Professor Judy Pelham
pelham@yorku.ca

Office Hours:
Professor Pelham intends to hold weekly office hours at S 440 Ross. They will probably be on Wednesdays or Thursdays. The exact time will be announced during the first class.

This course is an introduction to the field of environmental ethics in Western philosophy.  We address the question, “How have we, and how should we human beings relate to our physical environment?”  What philosophical assumptions underlie our relationships to our environment? How should we value the living Earth?

This course uses some basic elements of ethics, and discusses how Western theories have been used and interpreted in the context of our natural and human-made environments. Are we obliged to see animals and plants as property, or as moral patients? If we accept that we are stewards of nature and the Earth, there are still many questions concerning this responsibility. Do we care for the Earth on behalf of future generations? Do non-human animals have an intrinsic value that has not been recognized?  Should we stress the value of wild spaces at the expense of human population or human luxury?  Some believe that the interrelatedness of biological systems is crucial to human development and survival, how can we preserve and learn from these systems? These are some of the questions this course will examine in readings, lectures, videos and class discussion.

Technical requirements for taking the course:

Students should expect to make use of our course website on eClass.  It is based on Moodle.

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.]

Clowney, David and Patricia Mosto (eds.) Earthcare: an Anthology in Environmental Ethics. Rowan & Littlefield Publishers. 2009.

Student Questions submitted on readings before class: 15%

Student Participation in discussion:                                 15%

Critical Assessment Paper:                                              30%

Final Paper:                                                                      40%

This is a third year seminar course intended for those who have taken at least one course in philosophy.  Students will complete weekly readings which will be discussed in class. There is a textbook, and any additional readings will be available on the course website. A field trip is a possibility.

1. Understand how early ethical theories were anthropocentric, and how they influenced our understanding of the environment.
2. Understand distinct contemporary ways of valuing the biological environment and ecosystems, and understand the arguments underlying them.
3. Discuss the application of environmental theories in terms of actions to be taken concerning environmental problems/issues.
4. Identify aspects of environmental issues that arise from social structures, and contrast these with ones that are a result of individual actions or choices.
5. Reflect on their own relationship and understanding of their environment, locally and more broadly.
6. Construct an argument that presents their own environmental views, and defends them in philosophical terms.

Additional Information:

Discussion of the syllabus will take place and be finalized during the first class