Environmental Philosophies & Ethics

EVR 3020

CRN 11672

Session 3: Pragmatic Contextualism, Reconcilliation and the Environment

Reading Assignment: Ben Minteer, Elizabeth Corley & Robert Manning (2003) "Environmental Ethics Beyond Principle? The Case for a Pragmantic Contextualism;" Ben Minteer (2005) "Environmental Philosophy and the Public Interest: A Pragmatic Reconcilliation;" Harry G. Frankfurt, On Bullshit

Video Assignment: John Dewey: America's philosopher of democracy and his importance to education - A.G. Rud; John Dewey: His Life and Work; What Would Dewey Do? - New School; History Talks "Thomas Jefferson," Richard J. Bernstein; "The Pragmatic Turn."

Homework Assignment:

1. Explain how the ideas of John Dewey relate to considering the environment from a "contextual" perspective.

2. Explain how Dewey's ideas contribute to the "Public Interest."

3. In what sense was Dewey's ideas "democratic?"

4. Dewey relied heavily on the ideas of Thomas Jefferson. What was Jefferson's philosophy relative to "democracy"?

5. Explain what is meant by the "pragmatic turn."

6. What is "bullshit" and how does it differ from "lies?"

7. Explain how it is that "bullshit" is unavoidable.

8. Frankfurter writes "Thus the production of bullshit is stimulated whenever a person's obligations or opportunities to speak about some topic are more excessive than his knowledge of the facts that are relevant to that topic." How does this proliferation of "bullshit" impact conversations about the environment in local communities?