If someone says, "earth and all of its contents were created for the betterment of human beings, so as long as something is good for humans, it is good for the whole earth," what ethical perspective would he or she hold?

Transcript

Chapter 01 Pre-Lecture Answers Which of the following is the study of how the natural world works, how our environment affects us, and how we affect our environment? Environmental science Which of the following is an example of a renewable natural resource? Sunlight A(n) ecological footprint expresses environmental impact in terms of the cumulative area of land and water required to provide the resources a person consumes. Water purification, nutrient cycling, and plant pollination are all examples of Earth's Ecosystem services. Which of the following can be depleted if overused? Fresh Water How did the agricultural revolution lead to an increase in human population numbers? The shift from a nomadic lifestyle to settling down on farms with domesticated animals allowed for nutritional needs to be met more easily. Environmentalism is a social movement dedicated to protecting the natural world from the undesirable changes brought about by human actions. What is the key lesson learned from Easter Island? An island population must learn to live within its means. In scientific research, the strongest form of evidence comes from experimentation. If an experiment fails to disprove a hypothesis, then this lends support to the hypothesis but does not prove it is correct. In a controlled experiment, if a researcher wants to examine the effect of radon exposure to rat longevity, which one would be the independent variable? Radon exposure In a controlled experiment, the effects of all of the variables are controlled except the one whose effect he or she is testing. The main advantage of observational studies and natural experiments over manipulative studies is that natural experiments are able to test hypotheses in the field and with large study areas. What would be an outcome of a paradigm shift in science? Many fields of science would have to rethink their understanding of the world. If a scientist travels to the rain forest to observe and catalog new species, he or she would be conducting descriptive science. The following statement is an example of a(n) observation: "Zebra mussels were accidentally introduced to the waters of the Great Lakes." A theory is widely accepted and has been extensively validated by a great amount of research. Which of the following is a scientific theory? "All organisms are composed of similar units of organization called cells." Which of the following would be the most appropriate prediction for the hypothesis that poodles are smarter than Dalmatians? If poodles are smarter, then poodles will learn to obey commands more quickly than Dalmatians. Which one of the following represents quantitative data? Levels of nitrate pollution in local waterways. A paradigm shift occurred when scientists determined that the earth is round rather than flat. What is the purpose of peer review? To guard against flawed science being published If a scientist makes an observation and carries out an experiment to explain that observation, he or she is conducting hypothesis-driven science. If someone says, "Earth and all of its contents were created for the betterment of human beings, so as long as something is good for humans, it is good for the whole earth," what ethical perspective would he or she hold? Anthropocentric Members of the environmental justice movement would be very concerned about the unequal exposure of members of a certain race to pollution. The conservation ethic suggests that resources should be used from natural areas in a responsible way such that they are not depleted. Which of the following philosophies is the most anthropocentric? Conservationism Ecological footprint Of the following people, which is most likely to agree with the statement that an entire ecosystem has inherent value? An eco-centrist What ethical perspective would you ascribe to someone who makes environmental choices based on a respect for just the living things in an ecosystem? Biocentrism Later in his life, pioneering environmental philosopher Aldo Leopold would have most likely agreed with which one of the following statements? Humans are members of the land-community. The preservation ethic states that we should protect our environment in an unaltered state. All of the following contribute to 21st century sustainability EXCEPT the federal tax on gasoline to lessen the financial burden on citizens living below the poverty line. Which statement best exemplifies the concept of sustainability? Water extracted from underground resources must be equal to or less than the water that recharges the underground resources. What is Earth's natural capital? It is the sum of Earth's wealth of resources. The average citizen of which of the following nations has the largest ecological footprint? United States