Course Objectives

The course is introductory and is worth 10 ECTS. It runs over one semester and may be taken in combination with other courses to qualify as full-time study.

This course is suitable for all who are interested in nature and environmental questions, outdoor-activity students, students in health, nature and environmental studies and cultural-subjects students.

The primary intention of the course is to provide the students with an introduction into questions of environmental philosophy and environmental ethics in general and in relation to specific activities and professional disciplines. Through this introduction, the students will be able to view phenomena and occurrences in society and in their general experience through “environmental philosophical” glasses

Course Description

The course is based on today’s eco-crisis, which has convinced many, particularly Westerners, that we are on a collision course with the environment upon which our existence is dependent. Environmental philosophy relates to this in several ways. It is reasonable to question how it has been possible, from an intellectual viewpoint, to practically destroy that which is a necessary basis for the existence of humanity. Some philosophers claim that our tradition may be characterised by an erroneous perception of nature and human beings relation to it. Such an erroneous perception may have provided the basis for a flawed view of nature as being something intrinsically different from man; and consequently, according to this view, we do not have to care for nature in the same way as we do human beings. Many environmental philosophers have attempted to establish alternative perceptions of man and nature in an attempt to explain a new, preservative view of nature. In other words, one attempts to find a new philosophical foundation to enable us to relate to nature and the non-human in another way. In this connection, environmental philosophy is concerned with the question to what extent the moral universe may be expanded to include nature, so that we may be able to take moral care of nature, and that which comprises nature, to the same extent as we do our fellow human beings. The question in this context is: do we have responsibilities towards nature, and that which nature comprises, in the same way we have towards our fellow human beings? Or, does nature, and the constituents of nature, have a value in themselves, independent of their usefulness? Further, the course looks at specific examples of these practical-ethical questions. Important in this context is the concept, sustainable development, as a key for assessment of the way in which people relate to, and use, nature and the environment. Also problems concerning conservation and use of nature which impacts on indigenous populations and society in the third world will be discussed.

Reading list:

1. Per Ariansen, Miljøfilosofi – en innføring (Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, 1992).

2. Arne Chr. Stryken, Bærekraft og naturbruk (Oslo: Topografisk forlag, 2000).

3. Articles collected in a compendium are listed in the course plan below.

Course plan – courses, reading list

I. Eco-crisis and environmental ethics – theory and action

1. Eco-crisis, environmental philosophy and ethics – themes and historical/philosophical background.

Texts:

Clive Ponting, ”Hvad kan vi lære af Påskeøen”, i Thomas Møller Christensen og Sven Erik Larsen (red.), Mennesket og naturen. Essays om natursyn og naturbruk (Odense: Odense Universitetsforlag, 1995), pp. 77-84.

Ariansen, chap. 1 – pp. 9-18.

Ariansen, chap. 2 – pp. 19-59.

Hjalmar Hegge, ”Menneskets plass i forhold til naturen i historisk og filosofisk perspektiv”, i Paul Hofseth og Arne Vinje (red.), Økologi, økofilosofi (Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S, 1975), pp. 117-141.

2. Environmental problems, action and society – some problems.

Texts:

Ariansen, chap. 3 – pp. 61-68

Ariansen, chap. 4 – pp. 69-95

3. Environmental problems, actions and assessment – value concept and ethical theory.

Texts:

Ariansen, chap. 5 – pp. 97-115

Ariansen, chap. 6 – pp. 117-130

4. Environmental considerations in thoughts and action – environmental ethical theories.

Texts:

Ariansen, chap. 7 – pp. 131-164

Ariansen, chap. 8 – pp. 165-208

Arne Næss, ”Den dypøkologiske bevegelse: aktivisme ut fra et helhetssyn”, i Svein Gjerdåker, Lars Gule, Bernt Hagtvet (red.), Den uoverstigelige grense. Tanke og handling i miljøkampen (Oslo: Cappelen, 1991), excerpt: pp. 21- 36.

Sigmund Kvaløy Sætereng, ”Økokrisefilosofi – glimt fra det norske økofilosofiske forsøket”, in Gjerdåker et al., pp. 102-117.

5. Environmental ethics – future – responsibility.

Texts:

Ariansen, chap. 9 – pp. 209-218.

Ariansen, chap. 10 + conclusion – pp. 219-236.

Raino Malnes, ”Filosofi og fremtidige generasjoner”, in Gjerdåker et al., pp. 184-193.

Leo Tolstoj, ”Hvor meget jord trenger et menneske?”, i L. Tolstoj, Fortellinger og legender (Land og kirke), pp. 101-126.

II. Nature conservation and the use of nature – sustainability and man’s relationship to nature

6. Sustainable development and the nature concept.

Texts:

Stryken, chap. I -- pp. 9-27.

Stryken, chap. II -- pp. 28-40.

7. Sustainability in theory and practice – the management of nature, the use of nature and environmental ethics.

Texts:

Stryken, chap. III – pp. 41-54

Stryken, chap. IV – pp. 55-64

8. Sustainability and the environment – practical problems (1): tourism;

Sustainability and the environment – practical problems (2): climate.

Texts:

Stryken, chap. V – pp. 66-76.

Stryken, chap. VI – pp. 77-128.

9. Sustainability and the environment – practical problems (3): biological diversity;

Sustainability and the environment – practical problems (4): nature management, uses of nature and conflicts of interest.

Texts:

Stryken, chap. VII – pp. 131-157

Stryken, chap. VIII – pp. 160-172

10. Sustainability in practice?

Texts:

Stryken, chap. IX – pp. 174-190

Geir Asheim, ”Bærekraftighet og økonomi”, i Gjerdåker et al., pp. 194-201.

Arne Næss, ”Den dypøkologiske bevegelse: aktivisme ut fra et helhetssyn”, Gjerdåker et al, utdrag: pp. 36-42.

11. Miljø, bærekraft, rettigheter – ikke-vestlige perspektiver.

Siegfried Pausewang, ”Økologi og etikk – sett sørfra”, i Gjerdåker et al., pp. 154-164

Ole Kristian Fauchald, ”Anerkjennelsen av retten til miljø som menneskerettighet”, Mennesker og rettigheter 2/1991, pp. 138-148.

Audhild Schanche, ”Meahcci, den samiske utmarka”, Dieðut, nr.1/2002, pp. 156-170

Tore Henriksen, ”Miljøvern og urfolks tradisjonelle kunnskap. To sider av samme sak?”, Dieðut, nr.1/2002, pp. 171-187.

12. Concluding remarks: philosophy and ecology.

Fredrik W. Thue, ”Norske filosofiske tradisjoner og den økologiske bevissthet”, i Gjerdåker et al., pp. 227-251.

Learning Methods

The teaching is divided into lectures and seminars depending on requirements, in total 50 hours during the course of the semester. Students will be given the opportunity to submit assignments and receive assessment from the subject teacher.

Assessment Methods

Students will submit two course assignments, formulated by the subject teacher/course coordinator; students will be given information concerning this at the beginning of the semester. The continuous assessment counts for 40% of the final course grade. The course concludes with a 3-hour written examination. The examination grade counts for 60% of the final course grade. In order to take the final examination, students must submit the course assignments within the given deadlines. In order to achieve a final passing mark, the student must receive passing marks for both the continuous assessment and the final examination.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean