J. Baird Callicott is probably best known as an advocate of Aldo Leopold's land ethic (1949). Land ethics is an environmental ethic which, according to Callicot, is a holistic, non-anthropocentric ethical theory. In other words, land ethics should, if Callicott's position is correct, be an ethical theory that places collectives, as opposed to mere individual living beings, as having intrinsic value. It should also be an ethical theory that does not focus on Homo sapiens and does not allow it to be seen as the only “thing” with moral significance. The Land Ethic, originally outlined by Leopold, is a very concise, but complex piece of literature, and Callicott has written numerous pieces of literature which attempt to explain, unfold, apply and defend the Land Ethic of Leopold. The aim of this essay is to provide, as clearly and precisely as possible, an explanation of what the Earth Ethics is, with references to both Leopold and several of Callicot's literatures. Next, the identification of any problems that can be extracted from the theory will then be juxtaposed with Callicott's attempt to defend the land ethic and remedy these problems. Finally, after the presentation and analysis of The Land Ethic, a decision will be made as to whether the Land Ethic is, as Callicott claims, a truly adequate non-anthropocentric environmental ethic. As mentioned previously, Leopold's Land Ethics is a very concise piece of work for what Callicott showed to be a complex, environmental and ethical theory. Callicott spent considerable time explaining the elements that make up the Earth Ethic as a moral theory and providing a defense against possible criticisms made by other thinkers. Top...... middle of paper...... the species belonging to each layer depend on those in the layers below, for energy, i.e. food. Therefore, all species of biota are part of numerous interconnected food chains, i.e. energy flows, and thus the entire structure “…depends on the cooperation and competition of its various parts.” (Land Ethics p.220) Preserving this structure is paramount to land ethics, and to understand how this holistic vision should be morally applied to our actions regarding the environment, Leopold produces "...a moral maxim summary, a golden rule. , for land ethics...” (Beyond land ethics, p.68) This maxim is what Callicott saw, initially, as the only moral requirement necessary for us to act correctly. “A thing is good when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community; it's bad when the trend is different. (Land ethics, p..223)