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Walden: A Case Study in Virtue and Environmental Ethics by Frank Casale, Ph.D. Background Walden. Walden can be a very tough read for anyone, but especially for high school students. In this module, students will read only four sections of the text: "Economy", "What I lived for", "Higher Laws", and "Conclusion". It will help students to comprehend their reading before classroom discussion/work by giving them an overall 'ethical theme' for each chapter, and for them to treat each chapter as Thoreau's investigation/case study of that theme. Thoreau will also challenge the reader to improve their understanding of that theme in their own lives, and to use that understanding to live their life as excellently as possible. Having students identify the rhetorical passages where Thoreau is challenging them will also be productive. Specific guidelines for selected chapters is provided below: Virtue Ethics: Virtue ethics deal with the realm of judgments concerning human flourishing, excellence, and happiness. It also seeks to define the nature of the good life, the well lived life. The field finds it origins with Aristotle and his list of noble virtues, but both modern virtue ethics and Thoreau seek to go beyond Aristotle's definition. • virtue ethics judges our character and our personal achievements. • according to virtue ethics, virtues are properly defined only in relation to concepts of the good, successful, and happy life. • the good life is not defined primarily as the dutiful life (following norms and fulfilling obligations), but these things are a component of a well lived life. virtue ethics seeks an enlightened self interest. • Walden can be read as an experiment in virtue ethics, discovering, creating, and defining them, and testing them in the practice of everyday life. Walden is seeking to discover the origin and nature of the good life, and the ethics that will enable and nourish the good life. • the good life is a life of human excellence, of happiness and fulfillment of potential. Environmental Ethics: Environmental ethics explores the moral relationship of humans to their environment. It deals with questions of the value of nature. • Environmental ethics asks if our moral, ethical, and value judgments are anthropocentric, which means that our ethical and value statements are made from a point of view which places humans at the center. In other words, all value decisions are based only on human impact and meaning. Instead, is it possible to make these decisions from a neutral, objective point of view. In other words, make the best decision from a non-human point of view, if that is even possible. • Environmental ethics deal with the difference between instrumental versus intrinsic value. In other words, does the value of nature depend on the uses humans find for it, and from its market value, or does nature have a value in and of itself. Is Walden Pond only instrumentally valuable because humans can farm the land, or sell the timber found on it, or does it have an intrinsic value in and of itself? • Walden can be read as one of the first investigations of these issues. "Economy": Of the four chapters read in this module, "Economy" will probably give students the most difficulty. The chapter deals with the beginning of Thoreau's experiment at Walden Pond, and his reflections on his previous life within society. In terms of our model, the primary way to discuss this chapter with students is in terms of "The Good Life". In this chapter, Thoreau judges everyday society and the manner in which people are living their lives. He finds both wanting, declaring famously, "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." Thoreau will make the case for how poorly most people live as a defense of his decision to go to Walden to make an experiment of life, to discover what life is. Thoreau's justification of his project is one of the first ethical decisions he makes; since accepted life is a failure, one has every right to live differently. The title of the chapter "Economy" provides a key to one of the primary rhetorical schemes Thoreau uses to make his case. Thoreau will take terms from capitalist/commercial life, like economy or trade, and redefine them so that they speak not of the economy of goods and money, but of the economy of life. Living will become his trade, a good life his reward. Additionally, this can be read as a condemnation of commercial life, which most Americans place at the center of their lives, Most Americans define the good life as commercial success; Thoreau challenges this. Another rhetorical scheme Thoreau uses is the language of 'experiments". These usually indicate his desire to explore life, and to find a definition of the good life. "Where I Lived; What I Lived For": "Conclusion": These two chapters can be taught in conjunction. These chapters can be read as Thoreau's discovery and enumeration of his virtue ethics. Throughout these chapters, Thoreau makes reference to 'living deliberatively'. This terminology refers to virtue ethics; a code for living one's life to the best of one's ability, of improving one's character and actively engaging the challenges of life. Thoreau will discover and present his virtue ethics as he goes about living at Walden. Deliberation is the key to living well for Thoreau, and lack of effort is the main culprit. Also, these chapters show that Thoreau doesn't want analytic or speculative answers to his questions; rather, he wants to test his ideas in actual life. A real virtue ethics will have real world applications. "Higher Laws": This chapter can be read as Thoreau's presentation of early environmental ethics. Thoreau will present issues ripe for student discussion, such as the value of land, the morality of hunting, and the ethics of vegetarianism. It is interesting to note, that Thoreau does not condemn hunting, but sees it as something everyone probably should experience. Rather, Thoreau wonders that if abstaining from hunting speaks to a 'higher' part of human nature. Likewise in his discussion of vegetarianism, he examines all aspects of eating meat, from moral issues of killing, to the practicable question of the labor involved in killing and preparing it.

Walden: A Case Study in Virtue and Environmental Ethics

by Frank Casale, Ph.D.

Background

Walden.
Walden can be a very tough read for anyone, but especially for high school students. In this module, students will read only four sections of the text: "Economy", "What I lived for", "Higher Laws", and "Conclusion". It will help students to comprehend their reading before classroom discussion/work by giving them an overall 'ethical theme' for each chapter, and for them to treat each chapter as Thoreau's investigation/case study of that theme. Thoreau will also challenge the reader to improve their understanding of that theme in their own lives, and to use that understanding to live their life as excellently as possible. Having students identify the rhetorical passages where Thoreau is challenging them will also be productive.

Specific guidelines for selected chapters is provided below:

Virtue Ethics:

Virtue ethics deal with the realm of judgments concerning human flourishing, excellence, and happiness. It also seeks to define the nature of the good life, the well lived life. The field finds it origins with Aristotle and his list of noble virtues, but both modern virtue ethics and Thoreau seek to go beyond Aristotle's definition.
• virtue ethics judges our character and our personal achievements.
• according to virtue ethics, virtues are properly defined only in relation to concepts of the good, successful, and happy life.
• the good life is not defined primarily as the dutiful life (following norms and fulfilling obligations), but these things are a component of a well lived life.

virtue ethics seeks an enlightened self interest.

• Walden can be read as an experiment in virtue ethics, discovering, creating, and defining them, and testing them in the practice of everyday life. Walden is seeking to discover the origin and nature of the good life, and the ethics that will enable and nourish the good life.
• the good life is a life of human excellence, of happiness and fulfillment of potential.

Environmental Ethics:

Environmental ethics explores the moral relationship of humans to their environment. It deals with questions of the value of nature.
• Environmental ethics asks if our moral, ethical, and value judgments are anthropocentric, which means that our ethical and value statements are made from a point of view which places humans at the center. In other words, all value decisions are based only on human impact and meaning. Instead, is it possible to make these decisions from a neutral, objective point of view. In other words, make the best decision from a non-human point of view, if that is even possible.
• Environmental ethics deal with the difference between instrumental versus intrinsic value. In other words, does the value of nature depend on the uses humans find for it, and from its market value, or does nature have a value in and of itself. Is Walden Pond only instrumentally valuable because humans can farm the land, or sell the timber found on it, or does it have an intrinsic value in and of itself?
• Walden can be read as one of the first investigations of these issues.

"Economy":

Of the four chapters read in this module, "Economy" will probably give students the most difficulty. The chapter deals with the beginning of Thoreau's experiment at Walden Pond, and his reflections on his previous life within society. In terms of our model, the primary way to discuss this chapter with students is in terms of "The Good Life". In this chapter, Thoreau judges everyday society and the manner in which people are living their lives. He finds both wanting, declaring famously, "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." Thoreau will make the case for how poorly most people live as a defense of his decision to go to Walden to make an experiment of life, to discover what life is. Thoreau's justification of his project is one of the first ethical decisions he makes; since accepted life is a failure, one has every right to live differently.

The title of the chapter "Economy" provides a key to one of the primary rhetorical schemes Thoreau uses to make his case. Thoreau will take terms from capitalist/commercial life, like economy or trade, and redefine them so that they speak not of the economy of goods and money, but of the economy of life. Living will become his trade, a good life his reward. Additionally, this can be read as a condemnation of commercial life, which most Americans place at the center of their lives, Most Americans define the good life as commercial success; Thoreau challenges this.

Another rhetorical scheme Thoreau uses is the language of 'experiments". These usually indicate his desire to explore life, and to find a definition of the good life.

"Where I Lived; What I Lived For":
"Conclusion":

These two chapters can be taught in conjunction. These chapters can be read as Thoreau's discovery and enumeration of his virtue ethics. Throughout these chapters, Thoreau makes reference to 'living deliberatively'. This terminology refers to virtue ethics; a code for living one's life to the best of one's ability, of improving one's character and actively engaging the challenges of life. Thoreau will discover and present his virtue ethics as he goes about living at Walden. Deliberation is the key to living well for Thoreau, and lack of effort is the main culprit. Also, these chapters show that Thoreau doesn't want analytic or speculative answers to his questions; rather, he wants to test his ideas in actual life. A real virtue ethics will have real world applications.

"Higher Laws":

This chapter can be read as Thoreau's presentation of early environmental ethics. Thoreau will present issues ripe for student discussion, such as the value of land, the morality of hunting, and the ethics of vegetarianism. It is interesting to note, that Thoreau does not condemn hunting, but sees it as something everyone probably should experience. Rather, Thoreau wonders that if abstaining from hunting speaks to a 'higher' part of human nature. Likewise in his discussion of vegetarianism, he examines all aspects of eating meat, from moral issues of killing, to the practicable question of the labor involved in killing and preparing it.