Environmental Ethics
Assignments

PHIL 280/ENVR 269
Spring 2009
Dr. McWhorter

Each student will complete five written assignments in this course, as listed below. Full descriptions of each assignment are given immediately below this list.

• In-class Exams on February 2 and March 4 - each 20% of the final grade for a total of 40%
• Two Ethics Essays out of the six optional due dates listed: January 26, February 13, March 16, March 25, April 3, and April 20 - 10% of the final grade each for a total of 20%
• Earth Day Project Project Summary - 5%
• Comprehensive Final Exam - 30% of the final grade

In addition, 5% of the final grade will be based on class participation.

In-class Exams:
The purpose of this exam is to make sure students have read carefully. Students must know the details of the theoretical frameworks we have studied and be able both to critique and apply them. Each exam is worth 20% of the final grade.

Ethics Essays:
Students can choose any two of the six designated dates on which to turn in an Ethics Essay. The essay should be three to five pages, typed and double-spaced. It should focus on the issue the class is studying for that due date (example: on March 25 the essay should focus on agriculture and genetically modified organisms). Each essay should answer this question: If I take this ethical issue seriously, how should I change my personal life or conduct? In addition to stating an answer to the question, the essay should explain how this change would make the student's conduct more ethical--both in what sense would the new conduct be more ethical and, philosophically, what makes that new conduct better than previous conduct. Each of these essays will be worth 10% of the final grade. Students who cannot get their essays in on time should read the Late Policy.

Class Participation:
Every student will begin the term with 60 points. Students who come to class regularly but make little contribution to class discussion will receive an additional 10 points (for a total of 70). (For the class attendance policy, students should look at the Policies page.) If, at the end of the term, I can remember at least some not too stupid comments that a student made, he/she can receive up to an additional 10 points (for a total of 80). If I can remember numerous comments, most of which were not too stupid, he/she can receive up to an additional 10 points (for a total of 90). If I can remember a lot of very intelligent comments and no disruptive or ridiculous ones, he/she can receive up to an additional 10 points (for a total of 100). However, if students miss a lot of classes or say disruptive and ridiculous things with never a redeeming insight, points can be deducted from the original 60. In the end, this set of points will be worth 5% of the final grade.

Final Exam:
The final exam, which will be administered will be comprehensive. It is worth 25% of the final course grade.

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