Final Exam Study Questions, Nature, Tech, Society, Sp 2013

Questions for Preston, Beyond End of Nature: SRM and Artificity in Anthropocene

1.         Explain how McKibben thinks global warming results in the “end of nature.” What sense of ‘nature’ does he have in mind?

2.         What is the difference between unintentional anthropogenic climate change and intentional anthropogenic climate change? Have humans engaged in the latter yet? Why not? Can one realize one’s actions will have a certain result w/o intending that they do?

3.         Define “geoengineering.” Why does geoengineering the climate have a “special moral burden” according to Preston?           

4.         What is solar radiation management? Give some examples of ways we might attempt this.

5.         Is geoengineering the climate a benign effort at restoration of the earth or an arrogant form of interference and manipulation of the climate? Explain the reasoning for each of these claims.

6.         What is an “artifact?” Does geoengineering the climate turn the earth (or the climate) into a giant artifact?

7.         Does infusing human intention into the genesis and being of a (previously?) natural object lessen its value? Why or why not?

8.         Explain the idea of Steven Vogel’s (that Preston summarizes) that artifacts always exceed human intentions. Consider his claim that this excess is the artifact’s “nature” and that this “unanticipated wildness” exists in any artifact. Does this show that an engineered climate is not a fully unnatural artifact?

9.         Evaluate Holmes Rolston’s response to solar radiation management will end nature: “Some of these schemes sound like putting up a protective layer high in the sky, so that down below the usual natural processes can go on more or less as before. That isn’t exactly ending nature; it is arranging for it to continue – albeit with a solar shield that is an artifact.”

10.       Explain why and how Preston argues that geoengineering the climate would dramatically increase our responsibility for what happens on earth and thereby change our relation to the planet. Is he right that this? Discuss his claim that it is a kind of “total responsibility,” involves “taking responsibility for the ecology of the whole earth,” and gives us the responsibility to make sure at each moment that the climate is hospitable.

11.       Consider the following worry about Preston’s claims above: We were not responsible for hurricanes 50 years ago. If by geoengineering the climate we return it to what it would have been if we had not warmed it (i.e., climate restoration is successful), are we then responsible for the hurricanes that appear after restoration?

Questions for Elliot’s Faking Nature










2.         Describe four examples of different types of restoration.


















Question on Katz's "Further Adventures in the Case against Restoration"





5.         Does Katz think we should restore damaged ecosystems? (See his conclusion at the end.) Is his view on this plausible given what he says about the nature of restorations?

6.         Is gardening a positive way of relating to nature? Is restoration like gardening? Are gardens artifacts? What does Katz think about these matters?

7.         Does Katz think we can restore for nature’s own good? Why or why not?

8.         Why might one think that restoration is a copying of nature rather than a designing of nature?

9.         How does Katz respond to the idea that restorations are like children in the sense that we produce them and then they autonomously do their own thing?

10.       Katz describes Helena Siipi’s view that artifacts have three dimensions. What are they and do they support Katz’s idea that restorations are artifacts?

11.       Is Katz right that the “conceptual distinction/dualism between humans and nature” is absolutely essential for thinking clearly and appropriately about the environment?

12.       Give examples of ordinary language that supports the distinction between humans and nature or human activity and the activity of nonhumans.

Questions on Ross, Appreciating Gardens and Urban Nature










2.         What is “foregone global warming?”




6.         What is ecological integrity? Using an example, describe how the goal of historical fidelity and ecological integrity conflict? (Consider lobster versus blue crabs in Long Island Sound.)

7.         How does Sandler define virtue? Vice?





Questions for Thompson’s Responsibility for the End of Nature

1.         Why does Thompson love global warming (or what positive does he see in it)?

2.         What is McKibben’s argument for the “end of nature,” and what notion of “nature” is he presupposing? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

3.         Is influencing something compatible with it retaining its autonomy? Explain using examples.

4.         Why does Vogel think nature has already ended before Global Warming?

5.         What is the “epistemic problem” about restoring to how the world would be independent of human activities?

6.         How does the Red-Cockaded woopecker restoration example illustrate the epistemic problem?

7.         Are humans “supernatural beings?” If one thinks that humans in important ways are not part of nature, but part of culture, does that entail they are “supernatural?”

8.         Explain and evaluate the idea that nature is a social construction.

9.         Explain the relationships that Thompson sees between the “present equilibrium of the atmosphere,” sense of place, and human identity. Do humans importantly identify themselves with places? How might global warming undermine a sense of place?

10.       Is Thompson right that we are now responsible for the fundamental conditions of the biosphere?

11.       What is it we fear about global warming according to Thompson?

12.       Do you agree with Thompson that we now have the responsibility of planetary management? Do you agree that the planet is no longer larger than us? Do you agree that it is helpful to think of our relation to the planet as analogous to a parent’s relationship with a child?

Questions on Hettinger’s “Valuing Naturalness in the ‘Anthropocene’: Now More than Ever”

1.         What is the “anthropocene?” Define it and explain the scientific suggestion it involves. What sort of human impacts on earth suggest we are in the “anthropocene?”

2.         How does Hettinger define “naturalness?” Is it an all or nothing concept?

3.         What problem or challenge does the “anthropocene” pose for those who value naturalness and believe environmentalism should importantly involve preserving and restoring it the autonomy of nature from humanity.

4.         Explain and evaluate the claim that “this is the earth we have created and so we need to manage it with love and intelligence.” What does Hettinger think about this statement?

5.         Explain and evaluate the claim that “the fundamental conditions of the biosphere are something that we collectively are responsible for.” What does Hettinger think about this statement?

6.         Describe various possible alternative metaphors about how humans should relate to the earth that are different from to the idea that we are “managers of this place.” What metaphor do you approve of and why?

7.         Why does Hettinger think naturalness becomes more, not less, important in the anthropocene?

8.         Explain and evaluate Hettinger’s response to this claim: “An interesting way to look at nature now in the Anthropocene is that nature is something we have created. There really is nothing around that has not been touched by us.” Do we live in a “world of our own making?”

9.         What are some of the ways that Hettinger thinks significant degrees of naturalness can return to a piece of nature even after it has been significantly manipulated by humans?

10.       What does Hettinger think is wrong with this argument: Because of climate change and other human disturbances, there really is no way to “go back” to an earlier pristine nature. Therefore our only option is to move forward into a thoroughly managed future where humans decide how nature will behave. Assume that Hettinger agrees with the first statement, why would he still reject the second?

11.       What does Hettinger think about the question of whether or not humans are natural/part of nature, or unnatural/separate from nature?

12.       What does Hettinger think about the idea that human flourishing will be achieved to the extent that humans have the freedom and ability to control nature?

Questions about Affluenza Film


2.         Compare our consumption today with earlier levels of consumption.



5.         Discuss the relation between growth and happiness.



8.         Is it morally wrong to be wealthy and wasteful on a planet were 1/5 live in abject poverty? Develop an argument both for and against the idea that it is unfair for Americans to be as rich as we are while so many in the world have virtually nothing.




Study questions for Wenz on Consumerism and Human Nature

1.         What does Wenz mean by “environmental synergism.” Do you think the claims it involves are true? Why does he think consumerism is opposed to synergism?

2.         What are some of the arguments in favor of consumerism that Wenz addresses and what are his responses?

3.         What response do critics of consumerism have to the claim that we need to keep increasing consumption or employment will suffer? How does increase in worker productivity add to the worry that increased consumption is necessary to prevent unemployment?

4.         In what way does Wenz think high consumption is addictive? Give examples

Study questions for Segal, Are we Simple Creatures?










10.       What does Segal have in mind by “simple living?”

11.       Explain why Segal thinks the case for simple living depends on the idea that we are not simple, but complex creatures.

Questions on Lichtenberg, Consuming Because Others Consume



3.         What does it mean to say needs are contextual?



6.         Why does that fact that we consume because others consume give us hope for a more easy transition to a lower consumption society?

Questions Schor, Clothes Encounters





Questions on Schor, Tackling Turbo Consumption

1.         Describe the work and spend culture.










Questions on Orr, The Designers’ Challenge


2.         What is “nature deficit disorder?”


4.         Does Orr think we should be optimistic or hopeful about the future? Why or why not?

5.         What are some of the principles of good ecological design that Orr identifies?

6.         What is the “fundamental oath of designers?”




Questions on Pope, Let’s Get Technical


2.         Does Pope think technology is neutral?


4.         Explain one of his examples of a problematic use of technology. How does he propose to solve such problematic uses?