All programmes > Environmental Philosophy

Environmental Philosophy (B-KUL-W0EC9C)

4 ECTSEnglish26 Second termCannot be taken as part of an examination contract
Wienhues Anna
This course is taught this academic year, but not next year. This course is taught this academic year, but not next year.
POC Philosophy (internationaal)

Aims

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the field of environmental philosophy with a particular emphasis on environmental ethics. Central topics, positions and concepts in the field – primarily within the ethics of nature conservation – are being introduced by engagement with significant debates, using both primary and secondary literature. 

At the end of the course, the students should be able:

-       to identify the main positions and issues at stake in current debates in environmental ethics;

-       to comprehend the transdisciplinary character of environmental philosophy;

-       to understand and explain the key arguments used in the debate;

-       to critically confront different positions and arguments;

-       to read and understand additional literature in this debate on their own;

-       to take up a position of their own and express and defend their ideas succinctly and clearly in a public discussion and in writing;

-       to critically think through complex issues in an open and questioning manner.

Previous knowledge

No previous knowledge in environmental philosophy is required.

Is included in these courses of study

Activities

4 ects. Environmental Philosophy (B-KUL-W0EC9a)

4 ECTSEnglishFormat: Practical26 Second term
Wienhues Anna
POC Philosophy (internationaal)

Content

This course introduces students to the field of environmental philosophy – with a particular emphasis on environmental ethics and the ethics of nature conservation therein. Included under the umbrella of environmental ethics is also animal ethics. This course is thereby structured along several important concepts (such as environmental values, naturalness, the Anthropocene etc.) and current debates (such as on the moral considerability of nonhuman beings) to provide an overview of different positions and concerns in the field. 

A more detailed syllabus will be made available on Toledo before the beginning of the course.

Course material

A more detailed program of the course, including the full reading list, will be made available through Toledo before the beginning of the course. In addition, PowerPoint presentations and other supplementary materials used in class (if any) will be made available through Toledo.

Format: more information

The classes include lecture elements but are predominantly based on class interactions and are meant as a space where all students feel empowered to participate. This means that the students are expected to carefully read in advance the texts that will be discussed each week and are encouraged to actively participate in the discussions and other class activities with their peers (group activities, the final course workshop).

Evaluation

Evaluation: Environmental Philosophy (B-KUL-W2EC9c)

Type : Continuous assessment without exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Paper/Project, Presentation, Participation during contact hours
Learning material : Course material

Explanation


There are two evaluative components which are weighted as follows:

  • Final paper (70%)
  • Participation: Contributions to discussions and presentation (30%)

For the final essay, students can either choose an essay question from a pre-set list or develop their own question, to be approved by the teacher. Expected is an essay that argumentatively elaborates on a moral problem or question on a topic encountered during the course.

Carefully reading the weekly texts in preparation for each session is expected. The participation grade takes contributions to the class discussions and activities (such as a final workshop) into account but also requires that each student (individually or as a small group depending on class size) introduces during one of the sessions one of the mandatory readings to kick off the discussion in the larger group. 

Students who do not participate in all parts of the assessment (including the presentation and sufficient participation in class) will receive a final assessment NA (not taken).

Further information about the examination requirements (such as the deadline for submission for the paper, word count, specific requirements) will be provided at the beginning of the course. 

Information about retaking exams

The second examination attempt is limited to (re)submitting the final paper. The participation component cannot be retaken. Students who did not participate in all parts of the assessment (including the presentation and sufficient participation in class) will again receive a final assessment NA (not taken).