SMU – PHIL 3379 – ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS – FALL 2025 – JEAN KAZEZ

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Tuesday, January 21, 2025

MODULE 1: Introduction


 WEEK 1 AGENDA 
  1. Wednesday: How the class works, what it's about, RRs
  2. Friday: "People or Penguins?"; discuss RRs


INTRODUCTIONS
  1. Name
  2. Where are you from? OR Where would you like to go?


HOW THE CLASS WORKS


Syllabus
  • learning outcomes
  • requirements
  • citizenship, attendance
  • distractions, phones, laptops
  • grades, cut-offs
Home/schedule page
  • instructions at top
  • readings, assignments
  • will discuss RRs today
  • will discuss debates and reports next week



WHAT THIS CLASS IS ABOUT

Exploring philosophical questions raised by environmental issues in the world around us

What environmental issues come to mind?  Poll



How we'll keep the focus on "the world around us"
  1. Philosophy readings
  2. Journalistic readings
  3. Videos, links during class
  4. NYT environment feed
  5. Wall Street Journal too
  6. Student reports



PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS
  • questions of ethics: value, right and wrong, justice, fairness, duties, rights, priorities
  • other areas of philosophy:  what to believe when people disagree
Other questions: 
  • scientific
  • legal
  • political -- Biden vs. Trump, liberal vs. conservative
  • historical


MODULES






NEXT TIME: START MODULE 1: MORAL STATUS

People 
Animals
Plants
Ecosystems
Species
Water, rocks




READING RESPONSES

RR1
RR2