FIL1002 Nature in Crisis: Ethical and Philosophical Problems
- Course codeFIL1002
- Number of credits15
- Teaching semester2025 Autumn
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusLillehammer
- Required prerequisite knowledge
None.
- Climate change: Who is morally responsible for the climate crisis? Who should bear the costs of mitigating the crisis? What are our duties to people afflicted by the climate crisis? What are our duties to future generations?
- Species and extinction: The extinction rate of wild species is alarming. More than 99 % of all species that have existed have already gone extinct. Is extinction a bad thing? If so, why? Is it only because of the death of individual animals or is it particularly bad when a species goes extinct? What is the value of biodiversity?
- Animal ethics: Humans rear and kill an enormous number of animals for food production and medical research. What is the moral status of these animals? Can these practices be justified? What are our obligations towards these animals?
- Genetic engineering: Recent development in genetic engineering and synthetic
biology, such as CRISPR- cas- 9 raises the prospect of changing the genetic traits that
will be inherited to future generations. This raises the prospect of not only eradicating
genetic diseases but also, in the future, of enhancing human nature. Would this kind of
enhancement be morally permissible? If so, what kinds of enhancements can be
justified?
Learning Outcome
Having passed the course, the student has gained the following learning outcome:
The student
- has knowledge of central issues and problems in environmental philosophy
- has knowledge of prominent theories and arguments to address these problems
- is familiar with current research in environmental philosophy
- is familiar with central methods used in environmental philosophy
- is familiar with selected classical texts in environmental philosophy
- is familiar with the history of environmental philosophy
- has knowledge of how environmental philosophy is distinguished from other philosophical traditions.
The student
- can explain central questions and problems in environmental philosophy
- can discuss and evaluate different solutions to them
- can articulate and defend their own viewpoints, positions and proposed solutions regarding such questions and problems
- can write an analytic and argumentative text in environmental philosophy
- can apply their knowledge of environmental ethics to other (professional and public) debates
- can adjust their professional practice in response to feedback and supervision
can orient themselves in the relevant literature, both primary and secondary, and follow standard professional norms of attribution and reference
The student
- understands how ethical issues concerning humanity’s relation to nature are present both in concrete everyday situations and in societal debates
- can plan and carry out independent academic work
- can address and justify answers to complex questions in a clear and well-ordered manner
- can discuss complex problems, both orally and in writing
- can analyze philosophical texts and evaluate philosophical arguments
- respects professional, individual and cultural differences and contributes to inclusion and diversity in order to develop good academic practice
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Essay writing
- Self-study
Emnet evalueres hvert år. Nærmere informasjon om tidspunkt og metode blir gitt ved oppstart av undervisningen.
One multiple choice test and two mandatory written assignments. They are graded as Pass or Fail. The first written assignment is a shorter (length to be determined in class) exercise or response paper. The second written assignment is a longer piece (length to be determined in class) that is intended to be preparatory for the exam essay. The student must pass both written assignments and the multiple choice test in order to take the exam.
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Grouping | Duration of assessment | Support materials | Proportion | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portfolio Assessment | ECTS - A-F |
At the end of the course, the student will submit a portfolio (“mappeeksamen”) for evaluation. The portfolio will consist of an exam essay on a topic approved by the course instructor. Often, but not necessarily, this essay will be a further development of the third mandatory written assignment. The length of the exam essay will be announced at the beginning of class.
Grading according to ECTS-system on scale A-E for passed and F for failed.
Tillatte hjelpemidler til eksamen
Nærmere informasjon om tillatte hjelpemidler blir gitt ved oppstart av undervisningen.