In an era when environmental degradation has led to global warming, and natural resources are being rapidly depleted, the question of how humans ought to relate to Nature is increasingly a pressing one. This module will provide a survey of some standard accounts which offer an answer to this question. We will examine the issue of whether only humans are entitled to moral consideration, or whether there should be other objects deserving of such consideration. We also explore how our attitude towards the natural world is shaped by what we take to be morally considerable.
Assessment
One long term paper (25%), one short paper (15%), class participation (10%) and an open book final examination (50%).
References
Basic readings from:
Joseph Desjardins, Environmental Ethics - An Introduction to Environmental Philosophy, 2nd ed. (Wadsworth 1997)
Michael E. Zimmerman. J. Baird Callicott, John Clark and Karen J. Warren (eds.), Environmental Philosophy – From Animal Rights to Radical Ecology (Prentice-Hall 1993)
David Schmidtz and Elisabeth Willott (eds.), Environmental Ethics: What Really Matters, What Really Works (Oxford University Press 2001)
Further suggested readings on specific topics will be made available in the course of the term.
