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Sustainability and Environmental Ethics (PHIL90029)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
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This subject will introduce you to the challenging philosophical issues raised by climate change. We will cover some of the following questions: do our individual GHG emissions do harm? If they do not, do we have any reason to restrain our emissions, and does it make a difference if others are restraining theirs? Are we responsible together for our generation's emissions? In what condition must we leave the world for future generations? What 'green virtues' might there be? Is climate change a structural injustice? If so, are ordinary people complicit in that structural injustice? Does climate change have differential impacts on women and people of colour, and if so, what implications does that have for climate responsibilities? How should the burden of reducing global emissions be shared among states? Is 'discounting the future' ethically permissible? What is the relative importance of action against climate change compared against other morally important goals? In this subject you'll learn both how to defend and criticize arguments relating to climate ethics and environmental activism, and how to articulate what actions might be required of individuals, companies, and states to mitigate climate change.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who complete this subject will:
- Understand important conceptual distinctions between different ways in which the environment has value
- Understand philosophical treatments of our moral obligations to preserve the environment
- Understand the moral significance of the difference between individual and collective action
- Appreciate the difficulties associated with weighing environmental obligations against competing obligations and permissions;
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
This subject is only available to students admitted into the Master of Arts in Professional and Applied Ethics or MC-IR Masters in International Relations; or another Masters by Coursework programme at the University of Melbourne with coordinator approval.
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
- A 1000 word short answer essay due mid semester (20%)
- A 4000 word final essay, due at the end of semester (80%)
Hurdle requirement:
- Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Holly Lawford-Smith Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours: 1x2-hr seminar per week for 12 weeks Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 26 February 2018 to 27 May 2018 Last self-enrol date 9 March 2018 Census date 31 March 2018 Last date to withdraw without fail 4 May 2018 Assessment period ends 22 June 2018 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
170 Hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Subject readings will be available online
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Geography Informal specialisation 150 Point Master of Public Policy and Management Informal specialisation 200 Point Master of Public Policy and Management Informal specialisation 100 Point Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) Specialisation (formal) Professional Ethics Informal specialisation 200 points Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) Informal specialisation 200 Point Master of International Relations Informal specialisation Graduate Certificate in Arts (Advanced) - Professional Ethics Informal specialisation Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced) - Professional Ethics Specialisation (formal) Professional Ethics Informal specialisation 100 Point Master of Public Policy and Management Informal specialisation 100 Point Master of International Relations - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
Last updated: 3 November 2022