MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

PHI216  2005 Spring – 2010 Fall

Environmental Ethics

1.

Identify and explain ethical theories used to establish arguments related to global environmental moral issues. (I, II)

2.

Apply ethical theories and moral principles to global environmental moral issues. (III)

3.

Compose oral and written discourse that defends an ethical position on global environmental moral issues. (I, II, III)

4.

Analyze and critique ethical arguments related to global environmental moral issues. (I, II, III)

MCCCD Official Course Outline:

PHI216  2005 Spring – 2010 Fall

Environmental Ethics

I. Ethical Theories

A. Virtue ethics: Aristotle

B. Deontology: Kant and Ross

C. Utilitarianism: Act and rule utilitarianism

D. Moral relativism

1. Individual relativism (subjectivism)

2. Cultural relativism (conventionalism)

II. Ethical Theories and Global Perspectives on the Environment

A. Western religious perspective

1. Judaism

2. Christianity

3. Islam

4. American Indian

B. Eastern religious perspectives

1. Buddhism

2. Hinduism

C. Anthropocentrism/species-ism

D. Holism: the land ethic

E. Deep ecology

F. Eco-feminism

III. Application of Ethical Theories to Global Environmental Issues

A. Animal rights a global perspective

1. Vegetarianism

2. Hunting for sport, furs, and zoos

3. Animal experimentation

B. Preservation of global resources

1. Wilderness

2. Species

3. Sustainability

4. Biodiversity

C. World population, poverty, and world hunger

D. Global pollution

1. Air: The greenhouse effect and ozone depletion

2. Water: Pesticides and hazardous waste

E. Multi-national corporations and corporate responsibility for the global environment