Title: Unit 1 Glossary
Course: BIS 105 Environmental Biology > Section: BIS 105 Environmental Biology

Unit 1 Glossary

Terms

Term | Definitions
anthropocentric | Considering the needs of human beings as the most important in the universe.
biocentric | Consideration given to living organisms other than just human beings.
cassandra worldview | A worldview that predicts doom and disaster as a result of our growing environmental impacts.
control group | A group within an experiment that is not modified to form a basis of comparison to an experimental group.
controlled variables | Variables that are kept constant to prevent influencing the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
cornucopian worldview | A confidence in technological innovation to solve all social and environmental problems.
dependent variable | Changes in response to the independent variable.
ecocentric | Consideration given to living and non-living entities.
environmental ethic | Includes humans as part of the natural community and may place limits on activity if it adversely affects the natural community.
experiment | A test that is used to eliminate one or more of the possible hypotheses until one hypothesis remains.
frontier ethic | Assumes that the earth has an unlimited supply of resources or if a resource becomes limited human ingenuity will find a substitute.
hypothesis | A suggested explanation based on evidence that can be tested by observation or experimentation.
independent variable | Factor(s) whose values are controlled by the experimenter to determine its relationship to an observed phenomenon (the dependent variable).
precautionary principle | An approach that puts the burden of proof on showing an action or policy is not harmful before that action or policy can be implemented.
preservationists | Advocate for protection of the environment in a pristine, unaltered state due to its intrinsic value.
remote responsibilities | Our moral obligation to consider the impact of our actions on people and places far removed from us.
scientific methods | Based on gathering observable, empirical (produced by experiment or observation) and measurable evidence that is critically evaluated.
sustainable development | Meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
theory | Hypotheses which have stood up to repeated attempts at falsification and are thus supported by a great deal of data and evidence regarding a scientific phenomenon or process.
triple bottom line | A comprehensive method of measuring success that includes people, profit, and the planet (social, economic, and environment).
utilitarian conservation | Use and conservation of resources for the good of the public.
variable | A factor that can change over the course of an experiment.