Environmental Ethics

1. Environmental Ethics 1400-1600 12 December 2008

2. Agenda • Environmental Ethics • Environmental Issues • Some audio-visual resources • Some concepts and theories • Some suggestions for teaching planning

3. Environmental Ethics • A branch of applied ethics that deals with the ethical relationship between human beings and the natural environment • Key Questions: • How to value the environment? • What is the aesthetic value of nature?

4. Value of Nature

5. Environmental Ethics • Key Questions: • What are the moral status of animals and plants? • What, if there is any, environmental obligations do we need to keep for future generations?

6. Arne Naess’ Ecosophy • ‘I mean a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium. A philosophy as a kind of sofia (or) wisdom, is openly normative, it contains both norms, rules, postulates, value priority announcements and hypotheses concerning the state of affairs in our universe. Wisdom is policy wisdom, prescription, not only scientific description and prediction. The details of an ecosophy will show many variations due to significant differences concerning not only the ‘facts’ of pollution, resources, population, etc. but also value priorities.’

7. Aldo Leopold and his Land Ethic • Without benefit of philosophy and education conservation would be futile • Calls for a new ethic dealing with man’s relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it

8. Aldo Leopold and his Land Ethic • ‘The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.’ • ‘That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.’

9. Aldo Leopold and his Land Ethic • ‘A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of land.’ • ‘We can be ethical only in relation to something we can see, feel, understand, love or otherwise have faith in.’

10. Environmental Issues • Climate Change • Global Warming, Fossil Fuels, Sea Level Rise, Greenhouse Gas • Conservation • Habitat Destruction, Species Extinction, Whaling, Invasive Species • Energy • Energy Conservation, Renewable Energy, Efficient Energy Use

11. Environmental Issues • Genetic Engineering • Human Genetic Engineering, Reproductive Cloning, Genetically Modified Food • Intensive farming • Overgrazing, Desertification, Environmental Effects of Meat Production, Cruelty to Animals • Pollution • Air, Light, Noise, Water

12. Environmental Issues • Resource depletion • Consumerism, Fishing, Logging, Mining • Toxins • CFC, DDT, Heavy Metals, Pesticides, Toxic Waste • Waste • Littering, landfills, recycling, incineration

13. Chicken Run • 2000 British stop-motion animation film • A band of chickens escapes from their coop before their owners turn them all into chicken pies • Useful for intensive farming and animal rights

14. Animal Rights • What is the moral status of animals? • Do animals have rights? • Tom Regan • The Case for Animal Rights 1983 • Defending Animal Rights 2001 • Peter Singer • AnimalLiberation 1975 • Animal Factories 1980

15. Animal Rights • Regan: Non-human animals are ‘subjects-of-a-life’ just as human are • We must ascribe value to animals just as we ascribe value to all human beings regardless of their ability to be rational agents • Animals are thus the bearers of moral rights • Consistency • Life over rationality

16. Animal Rights • Singer: ‘there are obviously important differences between human and other animals, and these differences must give rise to some differences in the rights that each have.’ • Vegetarian diet is the most practical solution to the problem of cruelty to animals.

17. Bird Flu and SARS • The first outbreak of bird flu in 1997 took the lives of 6. It claimed 3 more lives in 2003. • The SARS outbreak in 2003 infected 1755 people and killed 299. • Is it morally justifiable to kill chickens to prevent the spread of bird flu?

18. The Simpsons Movie • Released in 2007 • Homer accidentally pollutes Springfield’s water supply after Grampa predicts the doom of the town. The government encloses the town in a large dome. The Simpsons are declared fugitives and they flee to Alasaka where Homer realizes that he must save the town in order to save his family. • Useful for waste, pollution and toxins

19. Microcosmos • 1996 French nature documentary film on detailed insect interactions • A poetic journey to the microcosoms • Useful for the aesthetic value of nature

20. March of the Penguins • aka The Emperor’s Journey • 2005 French nature documentary film, co-produced by the National Geographic Society • Won the 78th Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature • Tells the yearly journeys of the emperor penguins from the ocean, their normal habitat, to the inland for courtship and breeding • Useful for climate change

21. Arctic Tale • 2007 National Geographic Society documentary film • Life cycle of a polar bear and her cubs, a walrus and her calf • Useful for climate change

22. Anthropomorphism • Should we use animal behavior as an example for human behavior? • Is using animal behavior as an example for human behavior a mistake?

23. The Day After Tomorrow • 2004 Hollywood apocalyptic science-fiction production that depicts the catastrophic effects of global warming as well as global cooling. • Useful for climate change

24. An Inconvenient Truth • 2006 American documentary film on global warming presented by Al Gore • Won the 79th Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature • Useful for climate change

25. The Truth about Climate Change • 2006 BBC documentary about global warming presented by David Attenborough • Useful for climate change

26. Anthropocentrism • ‘This is our planet: planet Earth. It contains an astonishing variety of landscapes and climates. Since life began, around 4,000 million years ago, it has gone through extraordinary changes in its climate and in the species that live on it. But now it seems that our planet is being transformed — not by natural events, but by the actions of one species: mankind. • – David Attenborough's opening narration in The Truth about Climate Change (2006)

27. Anthropocentrism • The view that places humans at the centre of the universe; evaluates everything else in terms of its utility for humans; the human race must always be its own primary concern • Dominant in the Western tradition

28. Goals • Promote students’ awareness of environmental issues and problems • Encourage student’s empathy with nature • Help students cultivate ethical responsibility towards nature

29. Teaching Planning Part to Whole Environmental issues are related to each other e.g. climate change and energy Pick an issue or problem as entry point Gradually move to other environmental issues

30. Teaching Planning Local to Global The purpose of using audio-visual resources Emotional engagement as an important factor for the cultivation of moral responsibility to nature

31. Teaching Planning Facts to Reflection Basic knowledge of the issues and problems Reflection on the issues and problems The ability to draw on theories and concepts for more sophisticated and intellectual discussion

32. Learning Activites • Audio-visual materials • Field Trips • Pets and Animals • Role Play • Discussion • Debate • Student Presentation