ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS (PHI206)
Instructor: David Makinster
SPRING 2009, 2:00 – 3:15 T/Th, Greenfield Community College

Course Description (from the GCC catalogue) An examination of how philosophy has contributed to our thinking about environmental issues. The course surveys major influences in the development of environmental ethics including: the land ethic, biocentrism, deep ecology, eco-feminism, and social ecology. Applications to specific environmental issues allow students to clarify their own views and hone their critical thinking skills.

 Important! This syllabus is not a contract and may be changed without prior notice.

AGENDA

This course will introduce you to the methods and ideas philosophers use to investigate ethical issues concerning the environment. Topics include…

• What is an "ethical issue," as distinct from a political, legal or scientific issue?
• What kinds of reasoning and evidence can we use to better understand moral/ethical issues in an environmental context?
• How can we promote constructive dialogue between differing viewpoints and interests?
• How do avoid unfounded opinions, and make our opinions more reasonable or useful?

OBJECTIVES

1. You are expected to begin acquiring a "skill set," including the ability to identify and clarify ethical issues that pertain to environmental topics, to detect bad logic and specious evidence when they occur in moral argument, to give a fair hearing to alternative points of view, and to make a reasonable case for your own views.
2. You are expected to use your skills, as you continue to acquire and improve them, to investigate some major issues and perspectives presented in this class.
3. Your written work, exams, and class participation should demonstrate that you are making progress on items #1 and #2 above.

ASSIGNMENTS/GRADING

Needless to say, you will not be graded on what conclusions you draw. You will be graded on how reasonably you draw them, and how well you express them.

• A series of "take-home" essay questions over the assigned readings.
• One paper or project, due toward the end of the semester.
• A class presentation on your paper or project.
• A final exam, essay format, to be taken during the last scheduled class time.

Each take-home essay will be weighted equally. The paper/project and final exam will each be weighted as double the value of a take-home essay. I may raise your grade, at my discretion, because of improvement, regular attendance and quality participation, or an unusually outstanding performance on a particular assignment.

BASIC EXPECTATIONS

• You are responsible for knowing and abiding by all GCC requirements explained in your current Student Handbook.
• Plan to attend class regularly. If you must miss class, speak to me, preferably in advance, about making up the work. Undue, unexcused absence can lead to a grade of "F."  If you arrive after I have taken attendance, it is your responsibility to make sure I count you as present.
• Plan to submit work on time. If this is ever impossible, speak to me about it. Allowances can be made for legitimate reasons, but I reserve the right to penalize for lateness.
• Although substance is more important than style, if your work is illegible or otherwise unacceptable in form, you may be asked to resubmit it.
• I may, at my discretion, require an oral examination over some part of the material, for a particular student, if warranted by uneven or anomalous performance.
• If you choose to drop the course, you must do the required paperwork to avoid an "F."
• If you need to take an "I" for the course, you MUST discuss this with me before the end of the semester. Failure to do so may result in an "F" for the course.
• Cheating, including plagiarism, will result in an automatic "F"…FOR THE COURSE. Please refer to your GCC Student Handbook for more information on academic honesty/academic offences. The GCC Student Handbook defines plagiarism as follows: The college accepts the definition of plagiarism by the Modern Language Association as the “act of using another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source...” Other academic offenses consist of dishonesty, fraud, cheating, disruption of teaching or any other activity which adversely affects the academic process.”
• If you do not understand any part of these rules, or are unsure of your current status in relation to them, it is YOUR responsibility to ask me for clarification.
• If you have any special needs regarding health or learning, please let me know ASAP. Self-disclosure is voluntary, but would help me to address your needs.

BOOKS

These texts are required.

1. EARTH ETHICS: INTRODUCTORY READINGS ON ANIMAL RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS, edited by James Sterba (Prentice Hall)
2. PORTABLE THOREAU, Henry David Thoreau (Penguin Classics)
3. THE EARTH PATH, Starhawk (HarperSanFrancisco)

ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS

· No penalty will be applied for “excused” absences, when legitimate reasons for missing class are evident.  Legitimate reasons can typically include illness, court appearances, transportation mishaps, family crisis, abduction by space aliens, and cosmic apocalypse. I may request documentation.

· Unexcused absences will result in a deduction from your final grade at the rate of 0.25 grade points per absence.

· Arriving late will treated in the same way as an absence  - no penalty with a legitimate reason, possible penalty for unexcused tardiness with the penalty varying (at my discretion) based on how late you arrive. In general, you are better off coming late than not at all.

OTHER BASIC EXPECTATIONS

• This syllabus is not a contract or commitment and may be changed from time to time without advance notice.
• You are responsible for knowing and abiding by all GCC requirements explained in your current Student Handbook.
• Plan to attend class regularly. If you must miss class, speak to me, preferably in advance, about making up the work. Undue, unexcused absence can lead to a grade of "F."  If you arrive after I have taken attendance, it is your responsibility to make sure I count you as present.
• Plan to submit work on time. If this is ever impossible, speak to me about it. Allowances can be made for legitimate reasons, but I reserve the right to penalize for lateness.
• Although substance is more important than style, if your work is illegible or otherwise unacceptable in form, you may be asked to resubmit it.
• I may, at my discretion, require an oral examination over some part of the material, for a particular student, if warranted by uneven or anomalous performance.
• If you choose to drop the course, you must do the required paperwork to avoid an "F."
• If you need to take an "I" for the course, you MUST discuss this with me before the end of the semester. Failure to do so may result in an "F" for the course.
• Cheating, including plagiarism, will result in an automatic "F"…FOR THE COURSE. Please refer to your current GCC Student Handbook for more information on academic honesty/academic offences. The GCC Student Handbook defines plagiarism as follows: The college accepts the definition of plagiarism by the Modern Language Association as the “act of using another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source...” Other academic offenses consist of dishonesty, fraud, cheating, disruption of teaching or any other activity which adversely affects the academic process.”
• In order to avoid class disruption, please turn off cell phones and beepers during class time, and do not leave class to answer cell phone calls. If you are on-call for work and therefore need an exception, please talk to me. It goes without saying that iPods and similar devices should be left home.
• If you do not understand any part of these rules, or are unsure of your current status in relation to them, it is YOUR responsibility to ask me for clarification.
• If you have any special needs regarding health or learning, please let me know ASAP. Self-disclosure is voluntary, but would help me to address your needs.

HOW TO CONTACT ME

Email: anta.baka@gmail.com (This is the most reliable method.)
Voicemail: 413- 775-1265.
Office at GCC: N121.

SNOW CANCELATION LINE = 413-775-1010.

CALENDAR - Spring 2009 (subject to change as needed)

DATE	TOPIC	ASSIGNMENTS
1/29	Introduction
2/3 -2/5	Reasoning about ethics.
2/10	Deep Hearing and Observation	Starhawk, Ch. 5
2/12 – 2/17	Spirituality and sources of Earth Ethics	Sterba, “Judeo –Christian Perspectives” Starhawk, “ Ch. 1 -4
2/19	Case study: Tibet (Film & Discussion)
2/24- 2/26	Animal Rights/Welfare	Starhawk, Ch. 6 Sterba, Ch. III PETA films (online)
3/3 – 3/10	Respect for Nature	Sterba, Ch. IV
3/17 & 3/19	HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
3/24 – 3/26	Deep Ecology, Land Ethic & Biocentrism	Sterba ,Ch. V, VI
3/31	Case Study: A Pagan Deep Ecology	Starhawk, Ch. 7 -10
4/2	Expanding Our “Expanding Circle” Circle
4/7 – 4/9	Gender, Race, Ecology	Sterba Ch. VII & VIII
4/14 – 4/16	Non-Western Perspectives	Sterba Ch. IX
4/21	Activism, Applications, Civil Disobediance	Starhawk, Ch. 12 Sterba Ch. X
4/23	NO CLASSES
4/28 – 4/30	Thoreau’s Deep Ecology	Walden & Civil Disobediance (see handout for specifics)
5/7 – 5/12	Student Reports
5/14	Review/Discussion for Exam
5/19 – 5/22	Final Exam Week -- Exact date & time to be announced