something we
struggle with mentally.
Aldo Leopold thought
that a land ethic enlarged
the boundaries of community
to include things like:
soil, water, plants
animals, trees and land.
Community is a word that we
think about in a human way,
with anthropocentric tunnel vision.
Leo says this word applies
to biotic communities as well
and to include them in our
exclusive, structured society
would be to confirm their right to
existence.
The real land ethics of today
are still governed by economic
self interest.
We need to break free of
the social norm of self interest.
We need to do things for others
and consider an ecosystem's interests
when we decide to develop
or clear cut or harvest.
Why is it so easy to think only of ourselves?
Because that is the norm.
How do we change the norm?
Action.

                                                                  Mine? No ....sharing

Ecologism, Neo-Darwiniansim...what?

So I realize we are talking about whether or not ecosystems and inanimate things in nature can have rights...This is the Rights of Animals and Ecosystems class. However, I feel confused by the first article that we have to read on this subject (Midgley) that tells us that no, ecosystems or things such as islands can't have rights, but they can have duties.

Maybe this will make more sense to me tomorrow in class, but I thought her whole presentation of the topic was a little strange. She reminded me a little bit of Tom Regan in his style of 'talk alot about interesting things, then get to the point for about a page' style. I did like the Robinson Cruso reference and I thought that was a good way to bring home her point. Even though I got a little mixed up in the middle, the two Cruso references at the beginning and end helped me understand the concept fuller.

The Ecologism piece may have escaped me because of the late hour at which I read it, but I felt like I was waiting and waiting for his central focus and then suddenly, the chapter was over. Now, I've never been much of a philosophy person, but I didn't think I was this bad. From what I got of it, the author was explaining how the interconnectedness of humans to the natural environment necessitated that we give ecosystems some sort of consideration beyond using them as a means to an end. The author tries to prove that our very genes demand of nature a higher respect than what we currently give it.

This is what I have taken away, hopefully tomorrow will bring more understanding.

Yay, now there's an actual flying squirrel on my blog entitled "El Flying Squirrel"