Environmental Ethics
1. In section 10.5 of the textbook, Sandler presents a series of considerations that may be used to evaluate comprehensive ethical theories. Draw on two of these considerations to support or reject one of the comprehensive ethical theories that we examine in the course (e.g., biocentric consequentialism, anthropocentric deontology, sentientist virtue ethics, etc.). 2. Choose one of the comprehensive ethical theories that we examine in the course to support or reject by applying that theory to an environmental issue of your choice. 3. Choose one of the value theories that we examine in the course to support or reject by analyzing the direct and indirect duties it will justify (or not justify). 4. Propose and defend an account of natural value that draws on a thought experiment (your own or from Sandler’s text, e.g. the replication argument box 4.4) and considers some practical implications (e.g., how your account could or should influence environmental decision-making). GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS Please read and follow these instructions carefully. Your paper should be approximately 1500 words long. You won’t be penalized for being slightly (~100 words) under or over the word count. Your work will be graded on both style and content (see grading rubric for clarification). Your papers should demonstrate a strong grasp of the directly relevant material as well as some background concepts and debates, and you are expected to state and defend a clear thesis. Keep in mind that successfully defending a position requires giving strong reasons for holding that position, as well as considering and responding to at least one objection. While it is most important for you to write clearly, accurately, and rigorously on the relevant material, you are also encouraged to demonstrate some original thought and to use your own examples to help support your analysis and argument. TEXT USE AND CITATION It is extremely important that you cite all your sources, but I’m not picky about citation style; just make sure that your citations are clear, specific, and reasonably consistent. Keep in mind that you must cite page numbers when quoting or directly paraphrasing the material. You are not expected to use external sources but are free to do so. In any case, you should be mainly drawing on the course material. If your sources are all from the course and have the same pagination as the course texts, you do not need to include a separate references page. If you do use any outside or different sources, you must include a references list with full bibliographic information for each source. Whichever topic you choose, you are expected to apply course concepts and to draw directly and substantially at least two course readings (assigned up to and including May 27th).
