PHL 251 - Environmental Ethics

Credits: 3
Instructional Contact Hours: 3

Introduces ethical theories, and focuses on the application of those theories to our relationships with nonhuman animals, with the natural environment, and with future generations. Special emphasis on our individual and collective moral responsibilities, and topics may include industrial agriculture and meat production, the depletion of resources, pollution, species extinction, climate change, sustainability, mass consumption, environmental justice, and the place of humans in the natural world.

Prerequisite(s): High school GPA of 3.0 or higher within the last 10 years, OR ENG 111, ENG 111A, or ENG 111C with a grade of "C" or higher, OR instructor permission.
Corequisite(s): None
Lecture Hours: 45 Lab Hours: 0
Meets MTA Requirement: Humanities
Pass/NoCredit: Yes

Outcomes and Objectives

Demonstrate an understanding of leading ethical theories.

Explain the central elements of some important ethical theories, such as those from Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Rawls, or others.
Distinguish the priorities, methods, and justifications of each of the theories studied.
Explain the main arguments for and against the ethical theories studied.

Read, understand, and evaluate ethical texts.

Read and understand texts written by philosophers and others who address ethical questions, problems, or issues related to the environment.
Identify and assess strengths and weaknesses of the text's main arguments and conclusions.

3. Comparatively evaluate texts that take different positions on the same issues, in order to reach conclusions about the main points of disagreement.

Demonstrate an understanding of leading environmental issues and challenges.
Explain relevant empirical information and data necessary to understand environmental issues and challenges, such as species extinction and climate change.
State how descriptive and explanatory statements differ from value judgements.
Articulate and recognize the distinction between peer-reviewed and empirically-verifiable environmental science on the one hand, and pseudoscience and conspiracy theories on the other hand.

4. Apply ethical theories to leading environmental questions, issues, and challenges.

Explain how ethical principles and theories do or do not apply to specific environmental questions, issues, and challenges.
Clarify how ethical theories illuminate and arrive at conclusions about environmental questions, issues, and challenges.
Describe the relevant similarities and differences between competing ethical theories’ conclusions about environmental questions, issues, and challenges.
Evaluate the strength and weaknesses of competing ethical theories’ conclusions about environmental questions, issues, and challenges.

5. Develop the ability to construct and defend a personal ethical analysis, orally and in writing.

Identify and distinguish common errors in reasoning such as logical fallacies.
Construct personal analyses of ethical cases, questions, issues, and challenges related to the environment.
Support the conclusions reached by incorporating relevant ethical values, principles, and theories.
Anticipate objections and offer reasonable replies to the objections.