This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

JAMA. 1970;214(13):2327-2328.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

In his thoughtful essay, "The Cultural Basis for Our Environmental Crisis," Moncrief explores the social factors that he believes responsible. He first examines an idea propounded by White² to the effect that the crisis in Western Europe and North America is a result of the Judeo-Christian teaching that man, as superior to all other creation, is entitled to do as he wishes with Earth. Moncrief does not dismiss this thought entirely, but he notes that White himself called attention to periodic floodings of the Nile Valley and the fire-drive hunts of prehistoric times—acts that preceded the Judeo-Christian ethic. Therefore, although the Judeo-Christian tradition may be a factor, Moncrief proposes that it has acted only indirectly in environmental degradation.

In his examination of the present, Moncrief describes America as "the archetype of what happens when democracy, technology, urbanization, capitalistic mission, and antagonism (or apathy) toward natural environment are blended together." . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?