What is our ethical obligation to the environment, our biotic community
Tree huggers are often ridiculed. In this society, loving the natural world–really feeling connected–is not exactly encouraged. But if we accept the ecological and philosophical principle of the \\\”biotic community,\\\” then should we not ask, what kind of relationship are we having? How should we feel? What are our duties and obligations to fellow members? If we truly understand the ecological basis of our existence, these questions are not really optional, but essential.
Imagine that you are engaged in a conversation with a group of high school seniors about to graduate. Let’s imagine they are \\\”the next generation,” and you are in a position to teach them, to help them transcend the limitations of social conditioning. You are going to teach them to think more critically.
As most of us did, they are growing up in a civilization that has little regard or understanding for the environment on which it depends. They have no substantial sense of a land or environmental ethic. Their values and principles when it comes to the natural world are hazy, undeveloped, and confused. And yet, they know that there is an environmental crisis, that humans are hastening climate change, and that their future is uncertain.
This is the audience for your essay. Here is the prompt:
What is our ethical obligation to the environment, our biotic community?
Note: this is a general question, but your answer in the form of a thesis must be specificand narrow. There are many possible answers, so select your concept(s) or principle(s) as you see fit.
Guidance
Based on what you have learned in this module, present, defend, and support your own specific ethical argument, borrowing some ideas from others as needed. Keep the image of your audience in your mind at all times. Imagine that they are resistant to being told, as so many teenagers are, what to value or how to think. Imagine, also, that they are terrified or angry at the prospect of having to take on such responsibility. They will object to or question what you propose, and you will have to defend your ethics with reasoning, as well as principles, facts, and examples. Ground your argument in \\\”The Land Ethic.\\\”
Length: 1350-1500 words approximately.
Format: Use MLA format for the layout of the essay, as well as citation and documentation. Do not guess at the format.
Sources: Use the materials we have read or viewed in this module. Draw examples and evidence from these sources. You paper is also a demonstration of what you are learning in this course. If you need current data about environmental issues, you should do additional research, but this is not a research paper; it is an argument for an ethical obligation.
Most importantly, this is your original argument, not someone else\\\’s. Your unique voice and critical point of view matter here. I am interested in what you think.
Checklist:
Argument related, detailed title
Hook
Argumentative Thesis (claim and rationale)
4 to 6 or more body paragraphs with thesis-related topic and conclusion sentences
Evidence, examples, and reasoning drawn from course materials
Strong final paragraph that draws the big conclusion from the body
Careful editing
MLA formatted Works Cite
Remember what you need to accomplish in the first paragraph of the essay. A good introduction does three things:
Begins with a \\\”HOOK\\\” to draw the reader\\\’s attention to your topic. You can get a reader\\\’s attention by telling a story, providing a statistic, pointing out something strange or interesting, or providing and discussing an interesting quote. Your opener or hook follows directly from your title to start off your argument for meaning. Working with the TITLE, the hook begins to narrow the focus of the paper (more TIPS on titles)
Provides necessary background information. Don\\\’t start too broad, for instance by talking about how ethics are important or how we are in an environmental crisis. Start with the prompt and narrow the focus right away. Tell your readers what they need to know to get their bearings in your topic, for example, the key concept or concepts or principles that will drive your argument, or the central concerns or questions you will address. The key here is to introduce only the relevant background–relevant to your argument.
Leads to an argumentative THESIS STATEMENT. The thesis statement is always the last sentence of the introduction. All of the other sentences in this paragraph lead to this sentence–the most specific claim for meaning. After reading this sentence, the reader will expect the paper to prove and demonstrate this–and only this–debatable and controversial claim.
NARROW rather than broad
SPECIFIC rather than general
DEBATABLE, or controversial rather than factual
The thesis is always the last sentence of the intro. Make sure that you lead up to this sentence and avoid any logical gap between the sentences that set up the debate and the thesis statement.
Development of Evidence and Reasoning in Paragraphs
Essay Conclusion
Clarity, Form, Citation
succinct rather than wordy
clear rather than foggy
direct rather than vague
Requirements: 1350-1500 words
Answer preview to what is our ethical obligation to the environment, our biotic community
APA
1470 words