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PHIL 3140/ENVS 3140: Environmental Ethics
Spring 2014 MWF 8:00-8:50am, MUEN E064
Syllabus
Instructor
Chad Vance Office Hours: MW, 12:45-2:15pm
[email protected] Buchanan’s Coffee (on the hill)
What Is This Class About?
This is an ethics course, designed to give you a basic understanding of morality,
and moral issues, specifically within an environmental context. At the same time,
more generally, this course should give you some of the tools that you will need
in order to think critically, be rational, better argue for what you believe, and
investigate the question of how to live morally. The course has three units:
First Unit: Moral Duty and Sentient Life. We will begin by investigating the
nature of morality in general, and ask: Are there such things as good, bad, right,
and wrong? If so, do we decide them for ourselves, or are they already decided
for us? Is morality simply about producing the best consequences, or can an
action be morally wrong even if it has a good outcome? We will then examine
two specific issues regarding our duty to end suffering in the world, which have a
large-scale environmental impact; namely, famine relief and animal use. Do we
have a moral obligation to prevent famine? Is it morally permissible to eat meat?
Second Unit: Moral Duty and Non-Sentient Life. Suffering aside, how should
we treat the environment itself? For instance, do trees have moral worth? Or
landscapes? Or ecosystems? Is biodiversity intrinsically valuable? Does nature
inherent aesthetic worth? Is environmental degradation a symptom of other
forms of discrimination and oppression?
Third Unit: The Ethics of Climate Change. In the final unit, we will ask what our
moral obligations are with respect to climate change. For instance, what are my
obligations at the personal level? At the global level? How ought we to distribute
the burden of mitigating climate change? Is it immoral to have children? Do the
interests of future generations matter as much, morally, as those of present
people? Which methods of mitigating climate change are morally permissible?
Required Texts
Climate Matters: Ethics in a Warming World, by John Broome (2012), W.W.
Norton and Company. ISBN: 978-0393063363
Required readings not found in our textbook will be posted under “Assigned
Readings” as .pdf files on the course website, here:
http://rintintin.colorado.edu/~vancecd/phil3140/phil3140.html
Course Requirements
1. Exams (35%). You will take a mid-term exam (15%) and a final exam (20%).
2. Papers (30%). You will write two papers. The first (10%) will be a short diagnostic
paper, 600-900 words (i.e., 2 - 3 pages), and the second (20%) will be a longer paper,
1200-1800 words in length (i.e., 4 - 6 pages). Topics and more info: TBA.
3. Class Debate (10%). You will participate in an in-class debate. More info: TBA.
4. Quizzes (10%). You will take a total of 11 short reading quizzes. Your lowest quiz score
will be dropped; i.e., your 10 best scores will constitute your quiz grade (1% each).
5. Environmental Change Project (5%). You will make one change to your personal
life which positively affects your relationship to the environment, and then write a report
about your experience. More info: TBA.
6. Participation (10%). A portion of your grade will depend on your ability to come to
class (on time and prepared), participate in class discussion, and refrain from being
disruptive, falling asleep, sending text messages, or surfing the internet.
Course Policies Academic Integrity
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the
academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of
academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic
misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council ([email protected]; 303-725-2273). More
information on the Honor Code can be found at: honorcode.colorado.edu/about-honor-code/definitions
NOTE: Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both
academic sanctions from the faculty member (i.e., you will automatically receive an F for the course) as
well as non-academic sanctions (e.g., academic probation, suspension, or expulsion).
Disability Services
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability
Services in a timely manner so that your needs be addressed. Disability Services determines
accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and
colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
Religious Observances
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and
fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams,
assignments, or required attendance. Please let me know well in advance about any such conflicts, so we
can resolve them. For more information, see colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.
Classroom Behavior
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those
who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. See policies at
colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html.
Discrimination and Harassment
The University of Colorado at Boulder policies on Discrimination and Harassment, Sexual Harassment and
Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff, and faculty. Any student, staff, or faculty member who
believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin,
sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, or
veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the
Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the campus resources available to assist
individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at colorado.edu/odh.
Course Schedule
Below is a schedule of the topics that we will cover, along with which reading(s)
you should complete for each class meeting. There are page numbers next to
the readings found in our textbook. Readings not found in the text are marked:
(pdf). Please note the paper due dates, debate days, and exam dates in bold.
Unit One Moral Duty and Sentient Life Week 1
Mon 1/13 Intro/Syllabus/Arguments No readings
Wed 1/15 Ethical Relativism & Nihilism Dupre, “Relativism” (pdf)
Rachels, “The Challenge of Cultural Relativism” (pdf)
Fri 1/17 Utilitarianism Dupre, “Utilitarianism” (pdf)
Rachels, “Debate Over Utilitarianism” (pdf)
Week 2
Wed 1/22 Utilitarianism No new readings
Fri 1/24 Deontology
DUE: Project Proposal
Dupre, “Kantian Ethics” (pdf)
Dupre, “Prima Facie Duties” (pdf)
Week 3
Mon 1/27 Deontology No new readings
Wed 1/29 DEBATE #1: Famine Relief No new readings
Fri 1/31 Famine Singer, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” (pdf)
Week 4
Mon 2/3 Famine Hardin, “Lifeboat Ethics” (pdf)
Patton, “Game-Preserve Ethics” (pdf)
Wed 2/5 Famine Pogge, “Responsibilities for Poverty-Related Ill
Health” (pdf)
Fri 2/7 Overpopulation Parfit, “Overpopulation & the Quality of Life” (pdf)
Week 5
Mon 2/10 Overpopulation No new readings
Wed 2/12 DEBATE #2: Animal Rights No new readings
Fri 2/14 Animal Rights Singer, “All Animals Are Equal” (pdf)
Regan, “The Case for Animal Rights” (pdf)
Week 6
Mon 2/17 Animal Rights Warren, “Difficulties With the Strong Animal Rights
Position” (pdf)
Cohen, “The Case for the Use of Animals …” (pdf)
Wed 2/19 Animal Rights Anderson, “Animal Rights and the Values of Non-
Human Life” (pdf)
Fri 2/21 Animal Rights Norcross, “Puppies, Pigs, and People” (pdf)
Week 7
Mon 2/24 Animal Rights No new readings
Wed 2/26 Review: Unit One Exam No new readings
Fri 2/28 UNIT ONE EXAM No new readings
Unit Two Moral Duty and Non-Sentient Life Week 8
Mon 3/3 Biocentrism Taylor, “The Ethics of Respect for Nature” (pdf)
Wed 3/5 Biocentrism Schmidtz, “Are All Species Equal?” (pdf)
Fri 3/7 Ecofeminism
DUE: Paper #1
Gaard & Gruen, “Ecofeminism: Toward Global
Justice and Planetary Health” (pdf)
Week 9
Mon 3/10 Ecofeminism No new readings
Wed 3/12 Ecocentrism Leopold, “The Land Ethic” (pdf)
Fri 3/14 Against ‘Nature’ Vogel, “Why Nature Has No Place in Environmental
Ethics” (pdf)
Week 10
Mon 3/17 The Value of Biodiversity Russow, “Why Do Species Matter?” (pdf)
Wed 3/19 The Value of Biodiversity Sober, “Philosophical Problems for
Environmentalism” (pdf)
Fri 3/21 No new topics
DUE: Progress Report No new readings
Spring Break
3/24 – 3/28 Spring Break No readings
Unit Three The Ethics of Climate Change Week 11
Mon 3/31 Intro to Climate Change Broome, Chapters 1-2: “Introduction” & “Science”
Gardiner, “The Problem of Political Inertia” (pdf)
Wed 4/2 Uncertainty Broome, Chapter 7: “Uncertainty”
Fri 4/4 The Present vs. The Future Broome, “Democracy” (ch. 6: 105-112)
Broome, Chapter 8: “The Future vs. the Present”
(skip the sections on pgs. 144-147 & 153-155)
Week 12
Mon 4/7 Individual Responsibility Sinnott-Armstrong, “It’s Not My Fault: Global
Warming & Individual Moral Obligations” (pdf)
Wed 4/9 Individual Responsibility Broome, Chapter 4: “Justice and Fairness” (read
only pgs. 49-59) & Chapter 5: “Private Morality”
Fri 4/11 Individual Responsibility Jamieson, “Respect for Nature” (pdf)
Week 13
Mon 4/14 Procreation Young, “Overconsumption and Procreation: Are
They Morally Equivalent?” (pdf)
Wed 4/16 Future Generations Broome, “Who Suffers the Injustice?” (ch. 4: 59-64)
Parfit, “The Non-Identity Problem” (pdf)
Fri 4/18 No new topics No new readings
Week 14
Mon 4/21 Group Responsibility Singer, “One Atmosphere” (pdf)
Wed 4/23 Group Responsibility
Traxler, “Fair Chore Division for Climate Change”
(pdf)
Gardiner, “Ethics and Global Climate Change”
excerpt, sections VI-VII (pdf)
Fri 4/25 No new topics
DUE: PAPER #2 No new readings
Week 15
Mon 4/28 Geo-Engineering Gardiner, “Is Arming the Future With
Geoengineering Really the Lesser Evil?” (pdf)
Wed 4/30 No new topics No new readings
Fri 5/2 Review: Final Exam
DUE: Project Report No new readings
Thurs 5/8 Final Exam 10:30am – 1:30pm