Research Paper on "World Religions and Ecology the Book"

Research Paper 5 pages (1358 words) Sources: 1

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World Religions and Ecology

The book "A Short History of Progress" by Ronald Wright is in fact not primarily a history of progress, but rather a recording of what unmanageable progress can do and how the extraordinary technological and scientific progress may, one day, bring the end of this civilization, just as it has so many others before, unless it is properly controlled and its effects properly managed and countered.

From his perspective, the 20th century brought about an uncontrollable growth in everything ranging from demographics to technology and from urban and economic development to information technology. While all these should have primarily a positive effect and positive consequences on humanity and on the development of the human society, they also impact the environment, reduce available resources and, in fact, threaten the existence of the world.

The danger is, as Wright points out, that the speed at which things are developing may make the navigation more difficult. A more sustainable development is required to ensure that the world is able to avoid the numerous threats that lay ahead: "Our civilization, which subsumes most of its predecessors, is a great ship steaming at speed into the future. It travels faster, further, and more laden than any before. We may not be able to foresee every reef and hazard, but by reading her compass bearing and headway, by understanding her design, her safety record, and the abilities of her crew, we can, I think, plot a wise course between the narrows and the bergs looming ahead"

The subject and thesis of Wright's work is certainly in line with many of the developments we see toda

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y in the world. There are more and more voices concerned that the development of society today is done at unsustainable rates and in a rhythm that is likely to have a negative impact on the environment. Putting these elements together, the greatest concern is that, in this rhythm, the destruction of the world will become, at some point, unavoidable.

From this perspective, Wright's work is not only another overview of a problematic that has been so often a subject of discussion and debate nowadays. It is also a signal that the human society should not only look into the future, but learn from the past, from the numerous previous civilizations that eventually disappeared because of the excesses they were subjecting themselves to. As he mentions at the end of his book, "things are moving so fast that inaction itself is one of the biggest mistakes. The 10,000-year experiment of the settled life will stand or fall by what we do, and don't do, now. The reform (…) is simply the transition from short-term to long-term thinking. From recklessness and excess to moderation and the precautionary principle"

The book does follow primarily a historical approach, although it is at times intertwined with philosophical arguments, as would any subject related to the end of the world. As such, the first chapter starts with the mention of Gauguin, which induces the reader to think on what the possible connection between Gauguin, a historical character, and the subject at hand is. The connection is, in fact, given by a philosophical approach: Gauguin is in fact an individual who asks himself existentialist questions that determine the life of an individual: where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?

As the author mentions later on, his main focus will be the "where are we going," which means the future developments of the world. However, the other questions are also important pretexts to be used in his argumentation. As such, he first refers to the "where do we come from?" As an important perspective from the past civilizations into the future ones. From there, Wright follows an interesting historical survey of civilization, starting with the Ice Age and Stone Age. It is interesting to note the comment he makes on the interaction between the Neanderthal man and the Homo Sapiens, in which he identifies the Neanderthal man as the first victim of human genocide or, in other words, the… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "World Religions and Ecology the Book" Assignment:

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I would like ***** to write the paper for this order.

You need to read a book: "A Short History of Progress". Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2004, by Wright, Ronald.

The paper should ideally be divided into three equal parts: Thesis, Argument, and Probing Questions of the Thesis.

1)outlining the thesis or main point of the book (what is the thesis?), should identify what the main point and purpose of the readingis, and delineate key elements of the thesis.

2)a brief summary of how the thesis is argued, identify how the thesis is constructed. Does the author take an historical approach? A philosophical approach? etc.

3)two critical questions of the author's thesis. Please note that the question section of the assignment is not a "questions for discussion" item. Rather, these are fully developed, probing, critical questions directed at the author's thesis. Imagine the author is speaking at a public lecture, and you are standing up to ask a question, i.e., *****Ms. X, in your lecture you stated x, y, z*****¦. However, in light of these various factors, such as*****¦. etc, how can this claim be justified? Is there not a contradiction between your conclusions and these historical (economic, political, etc.) realities?***** etc. In this way you begin to situate your main question, and then ask probing, critical sub-questions of the thesis. After preparing your questions, it is helpful to look back and see if they relate to your description of the author*****s thesis. If they don*****t, you want to recast your questions. Also, make sure to ask questions of what is said rather than what is not said. The author, for example, may not mention an idea or event that you deem crucial to the argument. Be aware that the author may have done an entire essay or book on that subject previously; thus the main challenge is to focus on what is said within the piece you are reading.

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