Scientist and author, Jared Diamond, in his example essay, “The Ends of the World as We Know Them,” discusses fallen societies in the history of the world and their relation to one another. Diamond’s purpose is to open the eyes of the reader on the importance of recognizing how the ancient societies failed and ways to avoid the same situation. He selects a thought provoking tone in order to catch the attention of a wide range of readers. Before the first paragraph, is a short section on the background of Jared Diamond, adding credibility(ethos) to his essay by giving his credentials. He was a professor of physiology at the UCLA School of Medicine, an environmental historian, and finally a professor of geography at UCLA. In addition to his …show more content…
He questions the reader in order to get them to truly think about where America is going to be 10 or 20 years from now. This probing for answers from the audience conveys a cautionary tone that ensures they will understand how to prevent the collapse of the …show more content…
There were two parts to answer the question above. The first was that the geography of certain societies played a big part in their collapse, but that it wasn't always the main reason. For example, the Maya managed to ruin their lush environment, whereas, those living in more extreme environments, such as the desert or in the Arctic, were able to carry on and thrive. The second part of the answer deals with the differences in the way societies responded to problems. The ninth-century New Guinea Highland villages, 16th-century German landowners and the Tokugawa shoguns of 17th-century Japan all solved the problem of deforestation, either by creating mscientific reforestation or by translating tree seedlings. Diamond again appeals to logic by using these specific examples of the differences between the cultures that flourished and those that were destroyed. In doing this, he is able to support his claim that the effort to solve problems in a civilization is what makes or breaks