Environmental Ethics 2 (2cr)

Objectives (course unit)

To raise the ethical and social awareness of the student in relation to environmental issues considering today’s rapid advances in science and technology, and to support the formation of professional ethics and morals of the student.

Content (course unit)

Short history of philosophy and contemporary perspective on science, technology and ethics; the economics and ethics of technological change; human values and nature; equity and distribution: social values and technological options; global interdependence.

Exam schedules

There will be no final exams. The students will be evaluated during the whole course based on their presence and active participation in class, home tasks and their final presentation.

Assessment methods and criteria

The student’s work is evaluated on a scale 0–5 and will be the outcome of different assignments:
1) Presentation in class: 15 min. presentation + 10 min. discussion (45%)
2) Home tasks and group assignments during the course (35%)
3) Attendance and active participation in class (20%)
More instructions will be given during the first class.

Teaching methods

Lectures, group work, screening of scenes from documentary films and discussions will take place during the class. Small group tasks in class are designed to acquaint the students with ethical concepts and theories, and apply them to natural disasters and environmental case studies. The students are highly encouraged to take part to class debates.

Learning materials

Own teacher materials mainly in Power Points slides. Occasionally journals and newspaper articles will be analyzed in class in order to examine up-to-date case studies concerning nature conservation, animal rights, natural disasters etc. The slides and all the material will be available for the students after each class in the TAMK electronic platform (Tabula).

A book of reference is “Environmental Ethics: an introduction to Environmental Philosophy" by Joseph R Des Jardins, Belmont (CA): Wadsworth/Thornson Learning 2001, 3rd edition (or other editions).

Student workload

The most the students will participate in class lectures and debates the easiest the assignments will be.

Content scheduling

NA

Completion alternatives

NA

Practical training and working life cooperation

Part of the cases discussed during the lectures will be based on the students' own experiences from his/her practical training.

International connections

NA

Further information

More instructions will be given during the first class about the whole course, the home assignments and the evaluation method. I value extremely the responsibility of the students about delivering their assignments on time and communicate to me in advance in case of absent from class if any urgent matter will occur.

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The students is not present in class at all and s/he does not deliver the all the 3 requirements - mentioned in the session “Course grading and assessment methods – at least in an understandable and sufficient level.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student has to be present in class for all the lectures or at least 60-89% of the time. All the 3 requirements - mentioned in the session “Course grading and assessment methods”- are fulfilled with satisfactory level of understanding of the contents of the course.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student has to be present in class for all the lectures or at least 90% of the time and s/he will participate in class discussion. All the 3 requirements - mentioned in the session “Course grading and assessment methods”- are fulfilled with a good level of understanding of the contents of the contents of the course.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student has to be present in class for all the lectures and s/he demonstrates an active involvement in the topics and in class discussion so that her/his inputs will enhance the overall value of the class discussions. All the 3 requirements - mentioned in the session “Course grading and assessment methods”- are fully fulfilled with an excellent result and a great understanding of the contents of the course.