Environmental Philosophy and Ecological Concepts

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering terms, definitions, philosophical frameworks, and ecological concepts from the lecture notes.

Monoculture

Growing one crop species in an area. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer (general term).

Polyculture

Growing multiple crop species together in the same area, such as corn, beans, and squash. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer (general term).

Distinction of kind

A difference in type or category. Context: General philosophical term.

Distinction of degree

A difference in amount or extent of a shared characteristic. Context: General philosophical term.

Argument by analogy

Using relevant similarities between two cases to argue that a conclusion about one should also apply to the other. Associated Authors: Katie McShane and Robin Wall Kimmerer (general tool).

Reductio ad absurdum

Challenging a claim by showing that accepting it leads to a contradiction or an unacceptable implication. Associated Author: Katie McShane (general tool).

Global North

Generally wealthy, industrialized populations with greater economic power and consumption, including affluent groups within Southern countries. Associated Author: Sahotra Sarkar.

Global South

Generally less wealthy countries and populations with less economic power, often shaped by colonialism and unequal development; the distinction is not strictly geographical. Associated Author: Sahotra Sarkar.

Anthropocentrism

The view that moral value is ultimately grounded in humans and their interests, meaning nature matters because of its value to humans. Associated Authors: Sahotra Sarkar and Katie McShane.

Non-anthropocentrism

The view that nonhuman beings or nature can matter morally beyond their usefulness to humans, without necessarily assigning everything equal value. Associated Authors: Sahotra Sarkar and Katie McShane (also relevant to Arne Naess and Aldo Leopold).

Intrinsic value

Value something has for its own sake, rather than merely as a means to another end. Associated Authors: Sahotra Sarkar and Katie McShane (general value concept).

Instrumental value

Value something has as a means to an end, such as a river supplying drinking water. Associated Authors: Sahotra Sarkar, Marion Hourdequin, and David Wong (general value concept).

Demand value

Value something has for a person because that person has an existing desire or preference for it. Associated Author: Sahotra Sarkar.

Transformative power

The ability of an experience or entity to change someone's preferences, values, or worldview. Associated Author: Sahotra Sarkar.

Holistic rationalism

The argument that recognizing humans' intrinsic value while denying it to related nonhuman members of an interconnected whole is rationally inconsistent. Associated Authors: Aldo Leopold (associated approach) and Sahotra Sarkar (critique).

Land ethic

An ethic extending moral responsibility to soils, waters, plants, and animals, viewing humans as members of the land community whose actions should preserve its integrity, stability, and beauty. Associated Author: Aldo Leopold.

Biotic pyramid / Land pyramid

A model showing feeding relationships, energy flow, and dependence among soil, plants, and animals, with materials returning through death and decomposition. Associated Author: Aldo Leopold.

Land community / Biotic community

The interconnected community of soils, waters, plants, and animals, including humans. Associated Author: Aldo Leopold.

Ecological ethic

An approach to morality that recognizes responsibilities to the broader ecological community and considers how actions affect its members and relationships. Associated Author: Aldo Leopold.

Deep ecology

An environmental approach that questions human domination and emphasizes ecological relationships, diversity, and nonhuman beings' opportunities to flourish. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Shallow ecology

Environmentalism focused mainly on fighting pollution and resource depletion for human health and affluence, especially in developed countries. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Metaphysical component of deep ecology

The claim that organisms are constituted partly through relationships within an interconnected world, rather than existing as entirely independent beings. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Normative component of deep ecology

The ethical claim that nonhuman beings deserve opportunities to live and flourish and that humans should limit domination of nature. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Knots in the biospherical net

A description of organisms as points within a web of relationships that help make them what they are. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Biospherical egalitarianism

The principle that living beings have an equal right to live and flourish 'in principle,' while recognizing that some killing and interference are unavoidable. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Decentralization

Distributing decision-making power toward local communities and supporting local autonomy rather than concentrating control in a hierarchy. Associated Author: Arne Naess.

Mycorrhizal association / Network

A relationship between fungi and plant roots involving exchanges of resources, where fungal networks can connect plants and provide pathways for nutrient movement. Associated Author: Suzanne Simard.

Symbiosis

A close association between organisms of different species that does not necessarily benefit both participants. Associated Author/Figures: Merlin Sheldrake (discussing Albert Frank and Heinrich Anton de Bary).

Mutualism

A relationship in which both participants benefit. Associated Authors: Merlin Sheldrake and Suzanne Simard (general ecological term).

Ecology

The study of relationships among organisms and between organisms and their environments. Associated Author: Merlin Sheldrake.

Ecological interconnection

The relationships and dependencies linking organisms with one another and their environments. Associated Authors: Merlin Sheldrake and Suzanne Simard.

Natural selection

The process through which advantageous inherited traits become more common because their bearers tend to survive and reproduce more successfully, where cooperation can also provide advantages. Associated Authors: Charles Darwin (discussed by Merlin Sheldrake).

Lichen

An association involving a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, such as an alga or cyanobacterium, that appears to be a single organism. Associated Author: Merlin Sheldrake.

Dual Hypothesis

The explanation that lichens involve two different kinds of organisms—a fungus and a photosynthetic partner—living together. Associated Author: Merlin Sheldrake.

Convergence hypothesis

The claim that suitably developed anthropocentric and non-anthropocentric ethics recommend the same environmental actions and policies. Associated Author: Katie McShane.

Norms of behavior

Standards concerning how we ought to act. Associated Author: Katie McShane.

Norms of feeling

Standards concerning which feelings and attitudes are appropriate, including love, respect, and awe toward nature. Associated Author: Katie McShane.

Relational value

Value arising through meaningful relationships that shape identity and generate responsibilities, including relationships with nonhuman beings and places. Associated Authors: Marion Hourdequin, David Wong, and Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Confucian virtue ethics

An ethical approach emphasizing cultivated character, relationships, learning from moral exemplars, and context-sensitive judgment about appropriate action. Associated Authors: Marion Hourdequin and David Wong.

Yi

Discerning and doing what is morally fitting in a particular relationship and situation. Associated Authors: Marion Hourdequin and David Wong.

Animism

A worldview recognizing nonhuman beings as agents or persons with whom humans can have meaningful relationships and responsibilities. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Personhood

Recognizing a being as someone rather than merely something, extending beyond humans and calling for respectful relationships. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Ecological love

A caring relationship with the living world expressed through nourishment, gratitude, and practical care. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Reciprocity

Giving back in response to what we receive from other beings and the land through care, gratitude, and responsibility. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.

The Three Sisters

Corn, beans, and squash grown together: corn supports climbing beans, beans associate with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and squash shades the soil and suppresses weeds. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Honorable Harvest

Principles for taking responsibly from nature through permission, restraint, minimizing harm, avoiding waste, sharing, gratitude, and reciprocity. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Ethics of foraging

Considering whether, how much, and how to harvest, while respecting other beings' needs and caring for the place that provides food. Associated Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer.