Doing Environmental Ethics

Author: Robert Traer
Publisher: The Perseus Books Group
Category: Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Central Government Policies, Environmentalist Thought & Ideology, Environmental Science, Engineering & Technology
Book Format: Paperback

Doing Environmental Ethics offers a way to face our ecological crisis that draws on environmental science, economic theory, international law, and religious teachings, as well as philosophical arguments. It engages students in constructing ethical presumptions based on duty, character, relationships, and rights, and then tests these moral presumptions by predicting the likely consequences of acting on them. Students apply what they have learned to specific policy issues discussed in the final part of the book: sustainable consumption, environmental policy, clean air and water, agriculture, managing public lands, urban ecology, and climate change. Questions after each chapter and a worksheet aid readers in deciding how to live more responsibly as consumers and as citizens. The second edition has been updated throughout to reflect the latest developments in environmental ethics, including new coverage of sustainable practices of corporations, NGOs' environmental actions, and rainforest certification programs. This edition also incorporates more theory with new sections on social justice and environmental justice as well expanded coverage of ecofeminism. Revised study questions emphasize application and analysis, and new Decisions boxes, short exercises that allow students to evaluate current environmental issues, appear throughout the text.

Table Of Contents

PART I ETHICS AND SCIENCE 1 Moral Philosophy: An Adventure in Reasoning Right and Good Reasoning about Our Feelings Environmental Ethics Learning from Diverse Theories Doing Ethics Together Questions 2 Ethics and Science: Moral Consideration What We Know and Can't Know An Evolving Theory of Evolution Ecosystems and Emergent Properties Ascribing Value to Nature Questions 3 Ethics and Economics: The Common Good Invisible Hand? Economic and Ethical Issues Globalization and Economic Growth Green Economics Questions PART II CONSTRUCTING AND TESTING ETHICAL PRESUMPTIONS 4 Duty: Nature and Future Generations Doing Our Duty Right Action Commanded by God: Jews and Muslims Government, Land, and Property Applying the Golden Rule Animals, Species, Ecosystems, and Landscapes Questions 5 Character: Ecological Virtues Being Good Children's Stories Christian Stewardship Virtues: Integrity, Gratitude, and Frugality Respecting and Appreciating Nature Questions 6 Relationships: Empathy and Integrity Empathy Is Natural Culture and Human Nature Deep Ecology Ecofeminism: A Social Ecology Ecological Integrity Questions 7 Rights: Humans and Animals? Human Rights Law Environmental Rights Animal Rights? A Rights Strategy Questions 8 Consequences: Predicting the Future Utilitarianism Animal Suffering Cost-Benefit Analysis Biocentric Consequentialism Scientific Consequences Questions Worksheet PART III LEARNING FROM NATURE 9 Ecological Living: Sustainable Consumption Duty: To Reduce Our Consumption Character: Consumer Choices Relationships: Our Natural Community Rights: To a Healthy Environment Consequences: Sustainable Consumption Questions 10 Environmental Policy: Governments, Corporations, NGOs Governments: International and US Policies Corporations: Sustainable Practices Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs): Advocacy and Action Ethical Reasoning: Analysis Questions 11 Air and Water: A Healthy Environment The Earth's Atmosphere Air: Pollution and Greenhouse Gases Water: Quality and Scarcity Economic Predictions: Shortsighted Questions 12 Agriculture: Land and Food Nature's Cycles Industrial Agriculture Poor Farmers Sustainable Farming Questions 13 Public Land: Adaptive Management Conservationists versus Preservationists National Forests and Parks Restoring Deserts and Wetlands Rainforests Wildlife Reserves in Asia and Africa Ethical and Legal Presumptions Questions 14 Urban Ecology: Building Green The Built Environment Transportation Water and Waste Sustainable Cities Environmental Justice Consequences Questions 15 Climate Change: Global Warming The Carbon Cycle Responsibility Predicting Consequences Taking Action Questions

About Robert Traer

Robert Traer