Transcript Belmont Abbey College Cuthbert Allen Lecture Science

Calvin B. DeWitt
& David Kline
Calvin B. DeWitt
Professor
Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
3/26/2009
Calvin B. DeWitt - The FITCHBURG-WAUBESA
ARTESIAN SYSTEM
6
Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate
Change
Human activity is putting such strain on the natural functions of Earth
that the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain future generations
can no longer be taken for granted.
---Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board, 2005
Human activity is putting such strain on the natural functions of Earth
that the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain future generations
can no longer be taken for granted.
...protection of these assets can no longer be seen as an optional extra,
to be considered once more pressing concerns such as wealth creation
or national security have been dealt with.
---Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board, 2005
Key to sustaining
Healthy Ecosystems
is
Returning Ecosystem Services
with Services of Our Own
“CON – SERVICE”
3/26/2009
Calvin B. DeWitt - The FITCHBURG-WAUBESA
ARTESIAN SYSTEM
16
…and for continuing conversation at Plants & Soils ‘08
DIAGNOSIS
Praxis in the 21st Century
The Situation:
 Placement (conceptually) of the Human Economy





outside of the Economy of Creation
Globalization of the Human Economy
Disruption of the Economy of Creation
Globalization of the Degradation of Creation
Disciplinary and Practical Fragmentation
Secularization (Separation of Science from Values)
The Science-Ethics-Praxis Triad
Science
Ethics
Praxis
The Science-Ethics-Praxis Triad
Science
How does the world work?
Ethics
What ought to be?
Praxis
Then what must we do?
William Blake:
An Urgent Call to Action
 Each particular problem could be enumerated, but here it
is enough to say that we are gradually destroying the
sustaining community of life on which all living things on
Earth depend.
 We agree that our home, the Earth, which comes to us as
that inexpressibly beautiful and mysterious gift that
sustains our very lives, is seriously imperiled by human
behavior...
 The costs of this destruction are already manifesting
themselves around the world in profound and painful
ways. The cost to humanity is already significant and may
soon become incalculable. Being irreversible, many of
these changes would affect all generations to come.
An Urgent Call to Action
 We believe that the protection of life on Earth is a
profound moral imperative.
 It addresses without discrimination the interests of
all humanity as well as the value of the non-human
world.
 It requires a new moral awakening to a compelling
demand, clearly articulated in Scripture and supported
by science, that we must steward the natural world in
order to preserve for ourselves and future generations a
beautiful, rich, and healthful environment.
 For many of us, this is a religious obligation, rooted in
our sense of gratitude for Creation and reverence for
its Creator.
An Urgent Call to Action
 We declare that every sector of our nation’s
leadership—religious, scientific, business, political,
and educational—must act now to work toward the
fundamental change in values, lifestyles, and public
policies required to address these worsening
problems before it is too late.
 There is no excuse for further delays.
 Business as usual cannot continue yet one more day.
 We pledge to work together at every level to lead our
nation toward a responsible care for creation, and we
call with one voice to our scientific and evangelical
colleagues, and to all others, to join us in these efforts.
Setting the Conditions for
Societal & Biospheric
Health
Praxis in the 21st Century
The Need for:
 Placement of the Human Economy inside of
Creation’s Economy

From “Fossil Fuels” to “Fossil Carbon”
 Re-Ligation of Science,Ethics, & Praxis

Need for Recovery from Secularization
 Recovery from Disciplinary Fragmentation

Need for Integrative Texbooks, Courses & Curricula
 Recovery from Practical Fragmentation

Personal, Institutional & Business Biospheric Worldview
 Recovery of Integrity of Creation and “Creation”

The Overarching Goal of Con-Service, everywhere
The Science-Ethics-Praxis Triad
Science
How does the world work?
Ethics
What ought to be?
Praxis
Then what must we do?
An Overarching Ethical Principle
Con-Service
We must return
creation’s service to us
with service of our own.
‘avad
Stewardship is:
Living in harmony with the Biosphere
Giving back to the Biosphere for what
it gives to you
Worldview
is
a comprehensive & cohesive understanding of the world
as an entire system of things natural and moral
that gives shape and direction
to human place and action in the world
—adapted from Schelling, Orr, Goheen and Bartholomew
Biosphere & Creation