Course Code: C163

Course Title: Ethics and environmental practice

College: SOAS CEDEP

Course Director: Laurence Smith

Course Description: It is difficult to deny the seriousness of the environmental issues that we are currently facing. But what is the root cause of these problems? Environmental philosophers believe that we need to take a long, hard look at our relationships with both other humans and with the non-human world and ask ourselves some searching questions, for example: Can we reasonably extend the concern we show for other human beings to non-human nature? Do we have responsibilities to provide a clean, safe environment for as yet unborn and unknown future generations, or should we be more concerned with environmental justice for the existing current generation? At what point does our use and necessary interaction with nature become abuse?

These questions are very far from merely academic. The way we view the world and the moral frameworks that we use to make decisions have very real impacts on the non-human world. This module aims to unpick and understand better the decisions that we take by looking at some of the work that has been done in the academic field known as environmental ethics'.

The course aims to assist you to think more clearly about your attitude towards, and the decisions that you take that affect, the non-human world and to understand better the arguments that others, who may hold opposing views, can make. We can often make sweeping statements or hold assumptions about the world that, under scrutiny, we find difficult to defend. This course aims to provide you with the tools to construct and support with rational arguments and relevant examples your position with regard to non-human nature.

By the end of the course, you will be able:

• to appraise critically a range of proposals for alternative ethical frameworks that have been defended by environmental philosophers.

• to use the ethical frameworks presented in the course to identify and critique a range of arguments that will be used in any environmental conflict.

• to develop the ability to construct a rational and convincing argument using a variety of ethical arguments.

Assessment: Exam 100%

Course Credit: All SOAS CeDEP short course students receive a certificate of completion. Students of SOAS CeDEP Short Courses who may wish to transfer credit to Certificate, Diploma or Masters-level programmes are advised to select short courses which also act as Core Modules on CeDEP's various programmes.

Course Study Hours/Duration: 240 hrs over 35 weeks

Schedule of Availability: Feb - Oct (Enrolment deadline prior to Feb start - 30th November)

Delivery Mechanisms: Print; CD-Rom; Online Discussion

Cost: £960

How to apply: To enquire about applying for this course, or for any other information, please contact the Course Administrator using the online Enquiry Form below