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Introduction to Environmental Policy

Session 2

A Framework for Understanding Environmental Policy Issues

 

EVR 2861 

Note:

The Rosemont Copper Mine which is being considered in this class session is a controversy that will require your doing a bit of exploration on the web to see what you can learn about the controversy historically and currently. So be sure to fully explore the web on this issue beyond the video assignment.

Reading:

Cohen, Steven (2014) Understanding Environmental Policy. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer (2014a) “The Common Good,” In Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson’s (2014) A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara, CA: Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer (2014b) “Justice and Fairness,” In Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson’s (2014) A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara, CA: Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer (2014c) “Ethical Relativism,” In Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson’s (2014) A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara, CA: Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer (2014d) “Calculating Consequences: The Utilitarian Approach to Ethics,”In Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson’s (2014) A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara, CA: Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer (2014e) “Ethics and Virtue,” In Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson’s (2014) A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara, CA: Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer (2014f) “Rights,” In Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson’s (2014) A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. Santa Clara, CA: Markulla Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Waldholm , Robert R. (2014) “Joseph Fletcher’s Situation Ethics,” In Robert Wadholm’s (2014) Essays in Philosophy. Ellendale, ND: Grace Publications, p. 159-186.

Video: Rosemont Environmental Analysis; Rosemont Copper's Plan of Mine Operation

Homework:

  1. According to the text what was the environmental legacy of former President George W. Bush?
  2. Cohen's policy analytic framework deals with 5 constant issues in all environmental policy decisions. Briefly enumerate those issues and describe them.
  3. To what source did Cohen look in designing this framework?
  4. To what purpose was this week's text written?
  5. Discriminate between these concepts: (a) Common Good (b) Fair & Just (c) Ethical Relativism (d) Situation Ethics (e) Virtue Ethics (f) Utilitiarianism (g) "Rights" Approaches to Ethics.
  6. Provide examples of each of the five dimensions of the analytical framework Cohen provides and comment upon each example.
  7. Describe how Cohen's framework as illustrated below works.
  8. Identify three questions proffered by the author for each of these 5 analytical framework dimensions.
  9. What are the purported flaws in the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine evaluation analysis?
  10. What steps does Rosemont Copper propose to protect the environment when building its new mine in Arizona?