Effective:	Spring 2002
Course Number: *	Philsphy 248
Course Title:	Environmental Ethics
15 Character Abbreviation:	Environ. Ethics
25 Character Abbreviation:	Environmental Ethics

 

Sponsor: David E. Cartwright	E-mail Address: Cartwrid@uwwvax.uww.edu
Department:Philosophy & Religious Studies	College: Letters and Sciences
Co-sponsor:	E-mail Address:
Department:	College:

Other Programs Affected: Liberal Studies Major, Environmental Studies Minor

Check if course is to meet any of the following requirements:

__ None __ Writing __ Computer __ Diversity     X    General Ed: Area Humanities

Credit/Contact Hours: (per semester)
 

Total lab hours:	__0__		Total lecture hours:	_48__
Number of credits:	__3__		Total contact hours:	_48__

Check if course is repeatable: __X__ No ___ Yes If "Yes", answer the following questions:
 

No of times in major	________		No of credits in major	________
No of times in degree	________		No of credits in degree	________

Enter the appropriate titles if the course is required in any of the following:

Major Title(s):
Minor Title(s):
Emphasis Title(s):

Course justification:

It has been a long-standing goal of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies to offer courses in applied ethics, courses which explore moral issues and problems in specialized areas of human activity. Toward that end, we have developed, or helped develop, courses on Contemporary Moral Issues, Business Ethics, Military Ethics, and Bioethics. Environmental Ethics will be an important addition to the ethics component of the Philosophy Program, provide Liberal Studies majors with an alternative choice in the Ethics component of their degree, Environmental Studies minors with an elective, and General Education students with an elective course in the Humanities.

A.   As a General Education Option

By enabling students to evaluate various attempts to establish a moral basis for an environmental ethics, consider the question of the moral status of nonhuman animals, and critically reflect on various moral stances toward biodiversity and sustainable development, this course will help enable students "to think critically and analytically, integrate and synthesize knowledge, and draw conclusions from complex information "(Goal 1); "make sound ethical and value judgments based on the development of a personal value system" (Goal 3); and "acquire a base of knowledge common to educated persons, and the capacity to expand that base of knowledge over their lifetimes" (Goal 4). Since the course will focus on discussion of environmental moral issues, utilize essay exams, and require a critical paper, it will also allow students to develop further their abilities to "communicate effectively in written, oral, and symbolic form with an appreciation of the logical considerations in conveying ideas" (Goal 5).

Since the Liberal Studies Major expands upon, deepens, and enriches the General Education Program, it shares 8 of the 9 Goals of General Education and all of the Goals mentioned in A. above.

This course meets the subject matter objectives of the Philosophy minor by enabling students to "identify a major area in philosophy, its issues and problems" (Goal 1); it will allow students to "interpret different ethical theories" (Goal 3) by introducing them to various attempts to establish a value basis for an environmental ethics; and by considering how ethical questions arise regarding our relationship to nonhuman animals and the natural world, students will understand how "philosophical concerns arise from human experiences" (Goal 5).

This course meets the skills objectives of the Philosophy minor of having students "critically appraise philosophical arguments and theories" (Goal 2), "develop their own arguments and philosophical approach to philosophical questions" (Goal 3), and "communicate arguments and philosophical perspectives in oral and written form (Goal 4), by having students evaluate attempts to establish a value base for an environmental ethics, to assess solutions to problems in environmental ethics, and to reason to considered judgments on these problems in their essay exams, paper, and class discussion.

By familiarizing students with the moral dimensions of human interaction with the environment, this course will move students to "gain knowledge about aspects of present-day environmental issues," and it will aid student understanding of the "social influences on the environment and regulatory controls to protect both the environment and human health," by enabling students to understand the social implications of various moral perspectives on environmental issues. The course will also introduce students to "techniques currently being used to study environmental problems" by exposing them to the consideration of environmental problems and issues from a moral point of view.

This course does not require additional staffing. It will enter into the regular rotation of philosophy courses, being offered every other spring semester. In those semesters it will replace one section of 782-241 Introduction to Philosophy, reducing 782-241from 5 to 4 sections.

The library holdings supporting this course are adequate, and the department’s library allocation budget will be sufficient to supplement current holdings.

A critical examination of ethical issues and problems arising from human interaction with non-human animals and the natural environment. Topics, such as the moral status of non-human animals, the moral bases of an environmental ethics, biodiversity, and sustainable development, will be considered by examining the writing of philosophers representing various perspectives.

None

This course will enable students to

• Compare and evaluate various value bases for an environmental ethics namely, anthropocentrism, biocentrism, ecofeminism, deep ecology

• Compare and evaluate various perspectives on the moral status of non-human animals

• Compare and evaluate different moral stances concerning biodiversity and sustainable development

• Reason to considered judgments concerning issues and problems in environmental ethics

Week 1-

Ethical theory and applied ethics Moral reasoning (Electronic Reserve)

Methods for Evaluating Students

1. Essay midterm and final exam. Approximately 60% of grade.
2. Critical paper dealing with an issue raised in class. Approximately 30% of grade.
3. Participation in discussions. Approximately 10% of grade.

Michael Boylon (ed.), Environmental Ethics. Prentice Hall, 2001
Manual of Moral Reasoning. (Electronic Reserve)
Various Reserve Readings

VII. Bibliography (*indicates current library holding)

*Adams, Carol and Donovan, Josephine (eds). Animals and Women: Feminist Theoretical Explorations. Durham: Duke University Press, 1995.

*Baird, Robert and Rosenbaum, Stuart (eds). Animal Experimentation: The Moral Issues. Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 1991.

*Barbour, Ian. Western Man and Environmental Ethics: Attitudes Towards Nature and Technology. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1973.

*Bosmann, Herbert and Kellert, Stephan (eds). Ecology, Economics, Ethics: The Broken Circle. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1991.

*Callicott, J. Baird. Beyond the Land Ethic: More Essays in Environmental Philosophy. Computer file [GE40.C35], 1999.

*Companion to A Sand County Almanac. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1987.

*Dotto, Lydia. Ethical Choices and Global Greenhouse Warming. Waterloo, Canada: University Press for the Calgary Institute for the Humanities, 1993.

*Elliot, Robert (ed). Environmental Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.

*Engel, J. and Engel, Joan (eds). Ethics of Environment and Development: Global Challenge,

International Response. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1990.

*Foltz, Bruce. Inhabiting the Earth: Heidegger, Environmental Ethics and the Metaphysics of Nature. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, 1995.

*Garner, Robert. Animal Rights: The Challenging Debate. New York: New York Press, 1996.

Hardin, Garrett. Living within Limits: Ecology, Economics and Population Taboos. New York Oxford University Press, 1993.

Hargrove, Eugene (ed). The Animal Rights/Environmental Ethics Debate: The Environmental Perspective. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1993.

*Beyond Spaceship Earth: Environmental Ethics and the Solar System. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1986.

*Katz, Eric. Nature as Subject: Human Obligation and Natural Community. Lanham: Rowman &  Littlefield, 1997.

*Kolak, Erazim. Green Halo: A Bird’s-eye View of Ecological Ethics. Chicago: Open Court, 2000.

*Leahy, Michael. Against Liberation: Putting Animals in Perspective. New York: Routledge, 1991.

*Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac, with other Essays on Conservation from Round River.  New York: Oxford University Press, 1966.

*Maguire, Daniel. Ethics for a Small Plant: New Horizons on Population, Consumption, and Ecology. Computer file: [BT695.5. M34], 1998.

*Merchant, Carolyn. Radical Ecology: The Search for a Livable World. New York: Routledge, 1992.

Naess, Arne. Ecology, Community and Lifestyle: Outline for an Ecosophy. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

*Pluhar, Evelyn. Beyond Prejudice: The Moral Significance of Human and Nonhuman Animals.  Durham: Duke University Press, 1995.

Plumwood, Val. Feminism and the Mastery of Nature. New York: Routledge, 1993.

*Regan, Tom. The Case for Animal Rights. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1983.

*Roleff, Tamara. Rights of Animals. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999.

*Rolston III, Holmes. Environmental Ethics: Duties to and Values in The Natural World. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1988.

*Singer, Peter. Animal Liberation. New York: Random House, 1975.

*Sterba, James (ed). Earth Ethics: Environmental Ethics, Animal Rights, and Practical Applications.  Englewoods Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.

*(ed). Three Challenges to Ethics: Environmentalism, Feminism, and Multiculturalism.  New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

*Varner, Gary. In Nature’s Interest: Interests, Animal Rights, and Environmental Ethics. New York:  Oxford University Press, 1998.

*Warren, Mary Ann. Moral Status: Obligations to Persons and Other Living Things. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

*Wenz, Peter. Nature’s Keeper. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996.

*Westra, Laura and Werhane, Patricia (eds). Business of Consumption: Environmental Ethics and the

Global Economy. Lanham MD: Rowan and Littlefield, 1998.