Environmental Ethics Syllabus
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1 Environmental Ethics (ENV 170‐301) McGowan South Room 206 [TU/TH 4:20pm‐5:50pm] Instructor: Dr. Anthony Paul Smith ([email protected]) 773‐931‐9570 (cell) Office hours: By appointment only Course Description Our age is dominated by a contradiction: on the one hand we are bombarded every day with apocalyptic tales related to global climate change, and on the other hand there appears to be no marshalling of significant collective will required to deal with the problem. The reason for this lack of will may lie in large part with a failure on the part of our thinking and thus addressing our implicit ethical reasoning concerning the environment may aid at least a little in turning the tide of environmental degradation. For it may be that one aspect of the environment we have damaged is our thinking itself. To get to grips with the challenges presented to philosophy by the ecological crisis we will begin by looking at two recent environmental disasters, the 2010 gulf oil spill and the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. We will then examine traditional approaches within ethical philosophy geared towards thinking through environmental problems before turning to subsidiary issues within environmental ethics. These will include animal ethics, the closely related ethics of food, and the ethical problems presented by a growing human population and the continued urbanization of our species. We will then turn our attention to criticisms of these traditional forms of environmental ethics in the hopes of seeing how a new, more adequate ethical theory could be formed. The class is a survey and thus at the end we as a class will have grappled with a number of traditions of thought, the forms of which you will be able to identify in public debates surrounding the issues outside of the classroom, and then see where these traditional forms of thinking have failed us. You will also see issues and ethical problems that may not have been apparent to you prior to the course and be challenged in your own personal practices as you come to see yourself as an ecologically embedded subject. Finally we will see some of the latest attempts to rethink our very act of thinking ecologically in order to move past the impasse of the traditional debates. Learning Outcomes Upon completing the course the student should be able to: • engage philosophically with environmental problems; • identify and explain the different ethical positions present in environmentalism; • be able to identify the central themes and arguments of the texts and state them in a clear and sympathetic way in class discussion; • be able to formulate criticisms in a way that is attentive to the original author’s intent and argumentation. Grade Summary There will be two tests (comprised of short‐answer questions and essay questions), seminar discussions, and a final paper (10‐pages, double‐spaced). Each test will count for 25% (for a total of 50%) of your final grade, the final paper will count for 35%, and finally 15% for seminar/ class participation (which includes attendance).
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A syllabus for an environmental ethics course at DePaul University.
Transcript of Environmental Ethics Syllabus
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EnvironmentalEthics(ENV170‐301)McGowanSouthRoom206[TU/TH4:20pm‐5:50pm]
Instructor:Dr.AnthonyPaulSmith([email protected])773‐931‐9570(cell)
Officehours:Byappointmentonly
CourseDescriptionOurageisdominatedbyacontradiction:ontheonehandwearebombardedeverydaywithapocalyptictalesrelatedtoglobalclimatechange,andontheotherhandthereappearstobenomarshallingofsignificantcollectivewillrequiredtodealwiththeproblem.Thereasonforthislackofwillmaylieinlargepartwithafailureonthepartofourthinkingandthusaddressingourimplicitethicalreasoningconcerningtheenvironmentmayaidatleastalittleinturningthetideofenvironmentaldegradation.Foritmaybethatoneaspectoftheenvironmentwehavedamagedisourthinkingitself.
Togettogripswiththechallengespresentedtophilosophybytheecologicalcrisiswewillbeginbylookingattworecentenvironmentaldisasters,the2010gulfoilspillandthe2011Fukushimanucleardisaster.Wewillthenexaminetraditionalapproacheswithinethicalphilosophygearedtowardsthinkingthroughenvironmentalproblemsbeforeturningtosubsidiaryissueswithinenvironmentalethics.Thesewillincludeanimalethics,thecloselyrelatedethicsoffood,andtheethicalproblemspresentedbyagrowinghumanpopulationandthecontinuedurbanizationofourspecies.Wewillthenturnourattentiontocriticismsofthesetraditionalformsofenvironmentalethicsinthehopesofseeinghowanew,moreadequateethicaltheorycouldbeformed.
Theclassisasurveyandthusattheendweasaclasswillhavegrappledwithanumberoftraditionsofthought,theformsofwhichyouwillbeabletoidentifyinpublicdebatessurroundingtheissuesoutsideoftheclassroom,andthenseewherethesetraditionalformsofthinkinghavefailedus.Youwillalsoseeissuesandethicalproblemsthatmaynothavebeenapparenttoyoupriortothecourseandbechallengedinyourownpersonalpracticesasyoucometoseeyourselfasanecologicallyembeddedsubject.Finallywewillseesomeofthelatestattemptstorethinkourveryactofthinkingecologicallyinordertomovepasttheimpasseofthetraditionaldebates.
LearningOutcomesUponcompletingthecoursethestudentshouldbeableto:
• engagephilosophicallywithenvironmentalproblems;• identifyandexplainthedifferentethicalpositionspresentinenvironmentalism;• beabletoidentifythecentralthemesandargumentsofthetextsandstatethem
inaclearandsympatheticwayinclassdiscussion;• beabletoformulatecriticismsinawaythatisattentivetotheoriginalauthor’s
intentandargumentation.GradeSummaryTherewillbetwotests(comprisedofshort‐answerquestionsandessayquestions),seminardiscussions,andafinalpaper(10‐pages,double‐spaced).Eachtestwillcountfor25%(foratotalof50%)ofyourfinalgrade,thefinalpaperwillcountfor35%,andfinally15%forseminar/classparticipation(whichincludesattendance).
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Itisimportantthatyoudonotmissaclassandespeciallyanexam.Anymake‐upforthein‐classexamswillonlybegivenduetoextremesituations,andthisisdoneveryrarely.Youmusthavepriorpermissionfromtheinstructortotakeamakeup.ThepaperisdueviaDesire2Learn(clickthe“Dropbox”tab)ormyemailbytheendoftheday(11:59PM)onWednesday,June6th.Thepaperistobesubmittedelectronicallyonly.IpreferthatthepaperbeaPDF.Detailsconcerningthepaper(itsformatandcontent)willbepassedoutafterthefirstexam.Latepaperswillnotbeaccepted.Cheating/plagiarismwillbedealtwithastheseriousinfractionsthattheyare,possiblyleadingtofailure;seetheStudentHandbookfordetails.CellPhoneandLaptopPolicyWhileIunderstandtheaddictiontocellphones,especiallysmartphones,thematerialwearestudyingisverydifficultandthereforerequiresyourundividedattention.Ifyouarecaughtusingyourphoneduringalectureyouwillbegivenonewarning(eitherverballyorbyemail).Ifyouarecaughtasecondtimeormoreyouwillfaceareductionoffivepointsforeachoffensefromyourhighestscoringpieceofcoursework.Pleaseturnallcellphonesoffduringthelecture.IfIcandoit,socanyou.
Laptopsareacceptableintheclass,butfornotetakingonly.Ifyouappearnottobepayingattentionbecauseyou’redistractedbysomethingnon‐lecturerelatedonyourlaptopthenIwillaskyoutoreadthelastlineofnotesyouhavejustwritten.Ifyoucan’tthenyouwillbegivenawarning(eitherverballyorbyemail).Ifyouarecaughtasecondtimeormoreyouwillfaceareductionoffivepointsforeachoffensefromyourhighestscoringpieceofcoursework.
Desire2LearnPleasemakesurethatyouchecktheemailattachedtoyourDesire2Learnprofile.Iwillbesendingemailstothataddress.Allcoursedocuments,powerpoints,audiooflectures,andotherhelpfullinkswillbeavailableontheDesire2Learncoursepage.
RemarksonLectures,Readings,Films,andClassroomDiscussionsWearedealingwithadultthemesandarangeofdifferentbeliefsystemsinthisclass.Youwillbeexposedtodifferentwaysofthinkingbothinthereadings,thelectures,anddiscussionsinclass.Attimesyoumayfindyourselfoffendedbyoneormoreoftheideaspresentedandwhenyouarenotoffendedafellowclassmatemaywellbe.Thisisok!Whileofcourseverbalorphysicalabuseisstrictlynottolerated,wehavetogiveeachotherpermissiontobeoffensive(withintheboundsofrespectfuldiscourse)andtobeoffended.Byremaininginthiscourseyouareagreeingtohaverespectfulconversationsaboutawiderangeofdifferentbeliefs.
Thisgoesespeciallyforthefilmsandclipswewillwatchinclass.AttimesIhavechosenmaterialthatmaybeoffensivetosome.Somefilmswillberated‐RandsomeclipsfromTVshowswillberatedTV‐MA.Byremainingenrolledinthisclassafterthefirstsessionyouareenteringintoanon‐verbalagreementthatyouunderstandandacceptyouwillbeaskedtowatchthesefilmsandclips.
RequiredTexts
• Coursereader(foundonD2L)withselectionsfrom:o MurrayBookchin,SocialEcologyandCommunalism(AKPress)
• GilbertSimondon,TwoLessonsonAnimalandMan(Univocal)• AndrewLightandHolmesRolstonIII(editors),EnvironmentalEthics:An
Anthology(Blackwell)• AldoLeopold,SandCountryAlmanacandSketchesHereandThere(OxfordUP)
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• TimothyMorton,TheEcologicalThought(OxfordUP)ExtraCreditYoumaychooseabookorauthorfromthelistbelowandwriteabookreport(orsimilarreportontheworkofanartistorartists).Afterreadingthebook,whichyoumustneverhavereadbefore,youwillwriteabookreportofapproximately1,000to1,250wordsthatisilluminatedbyyourunderstandingofthevarioustheoreticalperspectivesonnatureandtheenvironmentthatwediscussduringthequarter.Itmayaddupto20pointstoyourfinalgrade.
Hereisalongunsystematic,idiosyncratic,bynomeansexhaustivelistofbooksthatyoumayconsiderforyourextra‐creditreport;ifyouwishtoreportonabooknotfromthislist,pleaseconfirmyourselectionwithmeinadvance:
HenryDavidThoreau:choosefromanyofhisnumeroussuitableworks,includingWaldenandTheMaineWoods,orfromoneofthemanyavailableanthologies
RalphWaldoEmerson:Natureandotherrelevantessays,availableinvariousanthologiesofEmerson’swork
JohnMuir:choosefromanyofthenumerousworksbyoneofthefoundersofthepreservationmovement,e.g.,MyFirstSummerintheSierra,TheMountainsofCaliforniaandOurNationalParks,orelseselectananthologysuchasNatureWritings
WilliamWordsworth:ThePrelude;orthenumerousanthologiesofhispoetryandprose,includingperhapshisguidetotheLakeDistrictofEngland
JohnRuskin:the19th‐centuryEnglishartcriticandsocialtheoristwrotealsoonenvironmentalissuesandtheeffectsofindustrializationandurbanization;Iknowofnoworkdedicatedtotheseconcernsalone;however,referencestospecificessaysbyRuskincanbefoundinRuskinandEnvironment:TheStormCloudoftheNineteenthCentury,editedbyMichaelWheeler.
AnnieDillard:PilgrimatTinkerCreek—PulitzerPrize‐winningmeditationsonthenaturalworld
TerryTempestWilliams:Refuge—memoirbyaMormonfeministenvironmentalistpeaceactivist
MichaelPollan:SecondNature:AGardener’sEducation—confrontingnatureinyouryard;orTheBotanyofDesire—howplants(theappletree,cannabis,thepotatoandthetulip)domesticatedhumans;orTheOmnivore’sDilemma:ANaturalHistoryofFourMeals—fromMcDonald’s,WholeFoods,asustainablefarmandthewild.
BillMcKibben:TheEndofNature—present‐dayAdirondackeco‐sage
EdwardAbbey:DesertSolitaire:ASeasonintheWilderness—thereflectionsofaneco‐curmudgeon
GarySnyder:ThePracticeoftheWild—acollectionofessaysbythePulitzerPrize‐winningpoetandcounter‐culturehero,theguywhointroducedJackKerouacandtheBeatgenerationtoZenBuddhism
BarryLopez:ArcticDreams:ImaginationandDesireinaNorthernLandscape—bytheguywhowrotethewolfbook
BillBryson:AWalkintheWoods—ahumoristhikingtheAppalachianTrail
BruceChatwin:TheSonglines—theresultofhistravelsamongtheAustralianAborigines
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RobertTonkinson:TheMarduAborigines—anaccountoftraditionallifeinAustralia’swesterndesert
EricHansen:StrangerintheForest:OnFootacrossBorneo—anaccountofhistravelswithindigenoushunter‐gatherersinthefast‐disappearingrainforestofthisislandoffthesouth‐eastcorneroftheAsianlandmass
JonKrakauer:IntoThinAir—riskinglife,limbandyourbraincells,nottomentionmaybeyournoseandtoes,onMt.Everest
ErnestCallenbach:Ecotopia—anovelenvisioninganecologicallysustainablefuturewhileclingingtosomedatedsocialmores
DaveForeman:Ecodefense:AFieldGuidetoMonkeywrenching—howtoengageinecosabotage
Andfinally,foranythoseinterestedinartandarthistory,perhapsananalysisofJ.M.W.Turner’slandscapesandseascapes;thepaintingsoftheHudsonRiverSchool;thephotographyofAnselAdams;ortheenvironmentalsculpturesofAndyGoldsworthy.
Ifthereissomeotherworkonwhichyouwouldliketowriteareport,youarewelcometosuggestittome;Ilookforwardtoyoursuggestions.
OutlineofCourseandReadingScheduleReadingslistedaretobereadforthatclassperiod.IfthereadingislistedunderSeptember14th,itistobereadpriortotheSeptember14thsessionofclass.Thescheduleandproceduresforthiscoursearesubjecttochangeintheeventofextenuatingcircumstances;changeswillbeannouncedinclass.Eachclasswillconsistoflectureandorganizedgroupdiscussionofthetext.March27th IntroductionPart1:SurveyingtheFieldofEnvironmentalEthicsMarch29th Palmer,pp.15‐35(EnvironmentalEthics=EE) Watchdocumentariesbeforeclass(linksalsoonD2L).
http://youtu.be/LUyUqoMH7‐A http://vimeo.com/24340880 April3rd Leopold,pp.1‐47April5th Leopold,pp.47‐94 April10th Leopold,pp.95‐164April12th Leopold,pp.165‐226 April17th Singer,pp.55‐64(EE),Regan,p.65‐73(EE)April19th Taylor,pp.74‐84(EE);Katz,pp.85‐94(EE)April24th Varner,pp.95‐113(EE);Cahen,pp.114‐128(EE)April26th Simondon,pp.31‐88(trytoreadtheintroductionaswell)May1st Rolston,pp.143‐153(EE);Stone,pp.193‐202(EE);Callicott,pp.
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203‐219(EE)May3rd Light,pp.229‐248(EE);Fox,pp.252‐261(EE);Naess,pp.262‐
274(EE)May8th Test#1(takehome),NoClassMay10th NoClassMay15th GaardandGruen,pp.276‐293(EE);WarranandCheney,pp.294‐
305(EE);Bookchin(pdfonD2L)May17th Rolston,pp.451‐462(EE);Hartley,pp.478‐486(EE);Barry,pp.
487‐499(EE)May22nd Morton,pp.1‐58 May24th Morton,pp.59‐97May29th Morton,pp.98‐135May31st Test#2
