The ethics of mountain adventure: education from the tragic and sublime on screen

Abstract

In this paper, I consider the ethics education potential of two documentary films set in the mountains. I first draw upon the work of Emily Brady in order to tease out some similarities and differences between environmental tragedy and sublime experiences in nature. I secondly argue that the screened sublime is qualitatively different but not necessarily inferior to sublime sensations in nature. I then discuss how the film Mountain showcases the allure of the mountains while also suggesting the search for the sublime there may not be morally justifiable unless it is sustainable. I thereafter unpack the tragic themes in, and moral issues raised by, The Last Mountain. I maintain the film invites viewers to consider the ethics of risky mountain adventures and whether the rewards of such adventures justify the very real risk of tragedy. I conclude by thinking through how the films explored in the paper can aid mountain adventure education in at least two ways: 1) by opening up questions about the moral and ethical frameworks that mountain adventurers have and should have and; 2) by providing viewers with safe and sustainable experiences of the tragic and sublime.