Ethics of Sustainability

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course introduces philosophical ethics through an engagement with sustainability issues, which are at the intersection of environmentalism, social justice, and economic equality. We will cover issues such as the value of the environment, non-human animal welfare, food ethics, environmental justice, sustainable economy, and human-made global climate change. There are two central goals of this course. First, to engage students into ethical reflection regarding environmental and sustainability issues, and how these issues intersect with their lives and local communities. Second, to provide students with a sophisticated conceptual vocabulary to evaluate and generate ethical arguments both in general and applied to specific situations. This course will be heavily based on student participation, with an emphasis on class discussions. Students will also develop specific projects targeted to apply the conceptual tools presented in the course to specific issues salient in the local community. No prior experience with philosophy or environmental science is required.