Matsui Laboratory on Society, Agriculture and the Environment & Matsui Research Projects

Introduction to Environmental Ethics

Outline:

This course provides a broad overview of ethical issues that are pertinent to human-nature relationships. Our topics of interests include the history of environmental ethics and (global) bioethics; the concept and practice of wilderness preservation; environmental governance for the age of global warming, the maintenance of biological diversity; animal rights and welfare; the risk consideration for genetic engineering and genetically engineered organisms/ products; household environmental ethics (e.g., agriculture, chemical contaminations, and precautionary principle), water problems, whaling, and indigenous environmental ethics, among others. These wide-ranging topics provide contexts to discuss about how we better coordinate directions for achieving environmental conservation and sustainability. Throughout this course, students are encouraged to develop and refine your own original and innovative insights on how humans can better coordinate their efforts to deal with many regional and global environmental issues today and tomorrow.

For 2010 syllabus click here, and, for a list of recommended readings, click here.

For 2011 syllabus click here, and for a list of recommended readings, 2011, click here.

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