Introduction to Ethics and The Environment (phi 112e-Ol)Spring 2015

MlWIF 9:10-10:00Education #214

Professor Pat BurkeOffice: DHC 106; Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2:00-3:30 p.m. or by Appt.Email: Patrick.Burke@mso.umt.edu; Telephone: 406-529-6130

In this course we examine the three great western ethical traditions:Deontological (Kantian) ethics, Utilitarianism and Virtue ethics and theways in which they influence our thinking about how we should act andwhat constitutes the good life. However, our focus will be on the ways inwhich these traditions understand the more-than-human natural world andwhat ethical obligations we have towards it. In particular, we will discussenvironmental ethics as it has developed over the past fifty years and seehow it has expanded upon and sometimes radically departed from thetraditional ways ethics has been understood. We will explore some of themajor practical issues that environmental ethics attempts to address with aparticular emphasis on the ethical challenges associated with global climatechange and species extinction. We will ask which (if any) of the variousapproaches to environmental ethics gives an adequate account of ourresponsibility to act in the face of these impending environmentalcatastrophes.

Texts:Rolston, Holmes. A New Environmental Ethics: The Next Millennium for Life on Earth.(20 12 Routledge). 244 pp.

Kolbert, Elizabeth. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History. (2014 Henry Holt).319 pp.

Readings on Course MoodIe Site:Selections from:Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, Translated by Martin Ostwald. (1962 Macmillan/Libraryof Liberal Arts). 316 pp.

Kant, Immanuel. Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals. Translated by Lewis WhiteBeck. (1997 Macmillan! Library of Liberal Arts). 128 pp.

Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism, (2001 Hackett Publishing), 63 pp.

Other articles as assigned

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Requirements:There will be Eleven 20-minute Quizzes on Fridays. The first quiz will be on Friday,February 6th. Each quiz will cover the prior 1-2 weeks oflecture and reading materialand consist of: (A) three questions that test your basic understanding of the coursecontent and are to be answered with brief responses of approximately 30 words each; (B)a quotation from the readings which you are to carefully read and then identify thephilosophical point that is being made in the quotation. Your answer should again beabout 30 words in length; (C) An essay question that asks for your thoughtful response of150-200 words to an ethical issue. The answers to the three questions in (A) will togetherbe given a single letter grade. The answer to (B) will be graded either "P" (passing) or"U" (unsatisfactory). The answer to (C) will be graded "P", "U", or "E" (excellent). A"P" will raise the grade for part (A) by one step (e.g. B to B+); a "U" will lower it by onestep (e.g. B to B-); an "E" will raise it by two steps (e.g. B to A-). The tests will bereturned on the following Wednesday and you will be expected to pick them up on thatday. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped and not be counted toward your final grade.

The final exam will be on, Tuesday, May 12th 10:00-12:00 a.m .. The [mal exam willinclude 9 course content questions drawn from previous weekly quizzes and 3 coursecontent questions from the [mal two weeks of classes.

The weekly quizzes, paper, [mal exam and attendance will be weighted as follows: 10weekly quizzes = 65%; final exam = 25%; attendance = 10%. There will be no make-upsfor missed quizzes without (1) a written excuse from your physician/health center; (2)documented official university business, or (3) real hardship.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is representing another's work as one's own, a serious violationof academic integrity. Please review the University's plagiarism definition and policy inthe catalog; "Students who plagiarize may fail the course and may be remanded toAcademic Court for possible suspension or expulsion." If you have any doubts aboutplagiarism and attribution of others' work, please consult your Instructor.

Students with Disabilities: The University of Montana assures equal access toinstruction through collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, andDisability Services for Students [DSS]. If you think you may have a disability adverselyaffecting your academic performance, and you have not already registered with DSS,please contact DSS in Lommasson 154. (406) 243-2243.

Attendance: Five (5) unexcused absences (i.e. absences without a written note fromdoctor; evidence of official university business or serious hardship) will result in anautomatic "F"

UNo electronic devices (cellphones, ipods, laptops etc.) in the classroom without myprior approval. I will ask you to leave the classroom if you are using an unapproveddevice during class

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Course Schedule

This schedule is only approximate and may change depending on class discussion of thereadings and their application to contemporary issues. I will update you in classregarding changes to the schedule. It is your responsibility to know of any revisions tothe schedule.

Week 1 (January 26, 28,30) Introduction and Rolston: Preface, Chapter 1

Week 2 (February 2,4,6) Rolston: Chapter 2; White: Historical Roots of our EcologicalCrisis; Rachel: Cultural Relativism (Moodle).

Week 3 (February 9, 11, 13) Rolston: Chapter 3; Kolbert: Chapter 1; Aristotle Selections(Moodle)

Week 4 (February 16-President's Day, 18,20) Kolbert: Chapters 2, 3

Week 5 (February 23, 25, 27) Rolston: Chapter 4; Kolbert: Chapter 4

Week 6 (March 2,4,6) Kant: Selections (MoodIe); Kolbert: Chapter 5

Week 7 (March 9, 11, 13) Rolston: Chapter 5; Kolbert: Chapters 6, 7

Week 8 (March 16, 18,20) Rolston: Chapter 6; Leopold, The Land Ethic (Moodle) andTurner, The Abstract Wild (MoodIe)

Week 9 (March 23,25,27) Mill Selections (MoodIe) and Kolbert: Chapters 8, 9

Weeks 10 (March 30, April 1, 3) SPRING BREAK!

Week 11 (April 6, 8, 10) Kolbert: Chapters 10, 11

Week 12 (April 13, 15, 17) Rolston: Chapter 7

Week 13 (April 20, 22, 24) McKibben, Global Warming's Terrifying New Math(Moodle) and Gardiner, The Perfect Moral Storm (Moodle)

Week 14 (April 27, 29, May 1) Abram (MoodIe) and Borgmann (MoodIe)

Week 15 (May 4,6,8)

FINAL EXAM: TUESDAY, MAY 12TH10-12:00 A.M.

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