1145 PHI3640 Environmental Ethics Syllabus · value; anthropocentrism, sentientism, individualistic...
Transcript of 1145 PHI3640 Environmental Ethics Syllabus · value; anthropocentrism, sentientism, individualistic...
PHI3640 Environmental Ethics Instructor: Kenton Harris Course: PHU3640 U01A Time: M/W/F 2:30 PM – 4:45 PM Room: PC 438 Contact Information Instructor Office Hours: By Appointment Instructor Phone: 305-348-3516 Instructor Email [email protected] Important Dates: Graded Assignment
Date Due Percentage of Final Grade
Exam 1 6/7/10 25% Paper 1a 5/19/13 20%
Paper 1b 5/30/13 Final Exam June 20
35%
End of the Drop/Add Period
Last Day to Drop Without incurring financial liability Monday, May 19th 2014
Last Date to Drop and Receive a “DR”
Last Day to Drop Monday, June 9th 2014
REQUIRED TEXTS: Biopilia I.COURSE DESCRIPTION: Environmental Ethics is an inquiry seeking to give reasoned and reasonable answers to questions regarding how we humans ought to make decisions about our actions and inaction, both direct and indirect, with respect to the promotion, protection and preservation of natural world (provisionally "NATURAL" is to be understood as "not of human artifice"). In this course, we will examine foundations of ethical theory, value theory and its connection to reasoned human behavior, and then, more narrowly, environmental ethical theory. Regarding the latter most, we will examine intrinsic value approaches to environmental ethics, instrumental value approaches to environmental ethics, and finally, a few select environmental ethical issues. Some topics concerning ethics and the environment we may consider include: instrumental and intrinsic value; anthropocentrism, sentientism, individualistic versus holistic ethics (i.e. the Land Ethic), our obligations to future generations, population, pollution, climate change, diminishing species,
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environmental justice, economics and sustainability. This class will explore dilemmas associated with these, and will provide a forum for students to understand, articulate, and defend their own personal environmental philosophy. Specific course learning objectives include enhancing students’ awareness of differing conceptions about the value of nature, contributing to the development of the student’s global perspective through the consideration of different philosophical perspectives and theories of moral obligation to future generations and non‐humans, and enhancing students’ global engagement through the critical discussion of global environmental problems, and possible measures for ameliorating those problems. II. GOALS: The central goal of the course is to familiarize students with major influential approaches to environmental ethics, to demonstrate how this species of action guiding critical thought relates to and extends from traditional ethical reasoning, and to consider some particularly interesting contemporary environmental ethical issues. Successful completion of this course will require that the student demonstrate to the instructor a comprehension of: (1) the variety of environmental ethical positions available, (2) the content of, relevant difference among, and some implications of, each of these positions, (3) what reasons recommending any one position over alternative positions, (4) how one moves from one position to another, and (5) how issue‐based environmental ethical discussion/argument is constructed and proceeds. III. LEARNING OBJECITVES: By the end of the course students should be able to provide an account of: (i) specific philosophical questions of environmental ethics, such as what form one’s duty towards nature takes, what differing conceptions of nature and its value have been offered, including whether nature is (somehow) good in itself, how resources should be utilized, including what obligations we have to posterity, what moral, aesthetic, and legal recognition ecosystems deserve (e.g. do they have rights?). Are there too many people, or is radical environmentalism misanthropic? Can all values be reduced to cost‐benefit tradeoffs? Is Capitalism inherently at odds with environmental stewardship? (ii) different philosophical perspectives (anthropocentric, non‐anthropocentric, Western, non‐Western, biocentric, ecocentric, 1st world, 3rd world, on vital problems of the global environment (pollution, hunger, climate change, women’s rights, the preservation of species, etc…). (iii) central concepts and ideas including, what is distinctive that separates living from non‐living things, intrinsic and instrumental value, social ecology, fallacies of reasoning (part/whole), sentience, personhood, nature, differing conceptions of moral obligation, including Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Contractarianism. By the end of the course students should demonstrate writing and critical thinking skills enabling them to: (iv) analyze fundamental ideas and concepts; (v) identify the underlying assumptions or logical implications of different positions or propositions;
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(vi) explain and critically evaluate arguments and justifications; (vii) identify, explain, and critically evaluate competing explanations and descriptions of global environmental conditions; (viii) develop and defend a thesis through argumentation and the presentation of evidence, reasons, examples, and responses to objections; (ix) explain a thinker or text; (x) explore a concept or idea or explain a philosophical problem; (xi) contrast different perspectives on a central concept or question relating to an environmental issue; (xii) practically engage in contemporary debates about the environment. III. REQUIRED READINGS: E.O. Wilson, Biophilia (Harvard University Press, 1984). Selected Hand‐outs/ Webpostings. IV.COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
A. Attendance and Class Participation. Regular attendance is necessary and is the student's responsibility. Exams will include material treated exclusively in class.
B. Two Drafts of a Major Paper. Typed, double‐spaced, normal font. We will discuss the contents of
these papers in class. (30% of final grade) In this class we are utilizing peer review writing techniques. On the day that Paper 1a is due, students will BOTH bring a paper copy of the assignment to class that day AND submit an electronic version to my Blackboard site for the class. The paper copy should contain no identifying information other that the student’s Panther ID number. I will then redistribute the papers to peers within the class. Each peer will read a fellow student’s paper, provide feedback and fill out a rubric evaluation. Peers will return the student’s paper with their comments and assessment to me by the end of the week. The following week I will return to these same materials to the original authors. With this information, students will write a second draft of the original paper (1b). On the due date for paper 1b students will turn in to me: 1. The Original Hard Copy of the Paper 1a 2. The Peer Review 3. The Hard Copy Second Draft (Paper 1b) Papers 1a & 1b will receive a single grade to be counted in the student’s final average. The grade will reflect a composite of the initial quality of the paper submission and the degree to which the second paper is further developed incorporating feedback from the peer reviewer and me. Paper #1: (15% of Final Grade)
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Paper #2: (15% of Final Grade)
C. Examinations: (60% of final grade) There will be one in class exam given during the semester. The exam will be drawn from a pool of essay questions provided to the students in advance. The essay questions will be based on lectures and assigned readings. (25% of Final Grade) A final exam will be given during the final week of the semester. Like the in class exam this will consist of essay questions based on lectures and assigned readings. The Final Exam will NOT be cumulative. (35% of Final Grade)
D. Complete Two of the Following Out of Class Assignments. (10% of Final Grade) Attendance at a meeting of a group whose focus is environmental ethical (e.g. Audubon Society, Sierra Club, Sawmill Slough, Conservation Club) AND prepare a one‐page typed report on the environmental ethical theory held by that organization and/or the majority of the members. (5%) Alternatively, students may choose to hike one of several pre‐approved local nature trails either with a friend, a group of friends, or a tour ND prepare a one‐page typed report reflecting on the experience. (5%) Prepare a one to two page paper explaining the student own personal connection to or relationship with the environment. (5%) Lesson Plan Date Topic Readings5/12/14 Meta‐ethics and Ethical
Theory Course Introduction –Philosophy In General Critical Thinking Intro to Ethics Logical Positivism Modern Alternatives to Moral Nihilism Aristotle‐ Eudaimonia, Virtues and “The Good Life” Hedonism (Egoistic and Social) Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism David Hume (Ideal Observer Revisited) Kant‐ Moral Duty, Categorical Imperative Ross‐ Prima Facie Duties Dewey‐ Instrumentalism
5/19/14 Reverence for Nature/ Nature and Religion Enlightenment and Romantic Attitudes towards Nature
Natural Rights, Property and Law Hobbes Locke John Locke on Property:
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www.lonang.com/exlibris/locke/loc‐205.htm “The Noble Savage”‐ Shaftsbury and Rousseau Exemplar of Liberty: Native America and the Evolution of Democracy By Donald A. Grinde, Jr. Chapter 4: “ENNOBLING `SAVAGES'” http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/EoL/chp4.html#fn4 Transcendentalism Anthropocentric Approaches: Stewardship and Environmental
5/26/14 Origins of the Modern Environmental Movement
http://www.sonoma.edu/users/w/wallsd/pdf/Environmental‐Movement.pdf Aldo Leopold, Sand County Almanac (Oxford University Press, 1949). http://academic.keystone.edu/jskinner/WildlifeFisheries/leopold%20excerpts.pdf http://www.waterculture.org/uploads/Leopold_TheLandEthic.pdf “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis,” http://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/ENV‐NGO‐PA395/articles/Lynn‐White.pdf “The Cultural Basis of Our Environmental Crisis,” L.W. Moncrief http://www.sciencemag.org/content/170/3957/508.full.pdf An Appraisal of Lynn White’s “THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF OUR ECOLOGIC CRISIS”
The Ethical Treatment of Animals Peter Singer, Animal Liberation, chapters 1, 5 and 6
“The Case for Animal Rights” Tom Regan In Peter Singer (ed.), In Defense of Animals, New York: Basil Blackwell, 1985, pp. 13‐26.
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http://www.animal‐rights‐library.com/texts‐m/regan03.pdf
Approaches to Environmental Ethics
Intro to Value Based Environmental Ethics Anthropocentric vs Non‐Anthropocentric Environmental Ethics http://ocw.capilanou.ca/philosophy/phil‐208‐environmental‐ethics/non‐anthropocentric.htm Anthropocentric Approaches: Obligations to Future Generations http://ocw.capilanou.ca/philosophy/phil‐208‐environmental‐ethics/future‐generations.htm Intrinsic Approaches: Ecocentric Approaches: The Land Ethic (again) Callicott, J.B. “The Conceptual Foundations of the Land Ethic,” http://biophilosophy.ca/Teaching/2070papers/Callicott.pdf Biocentric Approaches: Schweitzer, A. “ The Ethics of Reverence for Life,” http://www1.chapman.edu/schweitzer/sch.reading4.html Taylor, P. “In Defense of Biocentricism,” http://www.umweltethik.at/download.php?id=400 Deep Ecology and its critics http://www.deepecology.org/ Naess, A. “The Shallow and the Deep, Long‐Range Ecological Movement,” http://www.ecology.ethz.ch/education/Readings_stuff/Naess_1973.pdf
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Devall, B. & Sessions, G. “Deep Ecology,” Chapter 1: http://www.brontaylor.com/courses/pdf/DevallSessions‐DE1.pdf Watson, R. “A Critique of Anti‐Anthropocentric Ethics”
A Critique of Anti-Anthropocentric Ethics Rolston 1996. “Feeding People versus Saving Nature?”, in W. Aiken and H. LaFollette (eds.) World Hunger and Morality, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, pp. 248‐67. http://www.ecospherics.net/pages/RolstonPeopleVSNature.html
Ecofeminism and its Critics
Ethics of Care Sue Chetwynd: http://fondazionecare.com/pdf/8_5_043.pdf “From the ground up: ecofeminism and ecological economics” Martha McMahon Ecological Economics, Volume 20, Issue 2, February 1997, Pages 163–173 Women, Ecology and Economics Archambault, Anne “A critique of Ecofeminism,” http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/cws/article/viewFile/10403/9492 “Radical Environmental Myths: A Gender Perspective,” C. Jackson, New Left Review, Vol.a (1995). M. Mellor, “Myths and Realities: A reply to Cecile Jackson”, New Left Review, Vol.a (1996).
Contemporary Environmental Ethical Issues
“Ethics and Global Climate Change”: Gardiner http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/ethics‐and‐global‐climate‐change‐84226631 The Perfect Strom: Gardiner
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“Aquacalypse Now: The End of Fish,” D. Pauly (2009). The New Republic September 28. http://www.seaaroundus.org/researcher/dpauly/PDF/2009/OtherItems/TheNewRepublic_AquacalypseNow.pdf “Planet of Weeds: Tallying the losses of Earth’s animals and plants,” D. Quammen (1998). Harpers, October. http://www.decatur‐audubon.org/snoeyen1.htm “Running dry,” J. Leslie (2000). Harpers, July. http://www.runningdry.org/americansouthwest/action.html Green Architecture SOM Chicago Design Director Ross Wimer http://vimeo.com/45596106 Delancey, Craig “Architecture Can Save the World: Building and Environmental Ethics” The Philosophical Forum, Volume 35, Issue 2, pages 147–159, June 2004
Non‐Western Perspectives
“The ecologically noble savage,” Redford, K.H. Cultural Survival Quarterly, (1991). http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/the‐ecologically‐noble‐savage “Ecotourism and the myth of Indigenous Stewardship,” Fennell, D.A. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 16 (2): 129‐49, (2008). de Silva, L. “The Buddhist Attitude Towards Nature” http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/desilva/attitude.html “Islamic Environmental Ethics” http://www.nur.org/treatise/articles/IslamicEnvironmentalEthics.html “Environmental Ethics: An African Understanding” Ojomo on Ogungbemi and Tangwa, The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.4, no.3, March 2011
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http://www.jpanafrican.com/docs/vol4no3/4.3Environmental.pdf
Biophilia, Awe and Wonder
Wilson, Edward O., Biophilia (Harvard University Press, 1984). Virtue and the Environment PBS Conversation with E. O. Wilson http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/conversation‐eo‐wilson.html Thoreau, Leopold, and Carson: Toward an Environmental Virtue Ethics‐ Philip Cafaro http://people.oregonstate.edu/~thompsoa/web/readings_files/Thoreau,%20Leopold,%20Carson.pdf
Cognitivist Approaches to Environmental Aesthetics
Allen CarisonMarsha Eton
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