This week we learned about the philosophical dimension of an environmental worldview, focusing on three major views of reality: materialism, idealism, and dualism. Now it is your chance to explore the relevance of these philosophies for understanding humanity’s relationship to the environment. In three to four pages compare how each of these three views would explain how humans relate to nature (about one page each). When discussing each philosophy, be sure to briefly explain its view of reality in your own words, as clearly and concisely as possible. Next, interpret how a proponent of that viewpoint would most likely think about the relationship between humans and nature, in your opinion. Support your interpretation by citing the texts from this class (i.e., Plato, Lucretius, Descartes, Williams, and Grim & Tucker) and only those texts.

Do not google the question or do any outside research! The purpose of this assignment is for you to practice thinking through these issues for yourself and not to memorize what the Internet says about them. There is more than one good way of answering the question, so don’t try to guess the “right” answer. Just explain how you personally understand the issue. At the same time, not all answers are equally good. Be sure to give reasons for your opinions and cite the assigned texts to support your interpretations.

In your paper,

·        Briefly explain each of the three philosophical views of reality.

·        Interpret how each philosophical view might explain how humans relate to nature.

·        Cite the assigned texts from the class.

The Week 1 Writing Assignment

·        Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length.

·        Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.

·        Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.

o   For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site., as well as Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.

·        Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.