Reading and Discussion Questions - Lynn White Thesis

Reading Questions on Lynn White article, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis"

1.  What is White's thesis? 

2.  What evidence/arguments does he offer in support of his thesis?  How persuasive is he?

3.  What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses?  Can you think of possible objections?  How might White respond to these objections?

4.  Why do you think that this article had such a widespread influence--so much so that Taylor refers to it as the "Lynn White Thesis"?

Discussion Questions on Lynn White, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis"

1.  In the identification of the evolving history of our ecological understanding, White hints at the subjective nature behind what defines our understanding of nature. The example used at the beginning of the piece is the Aldous Huxley discussion of rabbits and his childhood home. As we view nature, and what is necessary for nature to function "properly", we have different interpretations as to what nature is and what it needs. In your opinion, what is nature?

2.  What are the similarities and differences with White’s explanation of three developments of the "ecological crisis?"

3.  Is there necessarily a right view of nature?

Chris Sanders’ Famous Discussion Questions on Whitney

1. Do you agree with White or Whitney more? Why is this? Is it based on intuition or on the arguments each author presented?
2. Whitney states in the beginning of her essay that the historical perspective is inherently biased and that White’s essay is no different. Whitney claims that White has adopted a retelling that biases those he himself agrees with in order to make his case, and that this is presumably to the exclusion of other historical figures. Do you find Whitney’s argument persuasive? Even if the form of the argument is not persuasive do you believe that White has focused on only those he agrees with, and if he has, is that a problem?
3. Has White, as Whitney claims, conveyed a, "value-laden and problematic message," and is Whitney’s message any less, "value-laden and problematic?" (Whitney 154)
4. According to Whitney’s essay, monks in the 12^th and 13^th centuries started to hire laborers or adopted lay brothers. How does this fact help establish Whitney’s argumentation. Specifically what does it say about White’s contention that religion was the cause of Western dynamism in technology?
5. What has Whitney said that you find useful? Has she changed your thinking at all with regard to the environment and religion? If not, why?