Deck 13: Environmental Philosophy and Theories

Question 1

Which statement would most likely be aligned with an explanatory environmental theory rather than a normative environmental theory?

A) A course of action for cleaning up a toxic waste dump that includes step-by-step instructions for the clean-up process
B) An argument for the protection of endangered species protection based on the rights of the species in question
C) An account of the ways in which human activities impact climatic changes, which in turn impact human welfare
D) An organization devoted to providing medical attention and shelter to animals displaced by natural disasters

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Why is it important for advanced practice nurses to have an understanding of environmental theories and the discourses they engender?

A) The interaction of facts and values in environmental discourses informs many health care decisions.
B) Patients with strong opinions about ecological discourses may refuse certain types of medical treatment.
C) The outlook of most health care institutions is ruled by concern for human well-being only, and neglects non-human discourses.
D) Most modern human diseases are the result of anthropocentric discourses that ignored the problems introduced by environmental discourses.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which would least likely happen in an ecological system that has exceeded its carrying capacity?

A) The ecosystem would collapse.
B) One population would survive at the expense of others.
C) Resources would be in short supply.
D) Portions of the population would die off.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The resource use and waste production of a person or group based on the amount of land needed to support that person's or group's consumption habits is more commonly known as:

A) the holistic impact.
B) distributive justice.
C) the ecological footprint.
D) normative justice.

Question 5

Which statement would an adherent of environmental value theory least likely make?

A) "Land and animals have morally relevant interests that are important to environmental decision making."
B) "The life of a nonhuman is valuable if that animal provides a service or brings joy to a human being."
C) "Animals can experience suffering just like humans can and, as such, humans have moral duties to them."
D) "Humans have an obligation to protect nonhumans from unnecessary harm because every creature has intrinsic value."

Question 6

Value theories that oppose anthropocentrism are often referred as:

A) cosmocentric.
B) naturacentric.
C) zoocentric.
D) biocentric.

Question 7

According to Singer's application of environmental value theory, why does the life of a dog have less moral value than that of a typical human?

A) The dog does not fear death and his death produces less sorrow for those that love him than a human death.
B) The dog experiences pain without understanding it and has no conception of life after death.
C) The dog contributes less to society than a human and is incapable of feeling empathy for those around him.
D) The dog is primarily driven by instinct rather than morals and cannot reason through his actions.

Question 8

According to holistic theory, where does the value of an ecosystem come from?

A) Its value comes from the sum of its constituent parts.
B) Its value comes from the fact that is its own entity.
C) Its value comes from its utility to human beings.
D) Its value comes from its importance to other ecosystems.

Question 9

Which statement would an adherent of holistic theory most likely make?

A) "The survival of each individual member of a species is vital to the survival of that species as a whole."
B) "The survival of any given species is only important only to the extent that it is essential to the survival of other species."
C) "The survival of an entire species is more important than the survival of any one of its individual members."
D) "The survival of a species is vital only if humans find utility in that species or its individual members."

Question 10

What is the primary difference between environmental justice theory and other environmental theories?

A) It takes the moral value of nonhumans for granted, rather than having to prove their importance.
B) It assumes that the environment does not have a set carrying capacity, rather than assuming carrying capacity as a universal truth.
C) It posits that the environment ultimately controls humanity, rather than humanity controlling the environment.
D) It is a theory applied to the environment, rather than a theory developed of the environment.