Summer Session II, 1997
Owen Goldin
Coughlin 226
Phone: 5949
Email: 6145 goldino@vms.csd.mu.edu
Office Hours: M 3-5, @ 4-5, and by appointment.
Books: Deloria, Lao-Tzu, on reserve at the Memorial library, Goldin and
Kilroe, eds., Human Life and the Natural World: Readings in the
History of Western Philosophy, Van DeVeer and Pierce, The
Environmental Ethics and Policy Book: Philosophy Ecology, Economics
June 30 Introduction, Videocassette: "Race to Save the Planet,"
program 1: "The Environmental Revolution", Vine Deloria, God Is
Red (selection) (Reserve)
July 2 More on Deloria; Lao-Tzu, from the Tao te Ching (reserve),
Chau and Kam-Kong, "Ancient Wisdom and Sustainable Development from a
Chinese Perspective" (reserve) , Genesis 1-9 (in GK), selections from
Celano, "The First Life of St. Francis" and St. Bonaventure,
"Major Life of St. Francis" (in GK), White, "The Historical
Roots of Our Ecological Crisis," (in VP)
July 7 Passmore, Man's Responsibility for Nature, ch. 1 (reserve),
Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.3 (in GK).
July 9 Aristotle, selections from Physics, On the Soul, and Politics
(in GK)
July 14 St. Thomas Aquinas, selections from Summa Contra Gentiles
and Summa Theologica (in GK), Bacon, from The New Organon (in
GK)
July 16 Taylor, "The Ethics of Respect for Nature," "Priority
Principles" (in VP)
July 21 Mill, from Nature and Whewell on Moral Philosophy
(in GK), Walker, "Am I Blue?," (in VP), Singer, "Animal
Liberation" (in VP)
July 23 Baxter, "People or Penguins" (in VP), Sagoff, "At the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, or Why Political Questions Are Not All Economic" (in VP)
July 28 Locke, from Second Treatise of Government (in GK),
Schrader-Frechette, Property Rights in Natural Resources (in VP),
Goodin, "Property Rights and Preservationist Duties" (in VP)
July 30 Malthus, from An Essay on Population (in GK), Darwin, from On
the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man (in GK), Jeffers,
"Conservation of the Natural Environment" (reserve), Postel:
"Carrying Capacity: Earth's Bottom Line,", Simon, "Can the
Supply of Natural Resources Really Be Infinite? Yes!" (in VP), Fr. McHugh,
"The Teaching of the Church on Population" (reserve)
August 4 Leopold, "The Land Ethic" (VP), Callicott, "The
Conceptual Foundations of the Land Ethic" (in VP), Naess,
"Self-Realization: An Ecological Approach to Being in the World" (in
VP), "Deep Ecology and Ultimate Premises" (reserve)
August 6 Final Exam
Short writing assignments: 35%
Class participation: 30%
Final Examination: 45%
Please note that class participation is a big component of the grading. Much
of this grade will come from regular, thoughtful participation in Shared
Inquiry Sessions. Silent students who attend regularly will receive a C for
this component. If, after a couple weeks of class, you feel shy or intimidated
by this requirement, you may see me for other arrangements. Irregular
attendance, or habitual lateness will subtract from this part of the grading.
There will be a handout on the final exam, several weeks into class.