ENSn4439 Environmental Ethics II

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Kateřina Hendrychová
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites
! HEN439 Environmental Ethics II &&!NOW( HEN439 Environmental Ethics II )&&TYP_STUDIA(N)
Ability to read in English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 45 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/45, only registered: 0/45, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/45
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main aims of the course Environmental Ethics can be devided: A. It presents to students basic concept of world of ethics and also the fundamental difference of the world of facts and world of values. B. To to classify opinions in the plenteous history of environmental ethics on the basic of concepts by Clare Palmer and Erazim Kohák, whereas introduces its most significant streams – bio-centric environmental ethics, eco-centric, anthropocentric, deep ecology, social ecology, zoo-centric and theo-centric environmental ethics.. C. To solve some moral case studies.
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to:
- to identify the fundamental difference between empirical, normative and metaetic views of ethical issues;
- to identify hidden assumptions of common and complicated moral;
- to distinguish purely phenomenological perception of a certain ethical phenomenon from an interpretative point of view and to distinguish individual attitudes of selected interpretative views;
- describe the factors that influence our moral choices and know the basic research process in this field;
- analyze current scientific knowledge in the field of moral psychology;
Syllabus
  • 1. Facts and values. Fundamental difference between the world of facts and world of values. Putman objections to this difference. 2. Where may we find the Good I. - biological instinct, dogma. 3. Where may we find the Good II. - racionality, emotivism. 4. Where may we find the Good III. - soft racionalism, dynamic ethics, utilitarism, relativism. 5. Environmental ethics - basic information and facts. 6. Typology of Environmental ethics I. - teocentric environmental ethics. 7. Typology of Environmental ethics II. - biocentric environmental ethics. 8. Typology of Environmental ethics III. - systematic approach to environmental ethics. 9. Typologie environmentální etiky IV. - deep ecology of Arne Naess. 10. Typologie environmentální etiky V. - deep ecology of John Seed and George Sessions. 11. Intermezzo - case study of 10 bad deeds. 12. Two case studies from Environmental ethics. 13. Peter Singer and his Practical ethics.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Environmental ethics : an anthology. Edited by Andrew Light - Holmes Rolston. 1st pub. Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2003, x, 554 s. ISBN 0-631-22294-4. info
  • SPAEMANN, Robert. Základní mravní pojmy a postoje. Translated by Karel Hlavoň. 1. vyd. Praha: Svoboda, 1995, 91 s. ISBN 8020504842. info
  • Environmental ethics- Duties to and Values in The Natural World. Holmes Rolston III. Philadelphia: Templ University Press, 1988. ISBN: 0-87722-628-8.
  • VAUGHN, Lewis. Bioethics : principles, issues, and cases. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013, xiii, 753. ISBN 9780199796236. info
  • The global guide to animal protection. Edited by Desmond Tutu - Andrew Linzey. Urbana: University of Illinois press, 2013, 323 s. ISBN 9780252079191. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, lectures with powerpoint-presentations, group discussions, case studies and reading. Some lectures contain group projects and simulations.
Assessment methods
Lectures and seminars. Multiple choice test.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/ENSn4439