Environmental Ethics
Philosophy 3640
Spring Semester 2010
University of North Florida
W 12:00 - 2:45, Bldg. 45, Room 2403
Aldo Leopold’s “shack” from A Sand County Almanac.
Instructor
Jason Zinser
Office: Room 2343 Building 10
Phone: 620-3744
Email: jason.zinser@unf.edu
Office Hours: Thursday 12-3 and by appointment
Website: blackboard.unf.edu
Course Description: This course will cover intrinsic and instrumental
value approaches to
environmental ethics, alternative environmental ethical approaches, and
special environmental
ethical issues. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with all the
major approaches to
environmental ethics and with a few particularly philosophically
interesting environmental
ethical issues. Students will appreciate and understand the complexity and
intricacy of the
arguments involved in adopting one approach or position over another.
Required Texts:
Environmental Ethics: An Anthology.
Edited by Andrew Light and Holmes Rolston III.
All other readings will be posted on the course blackboard site or
available online. (BB)
Graded assignments will include:
•
(2) 1,000 word papers or book review
•
(2) exams
•
(10) quizzes
Quizzes/Short Assignments: All quizzes will be “pop” quizzes and can occur
anytime during class. I promise to give at least (12) quizzes and only the best
(10) will count. As a result of this policy, quizzes cannot be made-up for any
reason (including sickness, etc. – I am assuming the average student will miss two
classes). Please do not ask if there will be a quiz on any particular day. Short
assignments may be given during class or assigned for the following day.
Papers: You will be required to write (2) 1,000 word papers. Writing
assignments will be distributed at least a week before they are due. At that time I
will also distribute requirements and guidelines for constructing a successful
paper. For each paper, I will provide a choice of at least two topics to choose
from. Paper due dates are listed on the schedule.
*Book Review Option – see handout for more information.
Exams: There will be three exams. Exams will consist of multiple-choice,
true/false, short-answer and essay questions. Exams will, to a limited extent, be
cumulative. Exam dates are listed on the schedule.
Graded assignments will be weighed as follows:
(10) Quizzes
10% (total)
(2) Papers
15% (each)
(2) Exams
30% (each)
Final grades will be determined on the following scale:
100-93 A
<93-90 A<90-87 B+
<87-83 B
<83-80 B<80-77 C+
<77-73 C
<73-70 C<70-67 D+
<67-63 D
<63-60 D<60-0 F
Late Policy: Papers will be counted 10% off per class late. When possible, I should be
informed of lateness before the assigned work is due. When this condition is met,
appropriate accommodations will be arranged with the student to finish the work. Exams
cannot be made-up without a university approved absence notification (e.g. a note from a
health care provider explaining why the student couldn’t be there). Furthermore, you
need to contact me immediately in order to reschedule the exam as early as possible. If
this condition is not met, you may not be able to re-take the exam.
Gordon Rule: This is a Gordon Rule course, meaning that students are required to write
at last 3,000 words in the form of papers and exams. Students who do not write 3,000
words cannot receive a grade higher than D+. If you complete all papers, quizzes, and
exams you will fulfill the requirement.
Honor Code: Students must uphold the UNF Academic Integrity Code which is
published in the University of North Florida Student Handbook on page 40. The
handbook can be found at:
http://www.unf.edu/studentaffairs/pdf/Student%20Handbook%202006-07%20web.pdf
Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with
disabilities. All relevant documentation should be submitted within the first two weeks
of classes or as soon as a disability is identified.
Attendance: Attendance is not mandatory and will not be recorded (with the exception
of the first day). With that said, if you do not attend class on a regular basis, you will do
poorly. Furthermore, quizzes and assignments will be administered on a regular basis
and schedule changes will be announced in class.
Course Objectives:
•
To critically read and digest philosophical material, ask philosophical questions,
and engage in philosophical debates.
•
To develop the ability to recognize argument patterns and
appropriate and illegitimate manners to attack arguments; i.e., to develop your
critical reasoning skills.
•
To become familiar with the core philosophical questions and
historically influential treatments of those questions, including ethics,
epistemology, philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind.
•
To demonstrate comprehension of the material in written, oral, and
exam form.
General Educational Outcomes:
Skills
•
1) analyze arguments according to standard criteria
assume and defend a position on a given topic
•
read and analyze complex texts, including the analysis of rhetorical
devices and modes of inference
•
write coherent analytical and persuasive papers using effective
expression
Knowledge
•
demonstrate a general knowledge of current scientific understanding of the history
and nature of the universe, the earth, and general life forms
•
demonstrate a general knowledge of scholarly understanding of the
range of social, political, geopolitical, and economic organization
•
demonstrating a general knowledge of the nature, origins, and
contributions of major civilizations
Schedule (subject to change)
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