Spring 2021 PHIL209A Philosophy and Climate Change (DePauw University)
Course Overview
This course explores the interrelations between philosophy and climate change. At the same time, it introduces students to theories and concepts in many different areas of the discipline of philosophy. We will explore philosophical questions about morality and justice as we ask questions such as:
What does justice demand governments do about climate change?
Do individuals have moral obligations to reduce their carbon footprint?
Do we have the right to have children given the effect humans have on the climate?
What is valuable about future generations, and how does that affect what we must do about climate change?
We will explore philosophical questions about the nature of science and its methods by asking questions such as:
What is the nature of the evidence for climate change and its causes?
What is the nature of observational data in climate science, and how do the data support hypotheses about climate change?
What is a scientific model, and what are climate models?
What is the nature of probability and confidence judgments in climate science?
Do moral and ethical values affect our assessment of the probability of hypotheses about the climate?
Can we rely on scientific experts alone to justify our beliefs about climate change?
I believe the philosophical theories and tools we will employ in answering such questions improve our thinking about climate change and clarify arguments for and against potential solutions to the problems which climate change raises.
Schedule with Readings
Abbreviations: ‘CM’ for John Broome’s book Climate Matters, ‘PCS’ for Eric Winsberg’s book Philosophy and Climate Science, ‘T’ for Tuesday, ‘R’ for Thursday.
Week 1, Feb 1st. Starting out.
T: Introduction. Watching “Thin Ice” [documentary about climate scientists]. R: CM, Chapter 1, “Introduction” and Chapter 2, “Science.”
Week 2, Feb 8th. Introducing key questions and concepts.
T: PCS, Chapter 1, “Introduction.” [Introductory discussion of epistemology and philosophy of science.] R: NPR article: “Should We Be Having Kids in the Age of Climate Change?” [Introductory discussion of moral and political philosophy]
Week 3, Feb 15th. Climate change, harm, and morality.
T: CM, Chapter 4, “Justice and Fairness.” R: CM, Chapter 5, “Private Morality.”
Week 4, Feb 22nd. Observation and data.
T: Pierre Duhem, “Physical Theory and Experiment” (from The Aim and Structure of Physical Theory) R: PCS, Chapter 2, “Data.”
Week 5, March 1st. Climate change, rights, and justice.
T: Simon Caney, “Climate Change, Human Rights, and Moral Thresholds.” R: Clare Heyward, “Climate Change as Cultural Injustice.”
Week 6, March 8th. Climate change and individual obligations.
T: Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, “It’s Not My Fault: Global Warming and Individual Moral Obligations” Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. R: Avram Hiller, “Climate Change and Individual Responsibility.”
Week 7, March 15th. Climate models and attributing causes.
T: No class. R: PCS, Chapter 3, “Models” and Chapter 4 “Simulations,” Sections 1-3.
Week 8, March 22nd. Probability and uncertainty.
T: PCS, Chapter 6, “Probability” and Chapter 7, “Confidence,” Section 6 only [the rest of Chapter 7 as optional reading]. R: CM, Chapter 7, “Uncertainty.”
Week 9, March 29th. Climate, integrity, and respect for nature.
T: Marion Hourdequin, “Climate Change, Collective Action, and Individual Ethical Obligations”. R: Dale Jamieson, “Climate Change, Responsibility, and Justice.”
Week 10, April 5th. Climate science and the future.
T: Thomas Sinclair, “Why Should We Care If Humans Die Out?”. [Optional reading: Chapter 2 of Samuel Scheffler, Why Worry about Future Generations?] R: No class.
Week 11, April 12th. Climate science and value.
T: Video by Peer Models Network on science, values, and modeling with focus on health care (with Eric Winsberg as collaborator). PCS, Chapter 9, “Values,” Sections 1 and 2. R: PCS, Chapter 9, “Values,” Sections 3 through 8.
Week 12, April 19th. Climate change, scientific consensus, and social epistemology.
T: Kristen Intemann, “Who Needs Consensus Anyway? Addressing Manufactured Doubt and Increasing Public Trust in Climate Science.” R: PCS, Chapter 12, “Social Epistemology.”
Week 13, April 26th. Climate change and children.
T: Sarah Conly, One Child: Do We Have a Right to More?, Chapter 2: “The Right to a Family.” R: No class.
Week 14, May 3rd. Climate colonialism, climate skepticism
T: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò and Beba Cibralic, “The Case for Climate Reparations.” R: Alex Worsnip, “The Skeptic and the Climate Change Skeptic.”
Week 15, May 10th. Wrap-up
T: Wrap-up discussion R: Group office hour to discuss final paper ideas.