Justin D’Souza About 160 Words SUNY Geneseo
INTD 105 Science Writing
What Would a Skeptic Say? And Who Cares?
By Justin D’Souza
In my essay, I give evidence that Geneseo’s Arboretum correlates with Cronon’s ideas that what we see as wilderness is not the isolated human free land we see it as, but a place that holds many ideals of human civilization. Of course, such a statement can be hard to swallow as it challenges what may be obvious conventional wisdom that the Arboretum is separate from humans. A critic may point out that the Arboretum is not the best example of Cronon’s “wilderness” concept as it does not hold the same status as national parks or other sublime landscapes, which is what Cronon was really going after. However, I content that this allows us to better understand Cronon’s point by considering something close by that we all can visit and explore to really delve into Cronon’s ideas. Ultimately, as the environment quickly has become mainstream in the 21st century, better understanding connections between our us and nature will prove vital to the sustainability of the Earth.
Good point, it’s important for us to find ways to connect with nature. Maybe realizing that humans have a much deeper connection to nature than we once thought, will inspire us to become more geologically friendly. I see the importance of your extension to Cronon’s initial argument.
I really liked your “who cares.” Since environmentalism is such a current issue, I think it would really help your paper to focus on this aspect. You also did a good job connecting your counterargument to your “who cares,” which is a really strong point.