Lecture 6 Outline of Last LectureTribal Era – ethic encountered by Europeans.When did humans first have an influence?13 thousand years ago – Paleo IndiansThey did not breakdown the ecosystem. For example, the breakdown of land.Why is it not accurate to say American Indians were the “original environmentalism”? It is because they believed that nature was important and has value. They had a deep, spiritual relationship. This “political activity” still exists to this day.The first Africans arrived in the 1500’s. They had a positive and bright relationship with nature. Africans loved nature and seek harmony with it. And Africans never became dominant with their attitude towards nature. Frontier Era (Pioneer Era)Europeans arriving to North AmericaA lot ecological changes in the new world1. Introduction of new species a. Germs, humans, domestic speciesi. Small pox, measles , b. Use of animals to help make changes to land.i. Horses, chickens, and dogs.c. Devastating effects on people.d. There was more death of tribal people from disease than from warfare. 2. Guns – they were considered treasurea. Contribute to warfare among people.b. Europe had dominance because of guns.3. Steela. Knifesb. Steel trapsi. Use for trapping beavers. Europe devastated beavers population. In 1903, NC beavers were all done because of all the hunting. Over a decade later and their population has slowly come back. c. Steel plow – allowed humans to turn soil like its never been done before. The consequence was erosion. It takes about 500 years to make one inch of top soil. Top soil allows plants to grow.4. Attitudes towards natural world. a. Eurocentism – nature is designed to support Europeansb. Extreme form of anthropocentrism c. Nature as “resource” only BIO 105 1st Editiond. Changes in abundance of lifeEurope attitude brought into North AmericaNature is understood as enemy, not kin, an “object”, “resources” only. Thinking as an evolutionary Force (there are many ways people think) -Humans are flexible- Rene Descartes (early 17th century, French)-Nature and animals are without spirit (mind) and are a machine. -Mechanistic viewJohn Locke-Radically anthropocentric -Nature as property (object)-thought anyone could do anything with their land*Europeans influences in North America drive the human relationship with the natural worldIntimacy>>>>>>>alienation Example, attitude towards wolfs and panthers. They were first seen as something not to me lives with so Europeans hunted them drastically. On the other hand, Tribal people honored the wolfs and they were represented with courage and strength. Long land pine ecosystem – NC state tree. -They were highly desired for their sap.-They once converted 90% of all Southeast North America, and now there are only 3% left. -They are fire dependent. (Not all fires are bad!)-They were converted into tree farms. Current LectureLosses heighten awareness-Once population grew, people became aware of what was changing around them.- Animal extinctions- Tree (engraving) o Destruction of forests. Forests are renewable resources but they take time to grow.Technology: ax/cross-cut saw-Technologies changed through time-Transformed landscape of North AmericaRoads caused serious erosionVirgin Forest – (1820) When the forest is older than the trees. Now only 5%-The forest grows trees over hundreds of years until they die and then the process happens over again.-The forest is much older than the trees that are there.Slow growing trees produce better lumber that fast growing trees and is much more valuable.Waterways are impactedRivers/streams became used for transportation.- Example: splash dam. First they would make a dam, It floods behind. Then the dam is blown up with dynamite and the water caries the large logs down to the sawmill.o Impacts --- sediment loads increase, stream bed widen, stream straightened, banks and beds damages, fish habitat disruptedo At times, less than ½ of the logs would make it to the sawmill. Influenced writersRomantic-transcendental preservationist(belief in unity of God and the world)Ralph Walden Emerson- Argued for intimacy with nature- “Behind nature, through nature, spirit’s present”Henry David Thoreau- Exalted nature- Interested in human-nature relationship and studied this by living closest nature in a simple life. Preservationist EthicJohn Muir – 1838 – 1914- Practical - Challenges John Locke’s view- We seek more possessions than we need- Value of solitude- Greed is driving our self-interest- Government must get involved and they can bring everything under control.- Yosemite National Park founder - Founder of Sierra Club (1890’s)- “Forests are gods first temple”Resource Conservation Ethic(Conservation for use, ability)Gifford Pinchot – Anthropocentric Leadership put conservation of forests high on America’s priority list. - Forest should be preserved.- Utilitarian - Desired waste, stressed efficiency- Conservation for development- “Wise use”- Forestry is tree farming (study of lumber production)- Unwilling to accept non-economic value- Fought both industry and preservationist. - “The greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time”Burdon of ProofObligation to prove against the default.The practical distance between anthropocentric and non-anthropocentricIs there a difference in conserving for anthropocentric reasons and conserving for intrinsic value reasons?Anthropocentric instrumental value Non-anthropocentric intrinsic valueBiodiversity is only instrumentally valuable Burdon of proof  ConservationistsBiodiversity is both instrumental and intrinsically valuable Burdon of proofDevelopersConserve