This Final Paper is a discussion of the relationships between the contemporary human, religious belief, and nature. The following question should guide your paper: “Is the contemporary human fundamentally alienated from nature?” Defend your answer to this question, and propose a course of action in response.  If you believe most people today are alienated from nature, then analyze the root cause of the alienation, and defend your own solution for overcoming alienation. On the other hand, if you believe most people today are not alienated from nature, then defend a hypothesis about why so many people falsely think we are alienated, and determine how you would convince them that we are not alienated. Notice that the overarching question of alienation leads to other questions. As you think about your response to this prompt, consider using the following questions to guide your analysis and arguments. You need not answer all of them in writing, but it will be impossible to write a good paper if you have not at least thought through these issues. What causes human separation from nature? How ought the human spirit respond to nature and dwell within it? What does it mean to say that something is natural, and how does the human fit into the larger web of natural relationships? How does spirituality or religion lead to more harmony or greater fragmentation of the human with nature? If we are still connected with nature, what are the attributes of those who are able to exist within nature while also dwelling within our technology-dependent society? If we are not connected with nature, what are the attributes of our social, political, familial, and natural relationships that force such fragmentation? What is the most appropriate ethical relationship the human ought to have with nature? What are concrete methods humans can use to reconnect with nature or enhance their growing relationship with nature? Are there some cultures that naturally connect more with nature? If so, what might we learn from those cultures if we are not part of them? As you write your paper, explain your thesis about the primary topic. Think about how you will defend your position. Present arguments that support your own position while also engaging arguments that others might use to attempt to refute your position. Try to objectively put yourself in the place of someone who disagrees with your position and address the concerns of the other positions using factual evidence and logical reasoning. Remember that it is not enough to merely state the position. You must defend each position with evidence and argumentation. The paper should be 8 to 10 pages in length (excluding title and reference pages - I'll complete the title page), and formatted according to APA style. Utilize at least eight scholarly sources throughout your paper to support your own original argument. These sources should come from the course materials as listed below:  Gottlieb, R. S. (Ed.). (20.

1. This Final Paper is a discussion of the relationships between the
contemporary human, religious belief, and nature. The
following question should guide your paper:
“Is the contemporary human fundamentally alienated from
nature?”
Defend your answer to this question, and propose a course of
action in response. If you believe most people today are
alienated from nature, then analyze the root cause of the
alienation, and defend your own solution for overcoming
alienation. On the other hand, if you believe most people today
are not alienated from nature, then
defend a hypothesis about why so many people falsely think we
are alienated, and determine how you would convince them that
we are not alienated.
Notice that the overarching question of alienation leads to other
questions. As you think about your response to this prompt,
consider using the following questions to guide your analysis
and arguments. You need not answer all of them in writing, but
it will be impossible to write a good paper if you have not at
least thought through these issues.
What causes human separation from nature?
How ought the human spirit respond to nature and dwell within

2. it?
What does it mean to say that something is natural, and how
does the human fit into the larger web of natural relationships?
How does spirituality or religion lead to more harmony or
greater fragmentation of the human with nature?
If we are still connected with nature, what are the attributes of
those who are able to exist within nature while also dwelling
within our technology-dependent society?
If we are not connected with nature, what are the attributes of
our social, political, familial, and natural relationships that
force such fragmentation?
What is the most appropriate ethical relationship the human
ought to have with nature?
What are concrete methods humans can use to reconnect with
nature or enhance their growing relationship with nature?
Are there some cultures that naturally connect more with
nature? If so, what might we learn from those cultures if we are
not part of them?
As you write your paper, explain your thesis about the primary
topic. Think about how you will defend your position. Present
arguments that support your own position while also engaging
arguments that others might use to attempt to refute your
position. Try to objectively put yourself in the place of someone
who disagrees with your position and address the concerns of
the other positions using factual evidence and logical reasoning.
Remember that it is not enough to merely state the position.
You must defend each position with evidence and
argumentation.

3. The paper should be 8 to 10 pages in length (excluding title and
reference pages - I'll complete the title page), and formatted
according to APA style. Utilize at least eight scholarly sources
throughout your paper to support your own original argument.
These sources should come from the course materials as listed
below:
Gottlieb, R. S. (Ed.). (2004).
This sacred earth: Religion, nature, environment
(2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from
https://redshelf.com
Cronon, W. (1995).
The trouble with wilderness; or, getting back to the wrong
nature (Links to an external site.)
. In W. Cronon (Ed.),
Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature
(pp. 69-90). New York, NY: Norton & Co. Retrieved from
http://www.williamcronon.net/writing/Cronon_Trouble_with_W
ilderness_1995.pdf
Garreau, J. (2012).
Environmentalism as religion (Links to an external site.)
.
The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology & Society
, 28, 61-74. Retrieved from
http://www.thenewatlantis.com/docLib/20100914_TNA28Garrea
u.pdf
Ivakhiv, A. (2008).

4. Green film criticism and its futures (Links to an external site.)
.
Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment
. Retrieved from
http://www.uvm.edu/~aivakhiv/GreenFilmCrit.pdf
Taylor, B. (2001).
Earth and nature-based spirituality (Part I): From deep ecology
to radical environmentalism (Links to an external site.)
.
Religion
, 31, 175-193. Retrieved from
http://www.brontaylor.com/environmental_articles/pdf/Taylor--
Religion31%282%29.pdf
Taylor, B. (2001).
Earth and nature-based spirituality (Part II): From Earth First!
and bioregionalism to scientific paganism and new age (Links to
an external site.)
.
Religion
, 31, 225-245. Retrieved from
http://www.brontaylor.com/environmental_articles/pdf/Taylor--
Religion31%283%29.pdf
Tobias, R. B. (2011). The world scrubbed clean. In
Film and the American moral vision of nature: Theodore
Roosevelt to Walt Disney
. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press. Retrieved
from the ebrary database.

5. Walbert, D. (2008).
The eightfold agrarian way (Links to an external site.)
.
The New Agrarian
. Retrieved from http://www.newagrarian.com/2008/05/01/the-
eightfold-agrarian-way/
Waller, D. M. (1998). Getting back to the right nature: A reply
to Cronon’s “The Trouble with Wilderness.” In J. B. Callicott,
& M. P. Nelson (Eds.),
The Great New Wilderness Debate (Links to an external site.)
(pp. 540-567). Retrieved from
http://cstpr.colorado.edu/students/envs_5720/waller_1998.pdf
Each reading/selection/chapter from
This Sacred Earth: Religion, Nature, Environment
is a separate source.
Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:
Must be 8 to 10 pages in length, double spaced, and formatted
according to APA style
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct
thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.

6. Must use at least eight scholarly sources, including a minimum
of six from the Ashford University Library.
Must document all sources in APA style
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to
APA style