MHC Seminar III
MHC 200
T, F 2:10-3:25, HW 509B
Fall 2013
Review Questions – Midterm
Your midterm exam takes place on Tuesday, Oct 22, 2013. On your exam you’ll be given three
questions and asked to answer two of them. These questions should help you prepare. If you feel
pretty comfortable answering these questions then you should be prepared for the exam. You will
have ONE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES to complete the exam.
Your answer will be evenly graded in terms of the accuracy and completeness of your exposition,
and the thoroughness and insight of your evaluation. In other words, you should be able to state
an opinion and give at least one good reason for it, where you’re not just re-stating lecture notes.
Consequently, consider how you might give equal measure to both exposition and evaluation.
1. Why is it important to define ‘biodiversity’? What are some different ways that biodiversity is
measured?
2. What are some of the chief differences between biodiversity conservation and wilderness
preservation? Why does Callicott believe that wilderness leads to social injustices? What are
some ways that Noss tries to defend the value of wilderness? Whom do you agree with, and why?
3. How does the UN define ‘sustainable development’? What are some ways in which
sustainability, as a policy goal, differs from biodiversity conservation? What are some ways in
which it differs from wilderness preservation?
4. What is animal liberation? What are some of the differences between the animal liberation
movement and biodiversity conservation? Why do Gruen and Singer think that we have a moral
responsibility to protect sentient creatures? What are some of the practical consequences of this
view?
5. What is biocentrism? How does biocentrism differ from animal liberation? Why does Taylor
think that we should have respect for nature? Does biocentrism entail that killing plants for food
is morally wrong? Why or why not?
6. What is ecocentrism? How does it differ from the other moral philosophies that we have
examined? How does ecocentrism differ from animal liberationism on the moral status of sentient
animals and on the moral status of domestic animals?
7. Explain the difference between anthropocentrism and non-anthropocentrism. Explain the
distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value. Is anthropocentrism a good moral
philosophy for the environment, or is it a harmful philosophy?
8. What does Sarkar mean by saying that nature has ‘transformative power’? Is the fact that
nature can lead us to transform our values a good reason for protecting it?
9. The purpose of Varner’s paper is to explain the divide between animal liberationists and other
environmentalists and to try to reconcile them. Why does he think that one can be an animal
liberationist and still support some forms of hunting? Do you agree?