In this course, students critically engage with ethical problems posed by man-made climate change. These include 1) framing of climate change as a social dilemma; 2) the balancing of the costs of climate change as they relate to current and future generations as well as non-human entities; and 3) questions regarding the responsibility of the state and individuals in mitigating climate change.
Learning objective
After successful completion of the course, students will be able to discuss, identify and position themselves with regard to issues of ethics and justice that arise in relation to anthropocentric climate change.
Content
Man-made climate change confronts us with difficult ethical problems. Our use of fossil fuels and the associated warming of the climate increases the likelihood of extreme climate events such as droughts and floods and often jeopardizes the livelihoods of people in the poorest countries that are not among the main emitters. What characterizes climate change as an ethical problem is that 1) the causal responsibility for it lies neither with any one individual nor with any one individual state, 2) that most of the consequences, such as rising sea levels, will be borne by future generations or people other than the polluters, and that 3) solutions to mitigate warming require fundamental societal changes that raise questions of activism and personal responsibility.
The course addresses these questions by critically reviewing utilitarian approaches, exemplified by John Broome's book "Climate Matters: Ethics in a warming world" (e.g. the use of cost-benefit analyses to assess the ethical consequences of global warming) and contrasting them with virtue ethics and Kantian approaches. Specifically the course examines the ethical implications of our individual contributions to global warming, questions of justice and political responsibility borne by citizens, states and companies. Proposals that combine utilitarian theories with economic models, such as a market for carbon certificates and carbon off-setting, will form the starting point in the seminar in order to reflect on and critically examine one's own ethical role and the ethical foundations of social measures.
Competencies
Subject-specific Competencies
Concepts and Theories
assessed
Method-specific Competencies
Analytical Competencies
assessed
Decision-making
fostered
Problem-solving
fostered
Social Competencies
Communication
assessed
Cooperation and Teamwork
assessed
Leadership and Responsibility
fostered
Self-presentation and Social Influence
fostered
Sensitivity to Diversity
fostered
Personal Competencies
Critical Thinking
assessed
Integrity and Work Ethics
fostered
Self-awareness and Self-reflection
assessed
Self-direction and Self-management
fostered
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course