Terms and Definitions Worksheet

University of Phoenix Material

Terms and Definitions Worksheet

Write brief descriptions for each of the following terms. If you use an outside source to define them, include an APA citation for the source.

|Scientific method |Appreciation, understanding, and use of natural phenomena. Evidence gathering, hypothesis formulation, testing, and verification. The process that |
| |scientists use to answer questions or solve problems by formulating a hypothesis and then testing it by means of an experiment. |
| | |
| |https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx?assetMetaId=568808a6-a4f4-4b79-ac9c-845c0188b75a&assetDataId=867d795d-4a38-466c-|
| |818a-d66039231ba0&assetpdfdataid=adc58c45-3399-478b-bdd0-2204a832a322. Ch1, Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability, (Raven, Berg, |
| |Hassenzahl, 2010). |
|Environmental science |The study of humanity’s relationship with other organisms and the nonliving physical environment. It encompasses the many interconnected issues |
| |involving human population, earth’s natural resources, and environmental pollution. It combines information from many disciplines, such as biology, |
| |geography, chemistry, geology, physics, economics, sociology, demography, cultural anthropology, natural resources management, agriculture, |
| |engineering, law, politics, and ethics. Ch1, Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability. |
| | |
| |https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx?assetMetaId=568808a6-a4f4-4b79-ac9c-845c0188b75a&assetDataId=867d795d-4a38-466c-|
| |818a-d66039231ba0&assetpdfdataid=adc58c45-3399-478b-bdd0-2204a832a322. Ch1, Introducing Environmental Science and Sustainability, (Raven, Berg, |
| |Hassenzahl, 2010). |
|Anthropocentrism |Human-centered, maintain that the nonhuman natural world is best considered ethically in terms of its instrumental values to human beings. |
| |Anthropocentric do not suggest reckless exploitation of the environment and may instead maintain that natural resources should be very carefully |
| |managed for human benefit. (Raven, Berg, Hassenzahl, 2010). Pg.18 |
| | |
| |Regarding the human being as the central fact of the universe. Assuming human beings to be the final aim and end of the universe. viewing and |
| |interpreting everything in terms of human experience and values |
| |http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/anthropocentric |
|Biocentrism |Biocentrism is a term that has several meanings but is commonly defined as the belief that all forms of life are equally valuable and humanity is not |
| |the center of existence. Biocentric positions generally advocate a focus on the well-being of all life in the consideration of ecological, political, |
| |and economic issues. |
| |http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Biocentrism |
|Dualism |any philosophical system that seeks to explain all phenomena in terms of two distinct and irreducible principles. It is opposed to monism and |
| |pluralism. In Plato's philosophy there is an ultimate dualism of being and becoming, of ideas and matter. Aristotle criticized Plato's doctrine of the |
| |transcendence of ideas, but he was unable to escape the dualism of form and matter, and in modern metaphysics this dualism has been a persistent |
| |concept |
| |http://www.reference.com/browse/Dualism?s=t The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004. |
| |Licensed from Columbia University Press |
|Ecocentrism |is a philosophy that recognizes that the ecosphere, rather than any individual organism, is the source and support of all life and as such advises a |
| |holistic and eco-centric approach to government, industry, and individual. http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Ecocentrism |
|Ecology |Ecology Is the study of the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their abiotic environment. The environment is that one’s house |
| |consisting of biotic (living) environment which includes all organisms and the abiotic (nonliving) physical surroundings which includes living space, |
| |temperature, sunlight, soil, wind, and precipitation. |
| | |
| |https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx?assetMetaId=568808a6-a4f4-4b79-ac9c-845c0188b75a&assetDataId=e50e251a-fbc7-48c0-|
| |8dbb-90037e1a072d&assetpdfdataid=5c5cd200-5c43-4cdd-9e55-008a6901d9cb Ch3, Ecosystem and Energy. (Raven, Berg, Hassenzahl, 2010). |
|Eco philosophy |The study of the interrelationship between an organism's physical functioning and its environment |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ecophysiology |
|Ethics |Appreciation and understanding of the influence of values and beliefs on human behavior. in philosophy, the study and evaluation of human conduct in |
| |the light of moral principles. Moral principles may be viewed either as the standard of conduct that individuals have constructed for themselves or as |
| |the body of obligations and duties that a particular society requires of its members. http://www.reference.com/browse/ethics?s=t |
|Hedonism |Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses. In Philosophy The ethical doctrine holding that only what is pleasant or|
| |has pleasant consequences is intrinsically good. In Psychology The doctrine holding that behavior is motivated by the desire for pleasure and the |
| |avoidance of pain. |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Hedonism |
|Holism | Is the idea that all the properties of a given system (biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc.) cannot be determined or |
| |explained by its component parts alone. Instead, the system as a whole determines in an important way how the parts behave. |
| |http://www.reference.com/browse/Holism?s=t |
|Individualism |1. |
| |a. Belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence. b. Acts or an act based on this |
| |belief. |
| |2. |
| |a. A doctrine advocating freedom from government regulation in the pursuit of a person's economic goals. |
| |b. A doctrine holding that the interests of the individual should take precedence over the interests of the state or social group. |
| |3. |
| |a. The quality of being an individual; individuality. |
| |b. An individual characteristic; a quirk. |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Individualism |
|Materialism |Preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or |
| |cultural values. The philosophical theory that regards matter and its motions as constituting the universe, and all phenomena, including those of mind,|
| |as due to material agencies. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/materialism |
|Metaphysical |Of or relating to metaphysics. 2. Based on speculative or abstract reasoning. 3. Highly abstract or theoretical; abstruse. 4. a. Immaterial; |
| |incorporeal. b. Supernatural |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Metaphysical |
|Minimalism |1. Music. a reductive style or school of modern music utilizing only simple sonorities, rhythms, and patterns, with minimal embellishment or |
| |orchestrational complexity, and characterized by protracted repetition of figurations, obsessive structural rigor, and often a pulsing, hypnotic |
| |effect. |
| |2. minimal art. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Metaphysical |
| | |
|Monism |1. The view in metaphysics that reality is a unified whole and that all existing things can be ascribed to or described by a single concept or system. |
| |2. The doctrine that mind and matter are formed from, or reducible to, the same ultimate substance or principle of being. |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Monism |
|Ethical extensionism |Ethical extensionism is an argument in environmental ethics that moral standing ought to be extended to things (animals, plants, species, the earth) |
| |that traditionally are not thought of as having moral standing. For example, while many cultures differ as to what, exactly, is "murder", all |
| |cultures... |
| |http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_extensionism |
|Pluralism |a theory that there is more than one basic substance or principle. Compare dualism ( def 2 ) , monism ( def 1a ) |
| |b.a theory that reality consists of two or more independent elements. |
| |http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pluralism |
|Naturalism |1. Factual or realistic representation, especially: |
| |a. The practice of describing precisely the actual circumstances of human life in literature. |
| |b. The practice of reproducing subjects as precisely as possible in the visual arts. |
| |2. a. A movement or school advocating such precise representation. b. The principles and methods of such a movement or of its adherents. |
| |3. Philosophy The system of thought holding that all phenomena can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws. |
| |4. Theology The doctrine that all religious truths are derived from nature and natural causes and not from revelation. |
| |5. Conduct or thought prompted by natural desires or instincts. |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Naturalism |
|Normative |1. implying, creating, or prescribing a norm or standard, as in language: normative grammar |
| |2. expressing value judgments or prescriptions as contrasted with stating facts: normative economics |
| |3. of, relating to, or based on norms |
| |http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Normative?s=t |
|Pragmatic |1. of or pertaining to a practical point of view or practical considerations. 2. Philosophy of or pertaining to pragmatism 3. of or pertaining to |
| |pragmatics. 4. Treating historical phenomena with special reference to their causes, antecedent conditions, and results. 5. of or pertaining to the |
| |affairs of state or community. |
| |http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Pragmatic?s=t |
|Relativism |A theory, especially in ethics or aesthetics, that conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to the persons or groups |
| |holding them. Common statements that might be considered relativistic include |
| |"That's true for you but not for me" |
| |"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" |
| |"You can't judge other cultures by the standards of your own" |
| |http://www.reference.com/browse/Relativism?s=t http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Relativism |
|Utilitarian |1. pertaining to or consisting in utility. |
| |2. having regard to utility or usefulness rather than beauty, ornamentation, etc. |
| |3. of, pertaining to, or adhering to the doctrine of utilitarianism. |
| |4. an adherent of utilitarianism |
| |http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Utilitarian?s=t |
|Environmental justice |(EJ) is the confluence of social and environmental movements, which deals with the inequitable environmental burden born by groups such as racial |
| |minorities, women, or residents of developing nations. It is a holistic effort to analyze and overcome the power structures that have traditionally |
| |thwarted environmental reforms. Environmental justice proponents generally view the environment as encompassing "where we live, work, and play" |
| |(sometimes "pray" and "learn" are also included); the movement seeks to redress inequitable distributions of environmental burdens (pollution, |
| |industrial facilities, crime, etc.) and access to environmental goods (nutritious food, clean air & water, parks, recreation, health care, education, |
| |transportation, safe jobs, etc.) in a variety of situations. http://www.reference.com/browse/Environmental+justice?s=t |
|Fossil fuels |A hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel. |
| |http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Fossil+fuels |
|Renewable energy |is energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat—which are renewable (naturally replenished). |
| |Renewable energy technologies include solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity, micro hydro, biomass and biofuels. |
| |http://www.reference.com/browse/Renewable+energy?s=t |
|Environmental Schools of Thought | |
| |Write 350- to 700-words below in which you select two of the following environmental schools of thought found among the terms in the worksheet. The |
| |environmental schools of thought are: |
| |Anthropocentric |
| |Biocentric |
| |Deep ecology/ecocentric |
| |Explain how your chosen two schools of thought view a local environmental issue differently. Be sure to address any ethical concerns or controversies |
| |surrounding this environmental issue. |
|Your Response: |The anthropocentric school of thought holds that human life is more important than any other type of life form. It is a view through a human-centered|
| |perspective. This anthropocentric view will be applied to a local environmental issue through Anthropocentrism and biocentrism while addressing any |
| |ethical concerns or controversies surrounding the environmental issue. The state of Georgia is home to some of the most beautiful and historic parks |
| |and natural trails in the east coast. The environmental issues that we face in Georgia are the lack of funding to preserve these parks and trail. Since|
| |most of these parks and trails are privately owned, so it makes it much harder for local state and government officials to pass laws to protect them. |
| |These private lands with hundreds of acres are put up for sale, developers jump at the opportunity to purchase them for housing communities, strip |
| |malls, and other commercials opportunities. Individuals with anthropocentrism beliefs will argue that development of homes and commercial buildings is |
| |a must have for the comfort, protection, and preservation of humans from dangerous outside elements. Even though these developments isolate humans from|
| |things that we perceive as threats and are needed for survival, the ethical concerns are the control of air pollution (greenhouse gas, emissions) and |
| |added waste, the consumption of energy (air conditioning and heating), and restrictions on water usage. Now, the other part of the environmental |
| |schools of thought that deals with the issue of persevering Georgia’s natural parks and trails, is Biocentrism which argue that all other forms of |
| |life, living and non-living, should be protect and left untouched or it will have a long negative effect on the human race. If more and more land is |
| |cut down for development and human interest, then those fragmentations of habitat can have a negative impact other elements of the environment (plants |
| |and animals) in those affected areas because of the climate change. “The fundamental purpose of the parks is to conserve the scenery and the natural |
| |and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them |
| |unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations” (npca.org). |
| |http://www.gastateparks.org/item/6263 |
| |http://www.environmentgeorgia.org/programs/gae/preserving-georgias-trails |
| |http://www.npca.org/exploring-our-parks/about-the-national-parks.html |
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