Climate Change Ethics course description:

Climate Change Ethics course description:  

This course addresses the moral or ethical issues that result from climate change: what should we do, what must we do, to respond to climate change? What should we do individually, and what should we do collectively, as local communities, states, nations and as a global effort? Why must we do this, and how? 

Ethical discussions of real-world issues depend on an understanding of the facts. To know what we should do about climate change, we need to know the facts. These facts are determined by science, so how do we develop scientific literacy so that more people, especially people of influence, better understand these facts? Understanding the relevant science and trusting scientists is a moral issue: what must we do to increase the knowledge, understanding, and trust that’s needed to confront climate change? 

Unfortunately, there are powerful cultural and political forces that work to distort, deny and undermine a scientific understanding of climate change. How do we identify those sources and address them? How can we effectively communicate the messages needed for individuals and societies to make ethical choices?  

Climate change is an ethical issue, to put it very simply, because many bad things are happening, and are predicted to happen, because of it. What are these bad things, and who are they bad for? While this often seems obvious, why are they bad, and what are the most effective, fair and just ways to address this badness? Simple questions here lead to complex and challenging ethical questions about our individual and collective ethical obligations, the nature of fairness and justice, and more.  

Some activities, done in connection with local organizations that address climate change:

• students will strategize about how to best "move" climate change messages, both at the individual and collective / policy levels and test these strategies, 
• students will engage in various types of educational outreach, such as those supported by the RCE Atlanta: https://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/rce-greater-atlanta  
• students will contribute to the efforts of the Georgia Climate Project, such as working with their “Georgia Climate Stories” project to document the impact on climate change on people in Georgia and how they are responding: https://stories.georgiaclimateproject.org/  

SpcTop: Climate Change Ethics - 48822 - HPHI 475 - 02
Associated Term: Fall 2020 Registration Dates: No dates available Levels: Undergraduate Morehouse College Campus Lecture Schedule Type 3.000 Credits View Catalog Entry Bookstore(change me) Scheduled Meeting Times Type Time Days Where Date Range Schedule Type Instructors Class 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm MWF Sale Hall 110 Aug 19, 2020 - Dec 11, 2020 Lecture Nathan M. Nobis (P)