ATS2871 - Environmental ethics - 2018

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Arts

Organisational Unit

Philosophy

Chief examiner(s)

Professor Robert Sparrow

Coordinator(s)

Professor Robert Sparrow

Unit guides

Offered

Clayton

  • First semester 2018 (On-campus)

Prerequisites

Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.

Prohibitions

ATS3871, AZA2871, AZA3871

Synopsis

Ethical issues which are raised by the environmental crisis stretch the traditional philosophical concepts, to breaking point. This has led to calls for a completely new ethic based on environmental values and a non-anthropocentric world view. The subject examines a number of such proposals and the moral concepts they introduce: in particular, animal rights, the intrinsic value of nature and eco-centric notions of value. Various ethical dilemmas which arise in relation to our treatment of animals and the environment, the value of wilderness, population growth and the ethical responsibilities that come with globalization will be discussed.

Outcomes

Students successfully completing this subject should have a good understanding of the ethical issues raised by environmentalism and by the ethical limits placed on human behaviour by our environment.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 50% + Exam: 50%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study