Transcript So why should I take seriously a radical view?

So why should I
take seriously
a radical view?
Why take radical
views seriously?
• Because they are there… They have
been a part of nature writing and
environmental philosophy, especially
over the last 50 years.
• To reject them out of hand is to dismiss
an important part of these traditions.
Why take radical
views seriously?
• Also, the ideas may have real merit.
• So how do you evaluate how much
merit they have?
• First, evaluate their assessment of the
problem: what is wrong with the
current situation, why, and – very
importantly – how bad is it?
- Terry Tempest Williams: “I beg you: Do not
accept the way things are.”
How do you evaluate those
views?
• Second, assess their ideal. What is the
alternative they present to the current
situation?
• Third, what is their “praxis” – the
system of practices that they believe
will take you toward that goal? At least
what practices do they think are the
most appropriate given the current
situation?
How do I asses their
ideal and praxis?
1. Analyze how they make sense given their
view of things.
2. Evaluate the beliefs and values that form
the basis of their views.
3. Assess the effect of their views: what
would happen if they were put into
practice?
4. Analyze the relative effectiveness of their
position: would they have an impact?
Effectiveness:
what if their views
aren’t achievable?
• Maybe a realistic assessment is that
there is very little chance that their
ideals will be achieved.
• Should we dismiss their ideas?
• No … read on:
They may be valuable anyway
1. They may help us see how things
really are and ought to be, even if we
can’t change things much.
2. They may give us an ideal to aim
toward and approach, even if we can’t
get there.
They may be valuable anyway
3. They may be achievable by particular
groups, even if they aren’t in terms of
the society as a whole.
4. It may be worth shooting for even if
you won’t succeed. It may be an ethical
duty. It may provide a moral or spiritual
fulfillment.
The tragic view of life
• Maybe life is not amenable to our
ideals. Should we then change those
ideals, or should we keep them despite
the way the world is.
• Or, in the words of Cactus Ed Abbey in
his novel Good News:
• “There’s only one thing wrong with
always fighting for freedom, justice, &
decency. And so forth.”
• Burns looks up at the blazing sky.
“Only one thing? What’s that?”
• “You almost always lose.”
• The old man laughs, reaches out, and
squeezes Sam’s near arm. “Well,
hellfire, Sam, what does that have to do
with it?”