1. Projects Find a contentious environmental issue
Present both sides of controversy fairly
Take a stand
Defend your stand on the basis of philosophical ideas that we have discussed
10 minutes powerpoint presentation in class + 5 minutes discussion time
Presentations April 11-16
Develop into final paper ( words)
Tutorials to discuss draft of final papers April 18-25
Final papers due May 4th

2. Traditional Ethical Theories (cont.)
Utilitarianism

3. Combining ethical theories
Virtue ethics combined with rule utilitarianism
The greatest happiness for the greatest number would be achieved if we all strove for the good (virtuous) life
Deontological ethics justified by rule utilitarianism
The greatest happiness for the greatest number would be achieved if we all followed the categorical imperatives

4. Thought experiments Kid breaks a vase Transplant case Trolley case
Should he lie to his Mom? What’s the harm?
Transplant case
Kill one innocent bystander and transplant his organs to five patients to save their lives
Trolley case
A runaway train is about to hit 5 people on Track A. Should you throw a switch to make the train go down Track B, where one person is standing (and will be hit).
A runaway train is about to hit 5 people standing on the track. Should you push a fat man in front of the train?

5. Readings
Required: Leopold, Aldo (1949), “The Land Ethic” in A Sand County Almanac, New York: Oxford UP, 1989, available at: Environmental Ethics, Chapter 9, on reserve Optional: Locke, John (1689) “Of Property,” in Two Treatises of Government, available at: