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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.

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So why should I take seriously a radical view?

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  1. So why should I take seriously a radical view?

  2. 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.

  3. 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.”

  4. 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?

  5. How do I asses their ideal and praxis? • Analyze how they make sense given their view of things. • Evaluate the beliefs and values that form the basis of their views. • Assess the effect of their views: what would happen if they were put into practice? • Analyze the relative effectiveness of their position: would they have an impact?

  6. 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:

  7. They may be valuable anyway • They may help us see how things really are and ought to be, even if we can’t change things much. • They may give us an ideal to aim toward and approach, even if we can’t get there.

  8. 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.

  9. 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:

  10. “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?”

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