Section D practice GCSE question

1. Section D practice GCSE question (d) “The world is ours to do what we like with.”Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. [15 + 6] (You must refer to religious and non-religious beliefs such as those held by Humanists and Atheists, in your answer.) Marks for spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar are allocated to this question. By the end of the lesson you should be able to gain full marks on this question.

2. Date: Thursday, 07 November 2019 Alternative views to Stewardship and dominion. • Success Criteria: • I can define what stewardship means • I can identify what I already know about caring for the world • I can understand and explain facts about how humans should treat the world • I can examine the different environmental ethical approaches to the world • I can evaluate attitudes towards dominion and anthropocentric • I can assess my knowledge through a GCSE question.

3. Environmental ethics Environmental ethics seeks to explore what responsibility humans have towards the world in which they live. We will look at theories that suggest that perhaps humans are not the only intrinsically worthy and valuable creature on the planet

4. What would a Catholic say to this question? What key words could you include? ‘Humankind is the most important species on the planet; all other species are there for their use.’ Discuss

5. Do you agree with this hierarchy in the picture? Justify your answer

6. Conservationism (shallow ecology): the theory that the environment’s importance is related to its usefulness for humanity. • Instrumental Value: belief that something is only valuable because of its importance to something else. • Anthropocentric: belief that humanity is central and more important. • Intrinsic Value: belief that something is valuable in itself

7. This approach looks at the value the environment has to us as humans and how its welfare will affect us. If we need to reduce, reuse and recycle in order for humanity to survive, then this is a conservationist approach. The environment is only a means to an end – the end being the survival and well-being of humankind. What do you think?

8. According to this view plants and animals only have instrumental value, as their usefulness only lies in their usefulness to the human race. They are a means to end rather than being an end in themselves

9. If an animal or plant can provide ingredients for medicine or provide food, it has importance for humans and must be protected and preserved.

10. Shallow ecology This approach is also called shallow ecology and is anthropocentric (human centred). Human beings are believed to have intrinsic value and protection of their interests at the expense of other non-human entities is believed to be fully ethical. This approach also believes that humans have true moral worth and standing Make notes on what Shallow Ecology is and state whether you agree with it or not.

11. Watch this clip… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnnxoA9oCdk What does Gaia hypothesis say about humans and the environment?

12. Lovelock first put forward the Gaia hypothesis in 1977 suggesting that planet Earth is a massive, ego-centric, self regulating biological organism and is not necessarily focused on the survival or preservation of humanity. Basically the earth is alive James Lovelock

13. The theory suggests that humankind is not indispensable to the earth therefore the idea that man is superior to other life forms is Flawed. Lovelock believes that the planet regulates itself in favour of life and has a sense of intelligence that enables life to survive in some form

14. What does this quote mean? ‘For me Gaia is a religious as well as scientific concept, and in both spheres it is manageable…. God and Gaia, Theology and science, even physics and biology are not separate but a single way of thought.’ Lovelock, The Ages of Gaia

15. Debate!!!! ‘If the earth is an ‘ego centric. Self regulating biological organisim’, then could it become ‘angry or hurt’ if I cut the grass or if I spray weed killer in the garden.’ Discuss this with reference to lovelocks theory.

16. Peter Singer- Humanist Peter Singer extended its bounds to non- human animals who were sentient (capable of experience) and could therefore feel pleasure and pain.   “We should give the same respect to the lives of animals as we do to the lives of humans.”  It is unclear whether the theory can be extended to include non-animal entities. . How does Singer believe we should treat the environment?

17. It would need either a redefinition of pleasure and pain, or a change to the central principle of utilitarianism.  Singer sees a problem in trying to imagine the interests of a plant – if we put ourselves in the place of a plant, we wouldn’t mind what happened to us as plants cannot experience positive or negative effects

18. Once we have decided which aspects of nature to include in our calculation, and whether to weigh up pleasure/pain or preferences or interests, we can do a calculation. This could give us general rules to live (rule utilitarianism) by e.g.: • Development must be sustainable • Farming should be organic etc.

19. Section D practice GCSE question (d) “The world is ours to do what we like with.”Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. [15 + 6] (You must refer to religious and non-religious beliefs such as those held by Humanists and Atheists, in your answer.) Marks for spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar are allocated to this question.

20. Candidates could include some or all of the following, but other relevant points should be credited. • The world is a gift from God that should be cherished •  The world should be protected for future generations; it is our • responsibility as humans • The end of the world is coming soon anyway so we don’t need to • worry about the environment • God won’t let the world be destroyed – he will intervene • Increased environmental challenges will lead to greater injustice • and poverty • God gave us dominion over the earth so we can do what we like •  We are the most intelligent creatures on the planet, so we should • know best •  A Humanist/non-religious believer would say that we should • cherish the planet as our home; we have social responsibility not linked to God or religion • GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES Sample Assessment Materials 175 • Assessment of spelling, punctuation and the accurate use of grammar and specialist terminology.