Doing Environmental Ethics

Doing Environmental Ethics faces our ecological crisis by drawing on environmental science, economic theory, international law, and religious teachings, as well as philosophical arguments. It engages students in constructing ethical presumptions based on arguments for duty, character, relationships, and rights, and then tests these moral presumptions by predicting the likely consequences of acting on them. Students apply what they learn to policy issues discussed in the final part of the book: sustainable consumption, environmental policy, clean air and water, agriculture, managing public lands, urban ecology, and climate change. Questions after each chapter and a worksheet aid readers in deciding how to live more responsibly. The second edition has been updated to reflect the latest developments in environmental ethics, including sustainable practices of corporations, environmental NGO actions, and rainforest certification programs. This edition also gives greater emphasis to environmental justice, Rawls, and ecofeminism. Revised study questions concern application and analysis, and new “Decisions” inserts invite students to analyze evaluate current environmental issues.

Table of Contents:
PART I ETHICS AND SCIENCE 1 Moral Philosophy: An Adventure in Reasoning Right and Good Reasoning about Our Feelings Environmental Ethics Learning from Diverse Theories Doing Ethics Together Questions 2 Ethics and Science: Moral Consideration What We Know and Can't Know An Evolving Theory of Evolution Ecosystems and Emergent Properties Ascribing Value to Nature Questions 3 Ethics and Economics: The Common Good Invisible Hand? Economic and Ethical Issues Globalization and Economic Growth Green Economics Questions PART II CONSTRUCTING AND TESTING ETHICAL PRESUMPTIONS 4 Duty: Nature and Future Generations Doing Our Duty Right Action Commanded by God: Jews and Muslims Government, Land, and Property Applying the Golden Rule Animals, Species, Ecosystems, and Landscapes Questions 5 Character: Ecological Virtues Being Good Children's Stories Christian Stewardship Virtues: Integrity, Gratitude, and Frugality Respecting and Appreciating Nature Questions 6 Relationships: Empathy and Integrity Empathy Is Natural Culture and Human Nature Deep Ecology Ecofeminism: A Social Ecology Ecological Integrity Questions 7 Rights: Humans and Animals? Human Rights Law Environmental Rights Animal Rights? A Rights Strategy Questions 8 Consequences: Predicting the Future Utilitarianism Animal Suffering Cost-Benefit Analysis Biocentric Consequentialism Scientific Consequences Questions Worksheet PART III LEARNING FROM NATURE 9 Ecological Living: Sustainable Consumption Duty: To Reduce Our Consumption Character: Consumer Choices Relationships: Our Natural Community Rights: To a Healthy Environment Consequences: Sustainable Consumption Questions 10 Environmental Policy: Governments, Corporations, NGOs Governments: International and US Policies Corporations: Sustainable Practices Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs): Advocacy and Action Ethical Reasoning: Analysis Questions 11 Air and Water: A Healthy Environment The Earth's Atmosphere Air: Pollution and Greenhouse Gases Water: Quality and Scarcity Economic Predictions: Shortsighted Questions 12 Agriculture: Land and Food Nature's Cycles Industrial Agriculture Poor Farmers Sustainable Farming Questions 13 Public Land: Adaptive Management Conservationists versus Preservationists National Forests and Parks Restoring Deserts and Wetlands Rainforests Wildlife Reserves in Asia and Africa Ethical and Legal Presumptions Questions 14 Urban Ecology: Building Green The Built Environment Transportation Water and Waste Sustainable Cities Environmental Justice Consequences Questions 15 Climate Change: Global Warming The Carbon Cycle Responsibility Predicting Consequences Taking Action Questions

About the Author :
Robert Traer holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, a J.D. from the School of Law of the University of California at Davis, and a D.Min. from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. He is a faculty member of the Dominican University of California. With Harlan Stelmach, he is coauthor of Doing Ethics in a Diverse World (Westview Press).

Review :
Praise from the Previous Edition: "In this well-done, three-part work, Traer offers a solid introduction to environmental ethics. ... Traer presents opposing views fairly, and is good at explaining/applying concepts. Recommended." -Choice "In the hands of Traer 'environmental ethics' become the critical search for wisdom for individuals and for society in dealing with the greatest crisis in human history. It includes, and draws from, the whole range of formal ethical systems, but it also treats specific environmental problems such as global warming. It shows how these cannot be separated from economic and political theory and practice. And it does all this in relation to our actual historical situation and cultural diversity. This is "ethics" at its transdisciplinary best." -John B. Cobb, Jr., Claremont School of Theology "Doing Environmental Ethics stands out among the many available textbooks on the topic because of its clarity and inclusiveness. Most such books show clearly the bias or chosen position of the editor/author, and exclude much important material for that reason. In contrast Traer shows his thorough philosophical background and his strong understanding of morality in the variety of sources he uses, far beyond the usual material found in environmental ethics textbooks. I would recommend it as the first choice for any course on environmental issues." -Laura Westra, University of Windsor "In this scholarly, extensively documented volume, Traer brings the discipline of ethics to our current environmental crisis. ... Traer manages a unique blend of the philosophical with the pragmatic, ending with a discussion of 15 strategies using existing technology that would prevent a global warming disaster within 50 years." -Booklist "Traer provides not only an unusually coherent and laudable plan for canvassing the field of environmental ethics, but also takes a stance that ... promises rich rewards for thinking critically about responsible earth citizenship. Facts and figures cited are up to date and telling. The science underpinning environmental protection is well presented and easy to understand." -Environmental Values Praise from the Previous Edition: "In this well-done, three-part work, Traer offers a solid introduction to environmental ethics. … Traer presents opposing views fairly, and is good at explaining/applying concepts. Recommended.” —Choice "In the hands of Traer 'environmental ethics' become the critical search for wisdom for individuals and for society in dealing with the greatest crisis in human history. It includes, and draws from, the whole range of formal ethical systems, but it also treats specific environmental problems such as global warming. It shows how these cannot be separated from economic and political theory and practice. And it does all this in relation to our actual historical situation and cultural diversity. This is "ethics" at its transdisciplinary best." —John B. Cobb, Jr., Claremont School of Theology