42 pages • 1 hour read
Edward O. WilsonHalf-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Many authors, including Wilson, have suggested that humans have so radically transformed Earth’s climate and environment that we should recognize the end of the Holocene and replace it with a new geological epoch, called the Anthropocene. What evidence does Wilson present for this position? Do you find his argument convincing? Why or why not?
Wilson spends significantly more time describing human-driven reduction and extinctions of species, and providing examples of living species, ecosystems, their importance, and how they are braided together, than describing how to attain the goal of preserving half of earth’s surface to nature. In fact, his final chapter, “What Must Be Done,” is one of the shortest in the book. Why does Wilson choose to so thoroughly document human destruction and the richness of the biosphere? Does this help or harm his half-earth solution?
It is Wilson’s belief that the most dangerous worldview is that of new conservationists or anthropocentrists. What are specific examples that Wilson uses to support this argument? Do you find this argument convincing? Why or why not?
How has humans’ propensity to favor short-term decisions impacted the natural world and conservation efforts? Are humans capable of halting mass extinction for the sake of future generations? How would Wilson respond to your argument?
Does Wilson believe humans are as gods? Why or why not? How does his perspective shape his belief of what humanity’s role should be in nature?
Why does Wilson believe that humans must learn to value not just the big animals but all living organisms? What are some of the empirical claims he presents for this position? Do you think this is a persuasive argument for the public and government alike?
Why does Wilson consider the history of each species an epic? How are these epics reconstructed? Is humanity’s epic more important than any other epic? How would Wilson respond to your argument?
What is the Sixth Extinction? According to Wilson, how is this mass extinction event different from the five others that have proceeded it? Will humans be able to stop it? Argue for your position.
To Wilson, why is the recent discovery of the megamouth shark important to our understanding of marine biodiversity? How does his position relate to his larger argument that Earth “remains a little-known planet” (21)?
Do you think it is a realistic possibility to set aside half the earth for nature given the political culture both in the United States and globally? Why or why not? How would Wilson respond to your argument?
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By Edward O. Wilson
