Course Code: PHIL 230
Academic Year: 2025-2026
The overriding question in environmental ethics is whether or not we have any moral obligations to the environment and, if so, to what extent. In this introduction to environmental ethics, some important questions are asked: Does nature have a value in itself, or is it only valuable in terms of human needs and pleasures? How can we decide what kinds of behaviours toward nature are right or wrong? This course will examine various moral theories that relate to nature and assess how they can be applied to specific environmental issues. Other topics will include animal rights, non-Western views on nature, the ethics of food, obligations to future generations and environmental justice.