SMU – PHIL 3379 – ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS – FALL 2023 – JEAN KAZEZ – eesmu.blogspot.com

Friday, November 10, 2023

MODULE 5: Personal choices

 AGENDA

  1. Plan for module 5
  2. Personal choices









Three areas of "activism"--
  1. Personal choices.  The "just one person" problem. (Today, 11/13, 11/15)
  2. Protest. What forms of protest are ethical and effective?  (11/17, 11/27)
  3. Politics.  Can conservatives be environmentalists?  (11/29)

DISCLAIMER

When we get to "protest" we will be discussing some forms of protest that are illegal.  Assigning a reading does not mean recommending what it says!  Discussing a form of protest does not mean supporting it!

How to Blow Up A Pipeline: discusses whether environmental groups should engage in "ecosabotage"-- attacks on property but not persons.  There's also a movie based on the book.


We will also discuss publicity stunts like the one below. 




Personal choices: the "just one person" problem:
  1. Large-scale changes are effective
  2. But can changing my lifestyle make a difference?
  3. If YES, should I do it?
  4. If NO, should I still do it?

Lifestyle changes--answer to Q2 will vary

  1. Preventing climate change
    • boil just the water you need
    • travel less by car and air
    • eat less meat
    • use less heat and air conditioning
    • don't buy new stuff
  2. Reducing waste in landfills
    • recycle (debate)
    • don't buy water bottles
    • bring reusable bags
    • downsize, live simply
  3. Reducing pressure on wildlife/wilderness
    • have fewer children
    • don't contribute to suburban sprawl--live in apartment
    • tread lightly in wilderness areas
  4. Preserving water
    • take shorter showers
    • choose drought-tolerant plants
    • irrigate wisely

Focus: preventing climate change

Boil just the water you need! (from a British website)

  1. Large-scale changes are effective
  2. But can changing my lifestyle make a difference?
  3. If YES, should I do it?
  4. If NO, should I still do it?








Dale Jamieson--Reason in a Dark Time

Will my tea kettle habits make any difference? YES OR NO?

YES?

Cumulative model--"every relevant input produces a relevant output" (Jamieson p. 3)
  1. limiting fill --> some tiny effect on climate
  2. 1000 torturers analogy
  3. Go Fund Me analogy--1000 people give $10 to someone who lost their job and needs living expenses
  4. Jamieson--atmospheric science rejects this for climate change related behaviors

Threshold model-- "no effect occurs unless a specific level of collective contribution is achieved" (Jamieson p. 3)
  1. limiting fill --> possibly hit threshold --> some tiny effect on climate
  2. group pushing a car analogy
  3. Go Fund me analogy -- 1000 give $10 to someone who needs to buy a car
  4. Jamieson--atmospheric science rejects this for climate change related behaviors



NO?
Jamieson: "For all practical purposes climate change damages are insensitive to individual behavior." (p. 4)


Recycling

How are the impact issues different?


Jamieson

  1. Large-scale changes are effective
  2. But can changing my lifestyle make a difference?
  3. If YES, should I do it?
  4. If NO, should I still do it?

Yes, for non-consequentialist reasons

I. Adding meaning to your life
  •     trying adds meaning, eve if you don't succeed

II. Virtue matters independent of impact
  • Traditional virtues: courage, honesty, moderation, kindness, etc.
  • Green virtues--virtues that involve the environment
  1. Green virtues that preserve traditional virtues
    • humility
  2. Green virtues that rehabilitate traditional virtues
    • temperance: reducing consumption
    • simplicity
  3. Green virtues that create new virtues
    • mindfulness
III. Respect for nature