Heather Pearson and Jacob Weigand

Discussion Questions - 2 Mar 2006

Philosophical and Theological Critiques of Ecological Theology: Broadening Environmental Ethics from Ecocentric and Theocentric Perspectives by Lisa H. Sideris

1. What are the inherent values in nature, in Leopold’s opinion? And how are they experience by people?
2. What is Leopold’s "golden rule of land ethics" (p172) and how has this impacted the discussion of ecology?

1. What does Leopold mean when he says "nothing so important as an ethic ever written" (p173) and what that means for his idea of social evolution in our ethical understanding of the environment?
2. What are the similarities and differences between Darwin’s and Leopold’s views on environmental ethics?
3. Do you find the extension of social norms to the land and animals persuasive in their evolutionary perception of environmental ethics
4. Who are Rolston and Callicott? What are their views on environmental ethics?

1. Are we inherently anthropocentric?
2. If there is intrinsic value to nature, then does mankind have an intrinsic value in itself?

1. In society, we can differentiate between individuals, however we rarely do the same thing beyond humans. In many cases, especially the ones identified by Sideris, we find that the species often takes priority over the individual animal. According to Sideris, what are the different factors behind these differing values?

1. What are the implications of each criterion?
2. What is the importance of each criterion in relation to the others? Rolston argues that each by itself would lead us to ruin, basically. Why is that?

Identify the basic concepts behind each theology, and their view on the relationship between humans and nature. What, in your opinion, works and doesn’t work, i.e. strengths and weaknesses of each theology?

• Process Theology
• Liberation Theology
• Moltmann’s Eschatological Theology