Our Environment & Us

Catalog description

This course approaches the topic of environmental ethics from a biology perspective. We will discuss the specific environmental consequences of human behavior as well as their potential ethical implications. It is largely a readings and writings class, although some lecture material will be presented, and assigned readings and thoughtful written responses will constitute a significant portion of the coursework. The class is divided into four units. In the first unit, we will explore concepts related to the value of the natural world: anthropocentrism, instrumental and intrinsic value, moral importance of species, environmental stewardship, and ecological sabotage. The second unit will delve into the ethics involved in our interaction with animals: animal moral worth, well-being, and the morality of animal use in research, meat consumption, factory farming, and animal captivity for conservation and education. The third unit centers on climate change topics: the grave complexity of biological consequences, strategies such as the polluter-pays approach, personal responsibility, indigenous viewpoints, technological solutions, and rejection of climate science. In the last unit, we will cover issues related to future human generations: ethical considerations of having kids, excess consumption, population growth, and what is the moral value of unborn generations.