IPP 507: Environmental Ethics

AWAYMAVE - The Distance Mode of MA in Values and the Environment at Lancaster University

Assessment

Writing essays gives you one way to demonstrate and express your understanding of the course material. It is an opportunity to develop critical skills in relation to what you read and hear, and it provides one forum, among others, to express your own ideas.
Assessment for this course is usually through a 5,000 word essay.

If you are returning to study after a long break or have a non-philosophy background you might like to take the option of writing 2 shorter essays; a first one of 1,500 and a second of 3,500 words so as to get useful feedback after the first one, in time for writing the second one. The weighting of these essays for assessment is 30/70.

If you would like feedback on an essay plan please send it to me in plenty of time for you to make use of the comments.

Please note there is a penalty of 5 marks for work that is seriously overlength (seriously overlength is defined as more than 10% longer than the maximum or guidline length).

Submission dates

5000 word essay - Monday 26 April

or

1500 word essay - Monday 20 February
3500 word essay - Monday 26 April

Essay topics

Choose any of the following. If you would like to write on a topic of your own, formulate the topic as a tightly worded question that relates to the course material, and please be sure to run it by me (Lloyd) first.

Distance students will need to remember to attach a cover sheet as well as your essay as an attachment to be emailed to Christine.

Essays Questions:

1. Critically discuss the role of aesthetics in environmental
   restoration.
2. Can there be objective aesthetic judgements about nature?
   
3. Assess Carlson's 'natural environmental model' of aesthetic
   appreciation of nature.
   
4. Critically discuss the conflict (or indeed harmony) between
   aesthetic and moral value in our appreciation and care of the natural environment. Use examples to examine the conflict.
   
5. Discuss the aesthetic significance of environmental art: sculpture
   set in the environment, rearrangements of natural elements, land art, earthworks, etc.
   
6. Critically examine the work of one or more of the following on the
   character of aesthetic experience of nature: Berleant, Carroll, Godlovitch, Hepburn, Kant, Mannison.
   
7. Discuss the conservation, consumption and use of highly prized
   landscapes: problems associated with the diversity of interests - e.g.
   farming, science, tourism. Where does aesthetics fit in?
   
8. Is aesthetic appreciation of nature radically different from the
   aesthetic appreciation of art?
   
9. Critically assess Brady's 'integrated aesthetic'.
   
10. Compare the aesthetic value of different kinds of landscape,
    especially of wilderness and cultivated land.