PY5250 Climate Ethics

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Module coordinator

Dr E Ashford

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Prof Theron Pummer, Dr Elizabeth Ashford

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Climate change is one of the most urgent and distressing problems facing the world today. It is in many ways a morally and politically complex problem. In this module, we will explore foundational and recent work in climate ethics, on such topics as climate justice, duties owed to future generations, the non-identity problem, activism, and questions of race and gender.

Assessment pattern

Coursework - 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 two-hour seminar per week

Scheduled learning hours

22

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

176

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • identify and critically discuss a range of ethical and philosophical approaches to the climate crisis
  • explain the well-known objections to these various approaches, and articulate their own considered opinions on how these might be resolved, or why they cannot be
  • describe and comprehend the prominent philosophical debates surrounding the central issues in the module
  • write competently and meaningfully on matters relating to climate ethics and intergenerational justice