Environmental Ethics

AY2017/2018 Semester 2

This course examines ethical issues raised by ecological problems and environment-related concerns in today?s world, with a focus on rethinking the relationship between human beings and nature. The course will introduce philosophical theories and religious reflections about nature, from different perspectives, including non-Western as well as Western. It will investigate various inter-related questions ranging from the ethical to the metaphysical?for instance ?Do we have an obligation to natural objects??; ?If there should be an environmental ethics, what kind of ethics should it be??; etc. Through this course students will learn various concepts and theories on the subject; they will develop an ability to carry out philosophical inquiry and to independently think through a variety of moral issues. Students will have opportunities to develop and express their own views on these issues. They will also have opportunities to rethink, revise, or reinforce their views.