Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education
Print Reference
pp. 15-20
Abstract
The 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act has fostered nostalgia and reflection among environmentalists. Signed into legislation by Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964, the Wilderness Act presented a duality of purpose—to maintain a level of defense to 9 million acres of wild land while also creating an “enduring resource of wilderness.” This 50th anniversary necessitates another observance—the presentation of Albert Schweitzer’s Reverence for Life philosophy in his 1923 book titled The Philosophy of Civilization. Even a brief reading of Schweitzer’s seminal works will prove to be reminiscent of Aldo Leopold, who is often seen as the godfather of environmentalism. This article aims to show the commonalities between Albert Schweitzer and Aldo Leopold and why the topic deserves further study. A brief comparison is presented here, including the ideas in which they most intersect. The cornerstone philosophies put forth by Schweitzer and Leopold helped develop language used both in the Wilderness Act and among environmentalists of today.
Recommended Citation
Minnie Lauzon
(2015)
"Understanding Commonalities, Albert Schweitzer, and Aldo Leopold,"
Taproot: A Journal of Outdoor Education: Vol. 24:
Iss.
2, Article 5.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.cortland.edu/taproot/vol24/iss2/5