Tools for Building a Better World
1. Environmental ethics deal with (p. 26)
A. human obligations to nature as weighed against human self interest.
B. whether humans should have any special responsibilities toward nature at all.
C. whether there should be any constraints on human use of natural resources.
D. to what extent human interests should, or should not, supercede those of nature.
E. all of the above.
F. none of the above.
2. Universalist and Nihilist philosophers would strongly disagree about (p. 26)
A. the importance of Relativist philosophers.
B. the need for an ecofeminist understanding of nature.
C. the presence of fundamental principles that are unchanging and eternal.
D. what constitutes the greatest good for the greatest number.
E. none of the above.
F. all of the above.
3. Postmodernist philosophers believe (p. 27)
A. a single environmental ethic is difficult, if not impossible, to build.
B. that there is no grand narrative of history that points inevitably toward progress.
C. the search for a single point of view is fruitless and may even be dangerous.
D. that our perception of nature is determined by our history and background.
E. all of the above.
F. none of the above.
4. If you believed that nature has instrumental value only, you might advocate (p. 28)
A. increased logging to help develop rural communities.
B. decreased logging to help develop rural communities.
C. decreased environmental regulation in order to spur economic development.
D. increase environmental regulation in order to spur economic development.
E. A and C.
F. B and D.
5. In a landmark 1969 case designed to prevent the Disney Corporation from building a ski resort, the Sierra Club and its supporters argued that (p. 29)
A. Disney had no right to build a ski resort because the hills were not steep enough.
B. Disney should not build a resort because ecological systems and processes, as well as plants and animals were inanimate.
C. the Sierra Club had the right to represent beings, and even ecological systems and processes, that could not speak for themselves.
D. Disney should be allowed to build a resort if they offered to repair any environmental damage they created.
E. none of the above.
6. In general, holders of an anthropocentric perspective on the environment (p. 31)
A. would be likely to support an ecofeminist viewpoint.
B. hold humans as the part of nature with intrinsic value.
C. believe that all individual animals should have equal rights under the law.
D. believe that humans role is to be a good steward of nature.
E. none of the above.
7. Advocates of a biocentric perspective on the environment (p. 31)
A. would likely support an anthropocentric perspective.
B. believe that humans are the pinnacle of God's creation.
C. believe that living organisms should be protected because they have intrinsic values and rights.
D. would likely support economic development over wilderness protection.
E. none of the above.
8. The average minority population that lives near a landfill or hazardous waste facility has (p. 32)
A. decreased by nearly 100% in the last 25 years.
B. increased by nearly 100% in the last 25 years.
C. increased by over 20% in the last 25 years.
D. decreased by over 20% in the last 25 years.
E. none of the above.
9. Environmental justice movement (p. 32)
A. combines civil rights with environmental protection.
B. combines a belief in wilderness protection with Marxist philosophy.
C. combines an anthropocentric point of view with a desire to increase economic opportunities.
D. argues that upper class whites are more likely to live in polluted neighborhoods than poor people.
E. all of the above.
10. The primary determinant of whether one lives in a polluted neighborhood is (p. 33)
A. geographic area.
B. race.
C. class.
D. gender.
E. none of the above.
11. Toxic colonialism (p. 33)
A. can mean that a poor nation agrees to build a hazardous waste dump in exchange for much needed money.
B. often results in rich nations increasing their environmental protection.
C. results from polluting industries fleeing strict environmental regulations in rich countries for less stringent regulations in poor countries.
D. often results in increased awareness of toxic waste in rich countries.
E. A and C.
F. B and D.
12. You work in a maquiladora. As you look at your situation you might find (p. 33)
A. that polluting industries have moved to your country to avoid environmental regulations.
B. that your home is in a shanty town without adequate water and sewage facilities.
C. that your work situation exposes you to toxic substances daily.
D. that birth defects are much higher in your community than in communities outside the maquiladora zone.
E. all of the above.
F. none of the above.
13. Which of the following applies to environmental organizations that are dominated by whites: (pp. 33-34)
A. they have traditionally shown concern for inner city environmental problems.
B. they have traditionally been interested in wilderness protection.
C. their success in Congress might have inadvertently increased the vulnerability of minority communities.
D. A and B.
E. B and C.
14. Earlier attitudes toward nature emphasized (pp. 34-35)
A. that nature was beneficial and benign.
B. that the city was an oasis.
C. that nature was evil and chaotic.
D. that cities were chaotic and evil.
E. A and D.
F. B and C.
15. The scientific method includes all of the following EXCEPT (p. 37)
A. making observations.
B. testing hypotheses.
C. collecting data.
D. drawing conclusions.
E. proving theorems.
16. Science (p. 38)
A. is a method of proving claims.
B. often leads to clear and unambiguous results.
C. often leads to confusing and ambiguous results.
D. A and B.
E. none of the above.
17. Neo-Luddites believe that (p. 38)
A. technology causes more problems than it solves.
B. intellectuals and scientists are the key to human betterment.
C. civilization will continue to march toward greater and greater advances.
D. none of the above.
E. all of the above.
18. Advocates of appropriate technology would typically NOT (p. 38)
A. advocate for increasing large scale technology to spur demand for resources.
B. engage in small scale development operations in under-developed countries.
C. try to convert local economies into copies of Western culture.
D. A and C.
E. none of the above.
19. Which is NOT a key step in the critical thinking process? (p. 40)
A. interpreting information
B. understanding the question you wish to answer
C. understanding your point of view
D. finding the fatal flaws in other view points
E. understanding the consequences of the action you have chosen
20. Which is NOT a skill that is useful for being a good critical thinker? (pp. 40-41)
A. the ability to acknowledge one's own uncertainty
B. the ability to recognize and interpret assumptions
C. the ability to rely on experts for their opinions
D. the ability to distinguish facts from values
E. the ability to distinguish the reliability of sourcesF. all of the above