PHIL C113: Environmental Ethics: Philosophical Approaches to Sustainability

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Top Code	150900 - Philosophy
Units	3 Total Units
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)	Area 3B Humanities (CC2)
Global Society Requirement (CGLB)	Yes
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 3B Humanities (3B)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 3B Humanities (3B)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)	CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

A philosophical course focusing upon global environmental issues such as scarcity of resources, world hunger, animal welfare, conservation, and preservation. ADVISORY: A course taught at the level of Preparation for College Composition or appropriate English placement. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Demonstrate an ability to explain, critically evaluate, and apply philosophical arguments and theories regarding animal rights, pollution, resource management, sustainability, ecosystems and biodiversity, fair distribution of burdens and responsibilities among resource users, and population concerns.
Choose and apply a philosophical method for treating and analyzing environmental issues, and generate arguments to defend an environmental position.

Course Objectives

1. Analyze ethical issues such as balancing human need/desires with the well-being of non-human animals.
2. Identify instances of ?the tragedy of the commons? and analyze how instances of this can affect the outcome of environmental policy.
3. Evaluate arguments concerning whether or not the environment can have intrinsic value.
4. Assess critically alternative approaches to, and defenses of, a code of responsibility to nature.

Lecture Content

The Nature of Philosophy and Philosophical Problems Critical thinking and philosophy Systematic and creative problem-solving Methodologies Communication and dialogue Respectful disagreements and argumentation Comparing assumptions and paradigms Writing papers and justifying beliefs The 3T method Avoiding fallacies Presenting philosophy through multimedia and Internet technologies PowerPoint Primer Multimedia overview Brief overview of history of philosophy Basic chronology Ecological issues in Greek philosophy Ecological issues in medieval philosophy Ecological issues in modern philosophy Contemporary ecophilosophical thinking Defining the problems Domination of nature Stewardship Sustainable relationship to nature Ethics of survival The place of technology Economic growth Treatment of other life forms Philosophical Ecology Contrasting World Views American Indian paradigms Buddhism Other religious paradigms The Ecoself Ecofeminism The nature of the self What is a self and what does it mean to be a person? The Deep Self Deep ecology The relationship between self and the world of nature Thoreau, Walden, and transcendentalism Scientific Views The Earth as a system Systems theory Global Issues Animal Treatment Ethical issues Food issues Endangered species Ozone layer and ultraviolet radiation Problems Predictions Agricultural practices Agribusiness Farming methods-pesticides Resources Water Fossil fuels Food Population Philosophical Perspectives, Paradigms and Projects Critical thinking towards a solution Define the problem/concept clarification Get the facts/fact-claim verification Present a position/argument inference validation

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

Lecture, PowerPoints, discussion and debate, video, written feedback, and potentially fieldtrips, games, and simulations.

Reading Assignments

Reading assignments will typically consist of book chapters and additional assigned articles.

Writing Assignments

Students will be required to write at least one essay in which they will present an extended philosophical argument for a position regarding the environment. This essay will require at least some research. Libraries are a good tool for this research, and students are encouraged to make use of them. Online resources are also acceptable.

Out-of-class Assignments

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking will be demonstrated through answering questions on objective tests, written work, and in-class work.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Students will demonstrate their writing and problem solving abilities by producing an essay containing an extended, cogent, philosophical argument for or against a particular environmental position.

Eligible Disciplines

Philosophy: Master's degree in philosophy OR bachelor's degree in philosophy AND master's degree in humanities or religious studies, OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Pojman, Louis. Environmental Ethics: Readings in Theory and Application, 6th ed. Cengage Learning, 2011 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 2. Required Boylan, M. Environmental Ethics, 2nd ed. Wiley & Sons, 2013 3. Required Holmes, R. A New Environmental Ethics: The Next Millennium for Life on Earth, ed. Routledge, 2012 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 4. Required Schmidtz, D.; Willott, E. Environmental Ethics: What Really Matters. What Really Works., 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2011 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 5. Required Pojman, P.; Pojman, L. Environmental Ethics: Readings in Theory and Application, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2012 Rationale: - Legacy Textbook Transfer Data: Legacy text 6. Required Dunn, G. Avatar and Philosophy, ed. Blackwell, 2014

Other Resources

1. Coastline Library

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