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Humanity faces threatening environmental problems, not least climate change. Can science, technology and free markets provide the solutions - or must we reconsider our values and priorities? Is nature inherently valuable? What should be protected for future generations? Do we have moral duties to non-human animals, including endangered species? PHIL249 examines recent philosophical responses to these and other questions in environmental ethics. This course is for students in Arts, Science, Engineering, Business and Law; no background in philosophy is required.
Our present environmental problems are at a crisis point. Yet we have seen this catastrophe coming for over half a century, so why do humans knowingly continue on such a destructive pathway? So far economic solutions, scientific progress and technological advances have failed to change our present self-induced trajectory. Climate change continues to accelerate and biodiversity continues to be lost at an alarming rate. The next generation will be facing ever more challenging problems, which we cannot yet imagine. We need a new and creative way to approach these challenges. We need to re-examine the values we hold as a society and as individuals, and challenge the existing values of our present dominant cultural paradigm. What can Indigenous cultures teach us about creating new paradigms for the future? Should whales have personhood status? Do trees have rights? PHIL249 will look at ethical questions like these, consider past and present issues in environmental ethics, and develop the philosophical problem solving skills needed for a sustainable and biodiverse future. Not only is philosophy one of the most interesting and challenging subjects, it teaches skills that employers want: thinking outside the box, logic, ethics, and excellent writing and communication skills. At UC you can do either a BA or a BSc in Philosophy, or combine a Philosophy major with the LLB, BCom, or another degree.BA or BSc students who major in philosophy must normally take at least two 100-level PHIL courses, plus at least three 200-level PHIL courses (including PHIL233), plus at least 60-points from 300-level PHIL courses (including at least one course from this list: PHIL305; PHIL310; PHIL311; and PHIL317). For more information see the BA regulations and/or the BSc regulations.
In this course students will:become more critically aware of the environment, and able to independently identify environmental problems.be able to identify dominant cultural paradigms, recognise implicit ethical claims that underpin these paradigms, and be able to critically analyse those ethical claims. use a bicultural perspective to help construct creative and constructive solutions to environmental problems from a position of global citizenship. develop multi-literacy by evaluating and constructing arguments in oral, written and media forms around issues in environmental ethics
15 points in PHIL or 30 points in any subject/s. RP: 15 points of 100 level Philosophy, or30 points or more of humanities, social science, science, engineering, economics, orcommerce studies and an interest in reflective critical debate.
15 points of 100 level Philosophy, or 30 points or more of humanities, social science, science, engineering, economics, or commerce studies and an interest in reflective critical debate.
For further information see Humanities Head of Department
The text book for this course is “Environmental Ethics Today” by Peter S. Wenz. Oxford University Press, 2001.
Library portal Philosophy Essay Writing Guide (available to all enrolled Philosophy students)
Domestic fee $717.00
International fee $2,913.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Humanities .