PHIL 349: Environmental Philosophy
Fall 2015
Time and place
10:00-11:30 Wednesday and Friday, Leacock 212
Instructor
Greg Mikkelson
Leacock 913, 514-398-4400 x094660
Office hours: 1:00-3:00 Wednesday
Course description
Ecological problems ramify daily, posing daunting questions about what to do and why. Adequate
answers to such questions demand not only scientific knowledge, but also wisdom about humanity's
place in nature. This course will help students cultivate such wisdom, through an introduction to
environmental ethics, as well as related topics in environmental science and political ecology. We shall
devote special attention this semester to the ethics and politics of global warming and biodiversity loss.
Required readings
Available at The Word bookstore, 469 Milton Street
Broome, J. 2012. Climate Matters: Ethics in a Warming World. W. W. Norton. New York, NY.
Leopold, A. 1949. A Sand County Almanac. Oxford University. New York, NY.
Schweickart, D. 2011. After Capitalism. Rowman and Littlefield. Lanham, MD.
All other readings available through MyCourses
Course requirements
Class participation: 5% of grade
Do all of the readings before class, and come prepared to discuss them.
Quiz: 10%
In class Friday October 2nd
Debate: 15%
Most class sessions feature a debate between two students, for and against the position taken in one of
the readings for that day. Each debater presents her case in 10 minutes, and rebuts the case made by
her opponent in five minutes. The grade for this assignment is for the debate as a whole – in other
words, both debaters get the same grade, no matter who wins.
Essay: 20%
This paper conveys the argument you plan to make in your debate.
Failure to follow any of the essay instructions below is grounds for a failing essay grade.
1,000-1,500 words of text (excluding title page, tables, figures, bibliography, etc.), double-spaced:
Must include word count
1. Several weeks before your debate, set up an appointment for a tutorial session at the McGill Writing
Centre, so that the tutorial takes place around two weeks before said debate (see
www.mcgill.ca/mwc/tutorial-service/appointments).
2. Write your paper, receive feedback on it at the tutorial, and get a signed note from the tutor
confirming that you attended the session.
3. Re-write the essay in light of the advice you get from the tutor, and bring a hard copy of the revised
paper, along with the tutor's note, to my office hours the week before your debate. (If you cannot make
those hours, we can arrange to meet elsewhen.)
4. Re-write again the paper in light of my comments, and submit it to me via e-mail the day of the
debate.
Final examination: 50%
Schedule
Introduction
September 9th and 11th: What it's all about
Wednesday:
The Guardian, "Why Fossil Fuels Need to Stay in the Ground" (in-class film)
Friday:
Nolt, "Logic, Prescriptive Reasoning, and Ethical Theories"
York, "Ecological Paradoxes: William Stanley Jevons and the Paperless Office"
Jensen, "Forget Shorter Showers: Why Personal Change Does Not Equal Political Change"
Leonard, "The Story of Stuff" (in-class film)
Part 1: Climate
September 16th and 18th: I = PAT
Wednesday:
Meadows et al., "The Nature of Exponential Growth"
Galli et al., "Ecological Footprint: Implications for Biodiversity"
Friday: Broome Chapters 1-3
September 23rd and 25th: Money vs. lives
Wednesday: Broome Chapters 4-7
September 30th and October 2nd: Future generations and non-human species
Wednesday:
Broome Chapters 8-11
Nolt, "Nonanthropocentric Climate Ethics"
Friday: Quiz
Part 2: Biodiversity
October 7th and 9th: Mutualistic vs. parasitic symbiosis
Wednesday:
Peacock, "The Three Faces of Ecological Fitness"
Worldwide Fund for Nature, "The Living Planet Index" and "Living Planet Index FAQ"
Friday:
Leopold prefaces and January-June
Most, first part of "Green Fire" (in-class film)
October 14th and 16th: Variety and harmony
Wednesday: Leopold July-December
Friday: Kelly, "Value Monism, Richness, And Environmental Ethics"
October 21st and 23rd: Thinking like a mountain
Wednesday: Leopold Part II
Friday: Most, rest of "Green Fire"
October 28th and 30th: Consequentialism, virtue ethics, and ecofeminism
Wednesday: Leopold Part III
Friday:
Cafaro, "Thoreau, Leopold, and Carson: Toward an Environmental Virtue Ethics"
Norlock, "Building Receptivity: Leopold’s Land Ethic and Critical Feminist Interpretation
Section 3: Political ecology
November 4th and 6th: Environmental values, human nature, and economic growth
Wednesday:
Leiserowitz et al., "Do Global Attitudes and Behaviors Support Sustainable Development?"
Piff et al., "Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior"
Gilens and Page, "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average
Citizens"
Daly, "From a Failed-Growth Economy to a Steady-State Economy"
Murphy and Morgan, "Cuba: Lessons from a Forced Decline"
Friday: Schweickart prefaces and Chapter 1
November 11th and 13th: Capitalism vs. democracy
Wednesday: Schweickart Chapters 2 and 3
November 18th and 20th: Eco-socialism
Wednesday: Schweickart Chapters 4 and 5
November 25th and 27th: Nature rights
Wednesday: Schweickart Chapter 6
Friday:
Stone, "Should Trees Have Standing?" Pp. 450-481
Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, "Democracy School" (in-class film)
Conclusion
December 2nd and 4th: Activism
Wednesday:
Stone Pp. 481-501
Hettinger, "Environmental Disobedience"
Etc.
In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to
submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded.
McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and
consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offenses under the Code of Student Conduct
and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest) for more information).