Walden: A Case Study in Virtue and Environmental Ethics

by Frank Casale, Ph.D.

Assessments Activities

1. To say that a tree has intrinsic value means: (Answer c)
a. it is valuable for noncommercial goods, for example, it provides shade
b. it is valuable in commercial terms, for example, it can be sold for timber or tapped for syrup
c. it is valuable for what it is, not for its uses

2. Anthropocentric approaches to ethics (Anwer: a)
a. consider ethical questions from the sole perspective of human needs wants and desires
b. consider ethical questions from the perspective of an anthropologist
c. consider ethical questions from the perspective of the center of the universe or an objective point of view

3. Virtues are (Answer: a)
a. character or personality traits
b. obligations to the environment
c. rules of conduct

4. Simplicity is essential to a virtuous form of life for Thoreau because (Answer:b)
a. it is easy to understand and explain
b. it forces you to think about what is really important in life
c. it eliminates envy

5. For Thoreau, the ethical life is one in which (Answer: a)
a. each person reflects on what makes life good for them
b. each person follows the same rules
c. each person pursues her or his self-interest