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Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

Print Price: $143.99

Format:
Paperback
496 pp.
6.5" x 9.25"

ISBN-13:
9780199340729

Copyright Year:
2018

Imprint: OUP US


Environmental Ethics

Theory in Practice

Ronald Sandler

An accessible yet rigorous introduction to the field, Environmental Ethics: Theory in Practice helps students develop the analytical skills to effectively identify and evaluate the social and ethical dimensions of environmental issues. Covering a wide variety of theories and critical perspectives, author Ronald Sandler considers their strengths and weaknesses, emphasizes their practical importance, and grounds the discussions in a multitude of both classic and contemporary cases and examples.

Readership : Higher Education.

Reviews

  • "Environmental Ethics is a really splendid introduction. It is clear and accessible, yet rigorous and engaging. Sandler's text provides excellent overviews, telling examples, and stimulating opinions. It is a gift to students, instructors, and to the field at large."
    --Steve Gardiner, University of Washington

  • "Environmental Ethics combines careful theoretical explanation of concepts like environmental justice and rights with lively and illuminating practical case studies. Sandler discusses pressing environmental issues, from climate change to animal agriculture, with his hallmark clarity, theoretical depth, knowledge of the field, and approachable style. This book is an invaluable introduction to environmental ethics."
    --Clare Palmer, Texas A&M University

  • "Ron Sandler is one of the most important voices in environmental philosophy today. His work always balances stunning originality with amazing analytic clarity. While serving the needs of an introductory textbook, this volume is his most thorough and comprehensive effort to date."
    --Paul Thompson, Michigan State University

DOING ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
1. What is Environmental Ethics
1.1 What Are Environmental Issues?
1.2 Why Environmental Ethics
1.3 Three Bases for Environmental Ethics
1.4 The Radicalness of Environmental Ethics
1.5 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
2. Methods of Environmental Ethics
2.1 Description, Explanation, Predication, and Prescription
2.2 Environmental Ethics and Environmental Science
2.3 Justification in Ethics: The Philosophical Method and Evaluating Arguments
2.4 Skepticism about Ethics
2.5 God and Ethics
2.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
NATURE AND NATURALNESS
3. The Normativity of Nature
3.1 What is Nature?
3.2 Is Nature Normative?
3.2.1 Is it Wrong to Interfere with Nature?
3.2.2 Should we Follow Nature?
3.2.3 Is a Behavior Wrong if it is Unnatural?
3.3 Evolution and Prescription
3.4 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
4. Natural Value
4.1 Instrumental Value
4.2 Final Value (or Intrinsic Value)
4.3 Economic Valuation and Environmental Values
4.4 Is Naturalness Valuable?
4.5 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
MORAL CONSIDERABILITY: WHICH INDIVIDUALS MATTER?
5. Anthropocentrism, Ratiocentrism, and Indirect Duties
5.1 Moral Status Terminology
5.2 Arguments for Anthropocentrism
5.3 Ratiocentrism
5.4 Actual Preference Anthropocentrism
5.5 Technological Optimism
5.6 Indirect Duties Views
5.7 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
6. Enlightened Anthropocentrism: Efficiency, Sustainability, and Future Generations
6.1 The Elements of Unwise Use
6.1.1 Inefficient Use
6.1.2 Underutilization
6.1.3 Short-term Use
6.1.4 Exclusive Use
6.1.5 Narrow Use
6.2 Ideal Preference Anthropocentrism
6.3 The Problem of Future Generations
6.4 Summary, Questions and Further Reading
7. Nonanthropocentric Individualism: The Moral Considerability of Plants and Animals
7.1 Primary Arguments for Sentientism
7.2 Responses to the Arguments for Sentientism
7.3 Do Plants Have Interests?
7.4 Should We Care about the Interests of Plants?
7.5 Pluralism
7.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
NORMATIVE THEORIES: HOW DO THINGS MATTER?
8. Consequentialist Environmental Ethics: Animal Welfare and Utilitarianism
8.1 Distinguishing Normative Theories
8.2 Utilitarianism
8.3 Identifying and Weighing Interests
8.4 Secondary Principles and Indirect Consequentialism
8.5 Concerns About Utilitarian Environmental Ethics
8.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
9. Deontological Environmental Ethics: Respect for Nature, Animal Rights, and Environmental Rights
9.1 The Motivations for Deontology
9.2 Taylor's Respect for Nature View
9.3 Regan's Animal Rights View
9.4 Human Rights and the Environment
9.5 Concerns About Deontological Environmental Ethics
9.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
10. Character Ethics: Virtue, Vice, and the Environment
10.1 What Are Environmental Virtues and Vices?
10.2 Character and Environmental Ethics
10.3 Environmental Virtue Ethics
10.4 Concerns Regarding Environmental Virtue Ethics
10.5 Evaluating Ethical Theories
10.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
11. Ecocentrism: Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic
11.1 The Argument for the Land Ethic
11.2 Implications of the Land Ethic
11.3 Moral Development and Outdoor Recreation
11.4 Concerns Regarding the Land Ethic
11.4.1 Problematic Implications: Ecofascism and Misanthropy
11.4.2 Conceptual Clarity: Defining Ecosystems and Ecological Integrity
11.4.3 Misapplication of Moral Concepts
11.5 Summary, Questions and Further Reading
12. Deep Ecology
12.1 Principles of Deep Ecology
12.2 The Deep Ecology Metaphysic: Self-Realization
12.3 The "Deep" in Deep Ecology
12.4 Concerns Regarding Deep Ecology
12.5 Spiritual Experience and Environmental Ethics
12.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
13. Species and Biodiversity
13.1 What are Species and Biodiversity?
13.2 The Instrumental Value of Species and Biodiversity
13.3 The Final Value of Species
13.3.1 Natural Historical Value of Species
13.3.2 Do Species Have Inherent Worth?
13.4 Do we Have a Duty to Preserve Species?
13.5 The Conservation Dilemma
13.6 Novel Species Conservation Strategies
13.7 Intervention or Restraint?
13.8 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
14. Ecofeminism and Environmental Pragmatism
14.1 Ecofeminism: Background and Context
14.2 The Logic of Domination and the Ethics of Care
14.3 Diverse Perspectives
14.4 The Motivation for Pragmatism
14.5 Themes of Environmental Pragmatism
14.6 Practical Efficacy in Environmental Ethics
14.7 Summary, Questions and Further Reading
15. Environmental Justice
15.1 Unequal Exposure and Environmental Injustice
15.2 Environmental Justice and Cost Benefit Analysis
15.3 Addressing Environmental Injustice
15.4 Consumption
15.5 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
16. Global Justice: Population, Poverty and the Environment
16.1 The Extent and Sources of Malnutrition
16.2 The Lifeboat Ethic
16.3 Feeding People and Saving Nature
16.4 An Obligation to Assist?
16.5 How Much to Assist?
16.6 Summary, Questions, and Further Reading
FINAL THOUGHTS
17. The Anthropocene and Environmental Ethics
17.1 Are We in the Anthropocene?
17.2 Why this Definition and this Name?
17.3 Environmental Ethics with or without "The Anthropocene"
17.4 Conclusion, Questions, and Further Reading

There are no Instructor/Student Resources available at this time.

Ronald Sandler is Professor of Philosophy, Chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department, and Director of the Ethics Institute at Northeastern University. He is the author of Food Ethics: The Basics (2014), The Ethics of Species (2012), and Character and Environment (2007); the editor of Ethics and Emerging Technologies (2013); and the coeditor of Environmental Justice and Environmentalism (2007) and Environmental Virtue Ethics (2005).

Making Sense - Margot Northey and Joan McKibbin
Environmental Ethics - Edited by David Schmidtz and Elizabeth Willott

Special Features

  • Discusses a wide range of theories of environmental ethics, representing their strengths and weaknesses as charitably as possible without advocating for any particular theory, thereby encouraging students to think critically about which views are well justified and which are not.
  • Incorporates both classic and cutting-edge cases and examples; iconic cases include the spotted owl, Bhopal chemical leak, and Hetch Hetchy controversies, while contemporary cases include lead contamination of Flint, Michigan's water supply, and innovations in conservation genetics, including conservation cloning, deextinction, and gene drives.
  • Covers food ethics--addressing such topics as genetic engineering, food systems, food waste, and eating animals--and technology ethics, reflecting on technological power and the role of technology in creating and responding to environmental issues.
  • Emphasizes the social justice dimensions of environmental problems with chapters on environmental justice, food security, ecofeminism, and more.
  • Includes text boxes that provide extended discussions of cases; thought experiments; additional coverage of theoretical issues discussed in the main text; and exercises that ask students to apply theories or reflect on how theoretical issues intersect with practical problems.
  • Provides numerous pedagogical aids including review questions, discussion questions, key terms and additional reading lists at the end of each chapter, extensive internal cross-referencing, a glossary of key terms and concepts, and more than thirty images, illustrations, tables, and graphs.