ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 188 Environmental Ethics Summer Session 2012/Michael Vincent McGinnis, Ph.D. Office: Bren Hall 4009, Ext. 8988 MTWR 2-3:10pm Webb 1100 Office Hours: 1-2 Monday and Tuesday This summer course introduces the major themes of environmental ethics. The required readings focus on how and why the various ideas about the human and natural relationship have been changed to reflect an increasing dependence on technology, science, and ethical principles developed in a range of philosophies about the natural world. Lectures will explore the evolution of ancient and modern ethical theories and beliefs, the changing meanings of nature in diverse societies, case studies of environmental ethics, and socio-ecological movements. The course theme is to explore the evolution of the human condition and worldview, and the impact of our ideas and ethical orientations on the natural world., Essays and Quizes Richard Tarnas, 1996. The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas that have shaped our Worldview (Ballantine Books) 0345368096 (also available at ebook). This required text is the primary reading for this summer session course, and is recognized as one of the best conceptual representations of the history of the modern worldview. David Abram. 1997. The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-than Human World (Pantheon). 0679776397. This required text is the second reading for this course, and reviews the philosophy of phenomenology and the importance of perceptions and the senses in shaping the human relationship with the more than human world. Gauchospace Readings: Course materials are available on gauchospace and are also required readings. Useful supplementary readings are also recommended on the gauchospace for each week.
Required Essays (3). Three essays are required, and will cover the major themes of the course readings and lectures. See the questions for each essay and the deadline below in the course outline. Each essay should be 5 pages (max.), double spaced, in 11 font. The essay due on August 1 represents the final exam. Quizzes (2). There will be two quizzes in class that are worth 10% each. The dates for the quizzes will be announced during course lectures. Place-based Resources from McGinnis: COURSE OUTLINE Bibliography of Readings in Environmental Ethics PDF document Bioregionalism (e-book) (recommended) McGinnis and Main, A Conservation Primer, A Publication of The Santa Barbara Foundation (2012) www.bioregionalism.org WEEKS 1-2: THE MEANINGS OF NATURE IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL WESTERN SOCIETIES ESSAY 1 Due: July 9 [25%]. How has this modern worldview been shaped by the faith in reason and rationality that was developed by the Greek philosophers? What are some of the consequences or impacts of this faith in rationality on the relationship between human beings and the natural world? The Social and Natural Contract Ecology, society and the natural disaster Local Language and Indigenous Knowledge Systems The multiple meanings and values of nature in pre-industrial & industrial societies The Greco-Christian Cosmology: Aristotle, Plato and Aquinas The Birth of the Modern Worldview: Descartes and the Scientific Revolution Nature-as-machine/ Nature-as-a-resource from Text books: Abram, Chapter 1-3 Tarnas, Section I (pp. 1-72). on Gauchospace: The Natural Contract, by Gary Snyder Resource Wade Davis on indigenous knowledge, symbolism and ritual file
Wendell Berry, Life is a miracle. Joanna Macy, Essay entitled "Gratitude" WEEKS 3: THE MEANINGS OF NATURE IN MODERN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES ESSAY 2 - Due: July 23 [25%]. What is the role of modern technology and science in the modern worldview toward the natural world? Please provide a careful examination of the various philosophical ideas from those who contributed to the Scientific Revolution and Age of Enlightenment. Technocentrism and The Rationality Project The Link between Cultural and Ecological Diversity Paul Shepard s notion of ontogeny Natural Values Are all values anthropocentric? Cultural Mimesis: The City as Growth Machine Intrinsic Value Theory Do trees have standing? Ecology and Aldo Leopold s notion of the more than human community Abram: oral tradition, the modern alphabet and the language of birds Abram, Chapter 4 Tarnas, Sections II and III (pp. 73-170) Recommended Materials on Gauchospace: Interview with E.O. Wilson "Encyclopedia of Life" file Scientific Revolution file Notes on Heidegger's The Question Concerning Technology Resource WEEK 4. GLOBALISM AND PLACE-BASED ETHICS Climate Change, Population, Food and Water Scarcity Global Economic Development: the transition from informal to formal economy The Science and Sensibility of Ecology Abram, Chapter 5. Tarnas, Section IV (pp. 171-222) on Gauchospace:
Harvey Molotch, The City as Growth Machine Recommended Readings on Gauchospace: Paul Shepard, Coming home to the Pleistocene (e-book) file WEEK 5. THE RISE OF AN ECOCENTRIC WORLDVIEW Climate Change, worldviews and the dominant social paradigm Ecocentrism, EcoFeminism and Transformative Worldviews Animal Rights, ELF, and the notion of ecoterrorism Abram, Chapter 6. Tarnas, Section V (pp. 223-320) Recommended Materials on Gauchospace: Switzerland report on the dignity of living beings PDF document Technocentrism PDF document Timothy Luke, critique of "environmentality" PDF document Garrett Hardin's "life boat ethic" file FINAL ESSAY 3 - Due: August 1 [30%]. How and why is David Abram s The Spell of the Sensuous a work of deep (or shallow ecology)? Does Abram s philosophy reflect a transformative ethic (based on your reading of Tarnas)? Why or why not? WEEK 6. ETHICAL PRACTICE: SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL MOVEMENTS IN WESTERN SOCIETY Deep Ecology or Social Ecology Bioregionalism Earth First and the Wildlands Movement Science and the Politics of Place - the California Watershed Movement Abram, Chapter 7 Tarnas, Section VI (pp. 325-414). on Gauchospace: Interview - Murray Bookchin on Anarchism and Hierarchy file Deep Ecology and movements (Taylor) PDF document
The Rewilding Institute file Recommended Readings on Gauchospace: Interviews of Eco-thinkers, including David Abram file The E.F. Schumacher Society - "small is beautiful" Center for Ecoliteracy file Surfing and Spirituality (Taylor)