1) Mon. 8:30 - 10:30.
2) Tues. 10:30- 11:30.
3) By Appointment.

COURSE GOALS:
This course is meant to be innovative and intense. We will cover a breadth of theorists and topics, all building toward developing a theory of practical ecological change. Some of these theorists do not explicitly touch on ecology, but their work has significant insights that can provide us with conceptual tools to help us with our project. Ecological philosophy is often framed only in terms of ethics, but our goal is to move beyond this and show you more significant epistemological and ontological questions posed by our relationship to our environment. We also hope to provide a critical look at the history of philosophy from an ecological standpoint. First we will touch on traditional ethical theory such as deontology and utilitarianism. This topic builds into radical ecological theory – particularly deep ecology, social ecology and eco-feminism. We will compare and contrast these theories with an eye toward their limitations. From there, we will jump into the social theory of the critical theorists. They provide us with the conceptual tools to define how modern society limits our experience through fear of the other and instrumental understandings of nature. Next, we will discuss Heidegger and his description of humans as beings practically engaged in the world and how this insight can assist us in moving toward a more solid theory of radical ecological change. Heidegger and the critical theorists together form an argument that instrumental rationality dominates the modern experience, causing a fundamental alienation from the natural environment and essential aspects of human life. Finally, we will move to phenomenology as a source of understanding that ecological theory can benefit significantly from, laying down a path to a wider, ecologically sound experience. To come full circle, we hope to demonstrate that eco-phenomenology can provide the impetus to change in a way that moves beyond the limitations of moral theory, specifically by demonstrating that a mode of being-in-the-world which provides for a genuine experience of being connected to or in-tune with the environment would be much more fulfilling.

EVALUATION:
Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation, vocabulary quizzes, midterm examinations and a final paper.

POLICIES:
Students are expected to follow the reading schedule and to come to class prepared to actively discuss the texts they have read. More specifically, students must bring their texts to class with marginal notes, highlighted or underlined passages of particular importance, and pages marked where they have encountered difficulties in understanding the material. Quizzes offer students the opportunity to identify and to clarify central terms and concepts. The midterm assignments allow student to write essays on key philosophical issues and arguments, and the final paper offers students the opportunity to respond in depth to a single topic. The final paper is due on the day scheduled for the final examination. 3 unexcused absences will result in a full grade reduction. Late papers will be marked down a half grade for the first day and a full grade for the second day. All work must be turned in at the end of term, unless alternative assignments have been given by the instructor.

1.Zimmerman et. al. Environmental Philsophy (Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005).

2. Heidegger, Martin. "The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays." (Handout).

3. Merleau-Ponty, Maurice. Nature: Courese Notes from the College de France (Northwestern University Press, 2003).

4. “Means and Ends” from Max Horkheimer's Eclipse of Reason New York: Continuum, 1947).

READING SCHEDULE

WEEK ONE

TRADITIONAL ETHICAL ORIENTATIONS AND ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS

Tuesday

• Introduction

Thursday

• Introduction (J. Baird Callicott).
• "Is There a Need for a New, an Environmental, Ethic? (Richard Sylvan).

WEEK TWO

Tuesday

• "All Animals are Equal" (Peter Singer)
• "Animal Rights, Human Wrongs" (Tom Regan)
• "On Being Morally Considerable" (Kenneth E. Goodpaster).
• Quiz #1.

Thursday

• "The Ethics of Respect for Nature" (Paul W. Taylor)
• "Challenges in Evironmental Ethics" (Homes Rolston III)
• "The Land Ethics" (Aldo Leopold).

WEEK THREE

Tuesday

• "Holistic Environmental Ethics and the Problem of Ecofascism" (J. Barid Callicot).
• "Animal Righs and Environmental Ethics: Back Together Again" (J. Baird CAllicot).

ECOFEMINISM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Thursday

• "Introduction" (Karen Warren).
• "Ecofeminism: Toward Global Justice and Planetary Heath" (Greta Gaard and Lori Gruen).

WEEK FOUR

Tuesday & Thursday

• Review

WEEK FIVE

• "The Impoverishment of the Enviornment: Women and Children First" (Vandana Shiva)
• "Ethics and the Eco/Feminist Self" (Christ Cuomo)
• Ecofeminism and Envioronemntal Ethics: A Materialist Ecofeminist Perspective" (Mary Mellor)

Tuesday

• "Naturalizing Race: Indigenous Women and White Goddesses" (Noel Sturgeon)
• "The Power and the Promise of Ecofeminism" (Karen J. Warren).

PHENOMENOLOGICAL ECOLOGY

Thursday

• Introduction (Irene Klaver)
• "Nature as Origin and Difference: On Environmental Philosophy and Continental Thought" (Steven Vogen).
• "What is Ecophenomenology?" (David Wood).

WEEK SIX

• "Naturalizing Phenomenology" (Ted Toadvine).
• "A Sense of the Whole: Toward an Understadning of Acid Mine Drainage in the West" (Robert Frodeman).
• "Stone Worlds: Phenomenology on (the) Rocks" (Irene J. Klaver).

HEIDEGGER'S ACCOUNT OF TECHNOLOGY AS A MODE OF REVEALING

Tuesday

• “Means and Ends”
• "The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays."

WEDNESDAY EVENING MOVIE: KOOYANSQUATSI

Thursday

• “Means and Ends”
• "The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays."

MERLEAU-PONTY'S CONCEPTION OF ANIMALITY AND THE HUMAN BODY

WEEK SEVEN

Tuesday

• "General Introduction: Notes of the Cartesian Conceptions of Nature and Their Relations to Judeo-Christian Ontology" (pp. 123-139)

Thursday

• "General Introduction: Notes of the Cartesian Conceptions of Nature and Their Relations to Judeo-Christian Ontology" (pp. 123-139)

WEEK EIGHT

Tuesday

• "Animality: The Tendencies of Modern Bology" (pp. 139-167)

Thursday

• "Animality: The Tendencies of Modern Bology" (pp. 139-167)

WEEK NINE

Tuesday

• "Animality: The Study of Animal Biology" (pp. 167-190)

Thursday

• "Animality: The Study of Animal Biology" (pp. 167-190)

WEEK TEN

Tuesday

• Review

Thursday