Time Schedule:
Stephen M. Gardiner
PB AF 596
Seattle Campus
Explores environmental values and ethics and their relationship to the policy process. Includes content on value foundation of economic efficiency and its relationship to fairness, legal entitlements, duty to other creatures, and incommensurabilities in valuing goods. Current policy controversies are addressed.
Class description
Several politicians and scientists have said that climate change is the most important international problem facing the world today. This course will investigate many of the philosophical issues relevant to this problem. Such issues include: What can economic analysis tell us (and not tell us) about problems with a long time horizon, such as climate change? Is climate change a commons problem? If so, what kind? What would constitute a just allocation of the burdens of climate change? Can our pollution harm future generations when their very existence might depend on our decision to pollute? What are we individually required to do about global and intergenerational problems of this sort?
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
