ERIC Number: EJ889705
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 27
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-2422
Environmental Studies and Utilitarian Ethics
Wolff, Brian G.
Bioscene: Journal of College Biology Teaching, v35 n2 p42-46 Dec 2009
Environmental ethicists have focused much attention on the limits of utilitarianism and have generally defined "environmental ethics" in a manner that treats utilitarian environmental ethics as an oxymoron. This is unfortunate because utilitarian ethics can support strong environmental policies, and environmental ethicists have not yet produced a contemporary environmental ethic with such broad appeal. I believe educators should define environmental ethics more broadly and teach utilitarian ethics in a non-pejorative fashion so that graduates of environmental studies and policy programs understand the merits of utilitarian arguments and can comfortably participate in the policymaking arena, where utilitarian ethics continue to play a dominant role.
Descriptors: Environmental Education, Ethics, Public Policy, Educational Principles, Moral Values, Science Education, Science Instruction, College Science, College Instruction, Teaching Methods, College Faculty, Educational Environment
Association of College and Biology Educators. Web site: http://acube.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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