Climate crisis, Ethics

Each student writes an essay: 8-9 pages, double spaced

Materials: Use only the Ethics, Animal Ethics, and Environmental Ethics materials that I have posted, including readings, word documents, and the power point presentations. This essay must include two environmental ethics articles from the list which had been posted with the second group project format.
Topic of your essay: Choose the topic of your group project, or an issue related to it. For example, a specific ethical issue may have emerged in the ethical portion of the group project. Or, an ethical issue may have emerged in the first part of your group project, such as, the implementation or lack of adequate implementation of policies to address a problem. A scholarly article from science, etc. may be cited here.
General Approach of your essay: Evaluate the ‘topic’ of your essay according to the following ethical perspectives: Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics, Kant’s Duty Ethics, Utilitarian Ethics (Bentham, JS Mill), Animal Ethics (Singer and/or Regan), JB Callicott’s Environmental Ethics, Holmes Rolston’s Earth Ethics, Arne Naess’ Deep Ecology, an Environmental Ethics essay and an Environmental Ethics essay. Compare and contrast how each perspective applies to the topic. Choose one perspective that provides the most ethical solution to your topic. Provide reasons to explain why that perspective provides the most ethical solution. The reasons why you have chosen that perspective, based on comparing their application, will make up the supporting points of your argument. The thesis of your argument is that this ethical perspective (e.g., Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics) offers the most ethical solution.
Sample Format Below: I have provided a format below with Aristotle as the chosen ethical theory. I have also chosen an order of comparison that is arbitrary. Substitute your chosen theory for my Aristotle. Choose the order of pairing and comparison that best suits your argument. Otherwise, follow the format very closely. But leave out the headings and the numbers. Use proper paragraphs. Edit, edit, and edit again in order to be clear and concise.

Essay Format

Introduction

1. What is the ethical issue? Very briefly, Introduce the topic, its context, and explain the ethical issue.
2. Stakeholders: Who is impacted? How are they impacted?
3. Options: What should have been done and/or not done?

(1, 2 and 3 together = 1/2 page max)
4. Thesis Statement: “Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics [… or Kant, … or Utilitarianism, … or Animal Ethics, … or Callicott, … or Rolston, or …] provides the most ethical solution to the problem of … [your topic]”

5. Summary of Supporting Points: Very briefly explain why Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics [… or Kant, … or …] provides the most ethical solution in comparison and contrast with the other ethical perspectives. This is based on the reasons in your argument below.

Body of the Essay & Argument

6. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to Kant’s Duty Ethics.” Explain how Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics applies to your topic. Explain how Kant’s Duty Ethics applies to your topic. Compare, contrast, and explain why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution. In doing so, you are providing the supporting points, the reasons and the rational justification, which defend your thesis.
7. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to Utilitarian Ethics.” Explain how Utilitarian Ethics applies to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution. — You may refer to the previous section on Aristotle to avoid repetition.

8. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to Animal Ethics.” Explain how Animal Ethics applies to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution.

9. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to JB Callicott’s perspective.” Explain how JB Callicott’s theory applies to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution.

10. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to Holmes Rolston’s perspective.” Explain how Rolston’s theory applies to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution.
11. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to Arne Naess’ Deep Ecological perspective.” Explain how Naess’ theory applies to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution.

12. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to the perspective of a posted Environmental Ethics article.” Explain how the ideas in the Environmental Ethics article apply to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution.
13. “Acting according to Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides a more ethical solution to the problem of … [ your topic] … than acting according to the perspective of a posted Environmental Ethics article.” Explain how the ideas in the Environmental Ethics article apply to your issue. Compare, contrast, and give reasons why Aristotle’s perspective provides the more ethical solution.

Conclusion

11. “In conclusion, Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics has proven to offer the most ethical solution to the issue of … [your topic]. — Summarize the main reasons from the argument above.

Note: If you conclude that Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics offers the most ethical solution overall when compared with all the others, but that one or more of the other perspectives may be more ethical in relation to some aspect of your topic, you may defend this in your essay. For example, if you find that Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics provides the more ethical solution in comparison with four of the other ethical perspectives, but not all of them, that will be part of your argument. It should be reflected in your introduction and conclusion, as well.
8-9 pages, double spaced, 12 Calibri
APA Style for the two environmental ethics articles & topic related article
Citation of Power Point Presentations – Presentation Topic & slide number

Citation of word document – Title & page number

Alternative topic
, but the same exact format: avoiding climate tipping points that may lead to a ‘hothouse Earth’. See Professor Will Steffen’s 20 minute presentation for the MAHB. He argues that we must act now in order to avoid potential climate ‘tipping points’ which could accelerate warming towards a ‘hothouse Earth’. What should you do to help steer humanity’s path away from those climate tipping points? Which ethical perspective would provide the most ethical solution?
The Future of Climate Change with Will Steffen – YouTube