Environmental Ethics
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
Undefined
Expected learning outcomes
Undefined
Lesson period: Second trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second trimester
Course syllabus
1. Introduction: program, exam, assignments
2. Causes of climate change
3. Effects of climate change
4. Effects of climate change: climate migration
5. Science and data of climate change: IPCC and Eurobarometer
6. Climate agreements: a brief history
7. Climate policies: principles regulating mitigation
8. Problems in policy making: right to develop vs rights of future people
9. Intertergenerational justice-part 1
10. Intergenerational justice - part 2
11. Why is climate change (primarily) an ethical issue?
12. Are standard moral principles able to prescribe individual commitment to climate change mitigation?
13. Deontological arguments for defending direct duties towards climate change
14. Virtue-ethics arguments for defending direct duties towards climate change
15. The epistemic conditions for climate change responsibility
16. Motivation for adopting pro-environmental behaviors
17. Risk perception and negative emotions
18. Guest seminar
19. Presentations
20. Presentations
2. Causes of climate change
3. Effects of climate change
4. Effects of climate change: climate migration
5. Science and data of climate change: IPCC and Eurobarometer
6. Climate agreements: a brief history
7. Climate policies: principles regulating mitigation
8. Problems in policy making: right to develop vs rights of future people
9. Intertergenerational justice-part 1
10. Intergenerational justice - part 2
11. Why is climate change (primarily) an ethical issue?
12. Are standard moral principles able to prescribe individual commitment to climate change mitigation?
13. Deontological arguments for defending direct duties towards climate change
14. Virtue-ethics arguments for defending direct duties towards climate change
15. The epistemic conditions for climate change responsibility
16. Motivation for adopting pro-environmental behaviors
17. Risk perception and negative emotions
18. Guest seminar
19. Presentations
20. Presentations
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
The course will be mostly delivered through lectures. There will be, however, room for debate, and the final classes will be devoted to student presentations.
Teaching Resources
1. Biermann, F., Boas, I., Protecting climate refugees. The case for a global protocol. "Environment", L, 6, 2008;
2. Berchin, I. I., Valduga, I. B., Garcia, J., & De Andrade, J. B. S. O. (2017). Climate change and forced migrations: An effort towards recognizing climate refugees. Geoforum, 84, 147-150
3. Blomfield M. (2015) Climate change and the moral significance of historical injustice in natural resource governance. In C. McKinnon, A. Maltais, The Ethics of Climate Governance, Rowman & Littlefield International: Lanham
4. Caney S. (2014) Climate change, intergenerational equity and the social discount rate. Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Vol. 3, n. 4: pp. 1-23
5. Dennett D. (1986) Information, Technology, and the Virtues of Ignorance. Daedalus, Vol. 115, n. 3: pp. 135-153
6. Falkner R. (2016) The Paris Agreement and the new logic of international climate politics. International Affairs, Vol. 92, n. 5: pp. 1107-1125
7. Fouke D. (2012) Blameworthy Environmental Beliefs. Environmental Ethics, Vol. 34: pp. 115-134
8. Gardiner S. (2010) A Perfect Moral Storm. Climate Change, Intergenerational Ethics, and the Problem of Corruption. In S. Caney, S. Gardiner, D. Jamieson, H. Shue, Climate Ethics: Essential Readings. Oxford University Press: New York; pp. 87-98
9. Gosseries A. (2023) What is intergenerational justice? OUP
10. Hourdequin M. (2010) Climate, Collective Action and Individual Ethical Obligations. Environmental Values Vol. 19, n. 4: pp. 443-464
11. Jamieson D. (2013) Jack, Jill, and Jane in a Perfect Moral Storm. Philosophy and Public Issues Vol. 3, n. 1: pp. 37-53
12. Jamieson D. (2007) When utilitarians should be virtue theorists. Utilitas, Vol. 19: pp. 160-183
13. Lenzi D. (2022) How should we respond to climate change? Virtue ethics and aggregation problems. Journal of Social Philosophy: pp. 1-16
14. Nefsky J. (2017) How you can help, without making a difference. Philosophical Studies, Vol. 174: pp. 2743-2767
15. Pongiglione F. (2023). Climate change and human rights. In M. Di Paola, G. Pellegrino (eds.) Handbook of the Philosophy of Climate Change, Springer; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16960-2_133-1
16. Singer P. (2010) One Atmosphere. In S. Caney, S. Gardiner, D. Jamieson, H. Shue, Climate Ethics: Essential Readings. Oxford University Press: New York; pp. 181-199
17. Sinnott-Armstrong W. (2005) It's not my fault: global warming and individual moral obligations. Perspectives on Climate Change: Science, Economics, Politics, Ethics. Advances in the Economics of Environmental Research, Vol. 5: pp. 293-315
18. Vanderheiden S. (2007) Climate change and the challenge of moral responsibility. Journal of Philosophical Research, Vol. 32: pp. 85-92
2. Berchin, I. I., Valduga, I. B., Garcia, J., & De Andrade, J. B. S. O. (2017). Climate change and forced migrations: An effort towards recognizing climate refugees. Geoforum, 84, 147-150
3. Blomfield M. (2015) Climate change and the moral significance of historical injustice in natural resource governance. In C. McKinnon, A. Maltais, The Ethics of Climate Governance, Rowman & Littlefield International: Lanham
4. Caney S. (2014) Climate change, intergenerational equity and the social discount rate. Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Vol. 3, n. 4: pp. 1-23
5. Dennett D. (1986) Information, Technology, and the Virtues of Ignorance. Daedalus, Vol. 115, n. 3: pp. 135-153
6. Falkner R. (2016) The Paris Agreement and the new logic of international climate politics. International Affairs, Vol. 92, n. 5: pp. 1107-1125
7. Fouke D. (2012) Blameworthy Environmental Beliefs. Environmental Ethics, Vol. 34: pp. 115-134
8. Gardiner S. (2010) A Perfect Moral Storm. Climate Change, Intergenerational Ethics, and the Problem of Corruption. In S. Caney, S. Gardiner, D. Jamieson, H. Shue, Climate Ethics: Essential Readings. Oxford University Press: New York; pp. 87-98
9. Gosseries A. (2023) What is intergenerational justice? OUP
10. Hourdequin M. (2010) Climate, Collective Action and Individual Ethical Obligations. Environmental Values Vol. 19, n. 4: pp. 443-464
11. Jamieson D. (2013) Jack, Jill, and Jane in a Perfect Moral Storm. Philosophy and Public Issues Vol. 3, n. 1: pp. 37-53
12. Jamieson D. (2007) When utilitarians should be virtue theorists. Utilitas, Vol. 19: pp. 160-183
13. Lenzi D. (2022) How should we respond to climate change? Virtue ethics and aggregation problems. Journal of Social Philosophy: pp. 1-16
14. Nefsky J. (2017) How you can help, without making a difference. Philosophical Studies, Vol. 174: pp. 2743-2767
15. Pongiglione F. (2023). Climate change and human rights. In M. Di Paola, G. Pellegrino (eds.) Handbook of the Philosophy of Climate Change, Springer; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16960-2_133-1
16. Singer P. (2010) One Atmosphere. In S. Caney, S. Gardiner, D. Jamieson, H. Shue, Climate Ethics: Essential Readings. Oxford University Press: New York; pp. 181-199
17. Sinnott-Armstrong W. (2005) It's not my fault: global warming and individual moral obligations. Perspectives on Climate Change: Science, Economics, Politics, Ethics. Advances in the Economics of Environmental Research, Vol. 5: pp. 293-315
18. Vanderheiden S. (2007) Climate change and the challenge of moral responsibility. Journal of Philosophical Research, Vol. 32: pp. 85-92
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will be a written test - 3 open questions. Such questions will be rather specific, and presuppose a careful preparation.
The grades go from 0/30 to 30/30 cum laude, being 18/30 the minimum score for considering the test passed.
The final grade will be based on the following criteria:
1. Knowledge and comprehension of the contents of the course
2. Clarity of exposition, and correct use of the discipline's lexicon
3. Ability to structure and develop an argument.
The grades go from 0/30 to 30/30 cum laude, being 18/30 the minimum score for considering the test passed.
The final grade will be based on the following criteria:
1. Knowledge and comprehension of the contents of the course
2. Clarity of exposition, and correct use of the discipline's lexicon
3. Ability to structure and develop an argument.
M-FIL/03 - MORAL PHILOSOPHY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Pongiglione Francesca