| Module Description
The environmental crisis, manifested in air and water pollution, environmental degradation, the rate of extinction of animal and plant species, and the depletion of natural resources, has many different aspects, the most important being, arguably, the philosophical aspect. It may be said that the crisis is due to the way we think about the environment, its value and its moral status, and unless there is a change at this fundamental level, the crisis is likely to worsen. In this module, students will be introduced to the philosophical debate about environmental issues. The objective is to equip students with concepts and theories that will help them think about the environment at the fundamental level. Major topics include anthropocentrism and non-anthropocentrism, bio-centred ethics, deep ecology, eco-feminism and environmental virtues.
Aim and Objective
The aim is to equip students with concepts and ideas necessary to understand and discuss environmental issues at the fundamental level.
The main objectives are (1) Familiarity with the philosophical debate about the environment, (2) Understanding the key concepts and ideas and (3) Developing a critical attitude toward environmental issues.
Schedule Of Lectures
INTRODUCTION
WEEK 1: ETHICS AND ETHICAL REASONING
In this week we discuss the relevance of ethical considerations in general, and in the debate on the environment in particular. We will also discuss the nature of ethical reasoning and how it is conducted in debating environmental issues.
Readings: Main text, "Introduction".
WEEK 2: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
What are the environmental concerns? What are the facts and figures supporting the claim that there is an environmental crisis? How to isolate philosophical issues from others, such as scientific, political, legal and sociological ones?
Readings: "Is There an Environmental Crisis?" in Environmental Ethics by J. Desjardins.
PART I: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES
WEEK 3: THE VALUE OF NATURE
Why do we value nature? What kinds of value does nature have?
Readings: (1) W. Godfrey-Smith, "The Value of Wilderness," in Social Ethics, T. Mappes and J. Zembaty (eds.) and (2) A.T. Nuyen, "An Anthropocentric Ethics Towards Animals and Nature," Journal of Value Inquiry (Vol.15, 1981).
WEEK 4: ANTHROPOCENTRISM VERSUS NON-ANTHROPOCENTRISM
What is the source of value? Is man the measure of all things as Aristotle says, or can there be other sources of value?
Readings: (1) A.T. Nuyen, as above, (2) "Does Nature Have Intrinsic Value?", Main Text and (3) "Extensionism and Anthropocentrism" in Desjardins.
WEEK 5: LAND ETHICS
This week we discuss the important and seminal views of Aldo Leopold.
Readings: Sections 18 and 19 of main text.
WEEK 6: DEEP ECOLOGY
What is "shallow ecology?" What is "Deep Ecology?" This week we discuss the important views of Arne Naess.
Readings: Sections 20-22 of main text.
WEEK 7: ECO-FEMINISM
This week we discuss the view known as eco-feminism. This is one of the most important contributions of feminist thinking.
Readings: Sections 26-27 of main text.
PART II: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
WEEK 8: ANIMAL RIGHTS
Animals are part of the environment. How should we treat them? What duties and obligations do we have toward them?
Readings: Sections 5-10 of main text.
WEEK 9: FUTURE GENERATIONS
One reason why we should deal with the environmental crisis is that we have certain obligations to future generations. Do we really? What obligations?
Readings: Sections 42-45 of main text.
WEEK 10: ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
How does development contribute to the environmental crisis? Can we have development without environmental problems? If there is a conflict, how do we resolve it?
Readings: Sections 75-78 of main text and "Economic and Environmental Policy" in Desjardins.
PART III: EXPANDING THE HORIZON
WEEK 11: ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS: EASTERN PERSPECTIVES
This week we look at some non-western perspectives on environmental issues, such as Buddhism and Confucianism.
Readings: Sections 37-41 of main text.
WEEK 12: SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
This week we look at some practical applications, such as the use of pesticides and the disposal of hazardous waste, and try to learn how to live virtuously with nature.
Readings: Selected applications in main text.
WEEK 13: REVIEW
This week we review the issues, concepts and ideas to gain an overall perspective on environmental ethics, and to consider where we go from here.
Readings: "Epilogue", main text.
Assessment
| Tutorial presentation and participation: |
15% |
| Three tests during semester: |
45% |
| Final essay: |
40% |
Textbook
Louis P. Jojman, Environmental Ethics (Wadsworth, 2005)
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