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The Sixth Extinction Analysis

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Today’s world, meaning the 21st century, has changed significantly since the time of the early 18th century. Yet, some ideals still hold value and importance when in reference to how people should live. This essay will explore how Alexander Pope would interpret the actions and choices of people from the 21st century if he were still alive. The pieces of work that will be critiqued by the perceptions of Pope are two books “The Sixth Extinction” and Los Angeles against The Mountains. The piece of work that I will be using to support Pope’s interpretations and perceptions is “Essay on Man”, which is written by Alexander Pope. The general message from Pope in “Essay on Man” is that God has created everything to its perfection, and that the limits …show more content…

However, it is this deep conservatism that brings a dilemma as to how Pope would react the the content in “The Sixth Extinction” because this piece of literature sets out to make awareness of a mass extinction that is being created by people which theoretically, would be supported by Pope. Yet, he could also be disapproving since the end of the book sets forth to prevent an extinction, which in a sense is trying to control nature. For example, in “The Sixth Extinction” Kolbert says “There are all sorts of seemingly disparate reasons that species are disappearing. But trace the process far enough and inevitably you are led to the same culprit: ‘one weedy species’.” (Kolbert 18). The weedy species that Kolbert is referring to is the human race, and it is this species that is causing harm to other species. “Either way, the etiology is the same, without being located by someone onto a boat or a plane, it would have been impossible for a frog carrying Bd to get from Africa to Australia …” (18). The author goes further to depict the reason why some of these animal extinctions occur, but the most interesting in my opinion is when she discusses how human beings interact with the habitats of certain animals. “The slice of the habitat they’ve been marooned on is inadequate. A big cat that requires a range of forty squares miles isn’t likely to make it for long in an area of only twenty square miles” (180). With the “weedy species” cutting away and sectioning of parts of animal’s habitats, it forces them to live with restrictions and limitation. Smaller ranges to live in, less food, and cramped populations. All these problem eventually attribute to death because these animals can’t move at the same pace as humans do, to adjust to the “renewed” habitat. This problem clearly would be disapproved by Alexander Pope. The most

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