Question 1

Describe Thomas Robert Malthus's predictions. What are today's anti-Malthusian and neo-Malthusian approaches?

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Question 2

Which political point of view takes an optimistic view that society is able to recognize environmental problems and take action to solve them?
A)conservative
B)liberal
C)radical right
D)radical left

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Question 3

What insights do we gain about our relationship with the natural environment from the structural-functional and social-conflict theoretical approaches? How might this knowledge lead to a more environmentally sustainable way of life?

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Question 4

A sustainable environment demands an outlook that highlights the environmental consequences of human actions. Such an outlook is described as
A)anti-Malthusian.
B)ecocentric.
C)egocentric.
D)ethnocentric.

Accepted Answer

An ecocentric outlook emphasizes the importance of the environment and recognizes that human actions have consequences on the environment. This perspective contrasts with an egocentric outlook, which only considers human interests, or an ethnocentric outlook, which only considers the interests of one's own culture or society. An anti-Malthusian outlook would be focused on the idea that population growth is not a threat to sustainability, but this is not directly related to a perspective that emphasizes the importance of the environment.

Question 5

The conservative point of view recognizes that humans have been able to devise new, more productive technologies that Malthus himself could not have imagined. For this reason, the conservative point of view may be characterized as
A)environmentally neutral.
B)pessimistic.
C)anti-Malthusian.
D)neo-Malthusian.

Accepted Answer

The conservative point of view argues against Malthusian beliefs that population growth will inevitably lead to resource depletion and ecological devastation. It recognizes that technology and innovation can increase productivity and resource efficiency, allowing for sustainable growth. Therefore, the conservative point of view is anti-Malthusian.

Question 6

According to which political point of view must government reforms include enacting and enforcing laws to limit further environmental damage, and for global organizations to work to protect the remaining rain forests?
A)conservative
B)radical right
C)radical left
D)liberal

Accepted Answer

The idea that government should enact and enforce laws to limit environmental damage and protect rainforests aligns with liberal political ideology, which values environmental protection as a key issue. Conservative and radical right viewpoints tend to prioritize economic growth and deregulation, while radical left viewpoints may prioritize more extreme methods of achieving environmental goals.

Question 7

Helen is an environmentalist. When she says that the goal of this movement is establishing an ecologically sustainable culture, she means
A)a healthy environment requires an economic system that delivers both equality and environmental awareness.
B)human ingenuity and an economic system that encourages innovation will extend the human record of living longer, healthier, and richer lives.
C) a way of life that meets the needs of both the present and future generations.
D)that a society's impact on the environment is a function of its level of population, its level of affluence, and its level of technology.

Accepted Answer

Helen's statement about establishing an ecologically sustainable culture refers to a way of life that meets the needs of both present and future generations. This implies that the focus is not just on short-term gains but also on preserving the environment for the long term. It is likely that Helen believes that achieving this goal requires careful consideration of environmental impact in all aspects of life, including economic systems, population levels, and technology. However, the emphasis is on creating a sustainable culture that ensures people's needs are met while also protecting the environment for future generations.

Question 8

How do the conservative, liberal, and radical left points of view define environmental problems? Which view is most optimistic? Which is the most pessimistic? How does each point of view define solutions to many of the environmental problems discussed in the chapter?

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Question 9

According to which political point of view should we look to the market system to develop new technology leading to people living longer and healthier lives?
A)radical right
B)conservative
C)liberal
D)radical left

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Question 10

Define environmental racism. Give examples of this pattern. Do you think this issue involves race or class or both?

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Question 11

State the "logic of growth" and "limits to growth" theses. Explain how each has a different view of social problems involving the environment, as well as their solutions. Is one more politically liberal and one more politically conservative?

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Question 12

According to conservative analyst Julian Simon, the fact that the planet supports six times as many people as it did when Malthus was alive is cause for
A)gloom.
B)laws to limit population.
C)celebration.
D)a major increase in spending to study environmental issues.

Accepted Answer

Julian Simon believed in the "cornucopian" perspective, which suggests that human innovation and creativity will continuously generate new resources to meet the needs of a growing population. Simon believed that the increase in population was a cause for celebration rather than gloom or the need for strict laws to limit population.

Question 13

According to which political point of view is the natural environment in serious danger due to capitalism's appetite for ever-increasing growth and profits?
A)radical left
B)radical right
C)conservative
D)liberal

Accepted Answer

The radical left often holds the view that capitalism's focus on profit and growth is causing harm to the natural environment through activities such as industrialization, resource extraction, and pollution. They believe that the solution lies in a more equitable and sustainable economic system. The radical right, on the other hand, tends to prioritize economic growth over environmental concerns. The conservative and liberal perspectives may vary depending on specific policy stances and priorities.

Question 14

Many analysts suggest that the planet already has more people than it can support in the long term; this means we have exceeded our planet's
A)demographic potential.
B)carrying capacity.
C)ecological balance.
D)environmental balance.

Accepted Answer

Carrying capacity refers to the maximum sustainable population that can be supported by a particular ecosystem or environment. Many experts believe that the Earth's population has already exceeded its carrying capacity, meaning that we are using up resources at a rate faster than they can be replenished and that this is not sustainable in the long term.

Question 15

Many environmentalists, especially those on the political left, claim that if humanity does not change its ways, problems of population increase, resource consumption, and pollution will cause
A) catastrophe.
B) moderate change in people's lifestyles.
C) little long-term change in our way of life.
D) the government to step back from regulating the economy.

Accepted Answer

Environmentalists often warn that if humanity doesn't change its ways, we are headed towards a catastrophe. This includes issues like climate change, loss of biodiversity, and other environmental problems that could have severe consequences for human societies. The scale and urgency of these problems make them difficult to ignore, and many environmentalists argue that radical action is necessary to address them.

Quiz 16: Technology and the Environment

Describe Thomas Robert Malthus's predictions. What are today's anti-Malthusian and neo-Malthusian approaches?

Which political point of view takes an optimistic view that society is able to recognize environmental problems and take action to solve them?

What insights do we gain about our relationship with the natural environment from the structural-functional and social-conflict theoretical approaches? How might this knowledge lead to a more environmentally sustainable way of life?

A sustainable environment demands an outlook that highlights the environmental consequences of human actions. Such an outlook is described as

The conservative point of view recognizes that humans have been able to devise new, more productive technologies that Malthus himself could not have imagined. For this reason, the conservative point of view may be characterized as

According to which political point of view must government reforms include enacting and enforcing laws to limit further environmental damage, and for global organizations to work to protect the remaining rain forests?

Helen is an environmentalist. When she says that the goal of this movement is establishing an ecologically sustainable culture, she means

How do the conservative, liberal, and radical left points of view define environmental problems? Which view is most optimistic? Which is the most pessimistic? How does each point of view define solutions to many of the environmental problems discussed in the chapter?

According to which political point of view should we look to the market system to develop new technology leading to people living longer and healthier lives?

Define environmental racism. Give examples of this pattern. Do you think this issue involves race or class or both?

State the "logic of growth" and "limits to growth" theses. Explain how each has a different view of social problems involving the environment, as well as their solutions. Is one more politically liberal and one more politically conservative?

According to conservative analyst Julian Simon, the fact that the planet supports six times as many people as it did when Malthus was alive is cause for

According to which political point of view is the natural environment in serious danger due to capitalism's appetite for ever-increasing growth and profits?

Many analysts suggest that the planet already has more people than it can support in the long term; this means we have exceeded our planet's

Many environmentalists, especially those on the political left, claim that if humanity does not change its ways, problems of population increase, resource consumption, and pollution will cause