PHL/ERG 255

Spring 2012 Tues. Thurs. 4:15 to 5:30 pm Prof. Stephens D. H. Humanities Center 212

office: DHHC 209 phone (with voicemail): 280-2632 email: stphns AT creighton DOT edu

Study of the ethical issues associated with different types of energy technologies and their impacts on the environment.

· Normative ethical theories: virtue ethics, Kantian deontology, consequentialism (e.g. Utilitarianism), and contractarianism

· Ecological value theory: biocentrism, ecocentrism, social ecology, ecological virtue ethics

· Solar energy, from sun worship to the latest technologies, and its environmental issues

· Wind energy, from nautical sailing to the latest technologies, and its environmental issues

· Geothermal energy, volcanism, the latest technologies, and its environmental issues

· Petroleum, the latest technologies for drilling for oil, refining, and distribution, and its environmental issues

· Natural gas, the latest technologies for extracting and distributing it, and its environmental issues

· Hydroelectric energy, from primitive waterwheels to the latest technologies, and its environmental issues

· Nuclear energy, the latest technologies for harnessing it, and its environmental issues

3 exams (13% each)
Final exam (15%)
Thesis Defense Paper (16%)
Team presentation (15%)
Class participation (15%)

B “Noteworthy level of performance” Demonstrates all of the qualities of satisfactory work plus:

A “Outstanding achievement and an unusual degree of intellectual initiative” Demonstrates all of the qualities of noteworthy performance plus:

Class Participation and Attendance Policies

Punctuality is a virtue. Prof. Stephens strives to attend every class on time. He expects all of his students to attend every class, on time, every week, all semester long. Regular and punctual class attendance is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a good class participation grade. Six (6) or more absences (three weeks of classes) will result in an AF (failure due to excessive absence) for this course. Each absence fewer than six will incrementally lower your class participation grade. You are responsible for all material discussed and all announcements made in every class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. Being tardy twice counts as one absence. There are two kinds of activities that count as “participation”: inside of class and outside of class. Inside of class participation is raising your hand to be called on and making comments about the reading or the discussion, or asking questions about the reading or my lecture, or responding to questions I raise or comments made by other students. Outside of class participation includes (a) face-to-face (or telephonic) philosophical conversations with Prof. Stephens outside the classroom, whether in his office, in the hallway, or anywhere else, and (b) philosophically substantive electronic messages, including emails to Prof. Stephens or posts (or replies) in the BlueLine Discussion Forum for the course. You cannot really learn how to do philosophy by merely listening. You also need to actively think out loud orally inside class and outside of class in written electronic messages. Posting to the BlueLine Discussion Forum every week between Friday and Monday is probably necessary for earning an A for participation. Both quality and quantity of oral and electronic remarks count; I record both. Since we will be closely attending to the readings in our class discussions, it is important that everyday you bring to class your book (or a hard copy of the pdf article) containing that day’s reading assignment.

A necessary condition for a class absence being counted as excused due to illness (or emergency) is email (or telephone) notification to Prof. Stephens BEFORE 4:10 pm the day of the absence. Ordinarily, email (or telephone) notification of illness (or emergency) preventing class attendance being given prior to class is also sufficient for that absence to count as excused, but this is ultimately up to the discretion of Prof. Stephens.

Our class is a community of thinkers cooperating in both face to face inquiry inside the classroom and electronic inquiry outside the classroom on BlueLine. Consequently, the three-fold purpose of being in class is (1) to listen to and think about what Prof. Stephens and your classmates say, (2) to orally participate in the discussion, and (3) to take notes. Taking notes during class is so strongly recommended that it is virtually obligatory. Use of electronic devices in class is PROHIBITED. These devices include laptop computers, handheld computers, iPods, Blackberries, cameras, audio recorders, cell phones, and similar devices. If you choose to bring such devices to the classroom, they must be stored away and kept off during class. If you believe that it would promote your learning to use a laptop to take notes in class, then you may print out, complete, and submit to Prof. Stephens the pledge of laptop use form to petition for a limited exception to this policy. Using any electronic device in class for an illicit purpose (e.g. email, browsing the Internet, playing games) will result in a reduction in the Class Participation grade and the forfeit of your in-class laptop privilege.

To encourage you to do the assigned reading faithfully before each and every class, Prof. Stephens will sometimes, without prior announcement, at the beginning of class, give a small “pop” quiz on the reading assignment. These quizlets are usually about ten true/false items. If you are late to class or absent, then you miss the quizlet, get a zero for it, and cannot retake it. To compensate for a missed quizlet you can boost your participation in class or in the discussion forum, since quizlets count in the class participation component of the course grade. Sometimes Prof. Stephens rewards students for bringing their books to class by giving an open-book quizlet. Get into the habit of using a dictionary to look up every word you are not 100% certain you understand the exact meaning of, in each and every sentence you read, in every single reading assignment. Prof. Stephens has been known to put vocabulary questions on quizlets. Every college student ought to own a good dictionary, so I have ordered one for our course. If you want to do well in this course, use your dictionary every day you read in order to expand your vocabulary. You cannot understand what an author writes unless you understand each and every word in every sentence of that author’s essay.

Students are strongly encouraged to discuss ideas with each other outside of class. But students are required to produce their own original work, ideas, arguments, and sentences in their paper and on their exams. Students may NOT work with others, and may NOT borrow from others, in writing their paper. If you cheat on an exam, then you will receive at minimum a zero on that exam. If you plagiarize any part of your paper, then you will receive a zero on the paper. If the instructor judges a case of cheating or plagiarism to be flagrant, the student will get an F for the course. See the Creighton College of Arts & Sciences Academic Honesty Procedures.

Students will choose their thesis defense paper topics in consultation with Prof. Stephens. Students are responsible for getting their paper topics approved by Prof. Stephens no later than 12 noon April 8. Students should get their hands on the How to Write Philosophy Papers manual. Read it closely and carefully follow all its guidelines in writing your paper. The finished, polished, carefully edited, and meticulously proofread paper should be 1600 to approximately 1800 words in length. (You are permitted to exceed 1800 words within reason, but please don’t abuse this latitude.) Papers of fewer than 1600 words will receive a zero (F).

In the introductory paragraph YOU MUST STATE YOUR THESIS with a sentence that begins either “My thesis is that...” or “In this paper I will argue that...” followed by your thesis statement. See How to Write Philosophy Papers.

This T. D. paper should NOT have anything underlined anywhere in the paper. Italicize the titles of all books and periodicals. Titles of articles and news stories should be set between double quotation marks (“Title of Article”).

Your paper will be a thesis defense paper. In a thesis defense paper the student takes a stand on a philosophical issue relevant to the course and pertinent to the assigned TOPIC for that paper. The student must clearly explain what her position is after explicitly stating it in the introductory paragraph. Then, in the body of the paper, the student must justify her thesis by presenting page after page of arguments to support it. Then the student must discuss the most intelligent objections to and counterarguments against her position that she can think of. Finally she must reply to these intelligent objections and defend her thesis (which may require modifying it) in response to the counterarguments.

Either hand your thesis defense paper to Prof. Stephens in person or deliver it to his office, DHHC 209, in the Classical & Near Eastern Studies Department suite. “Your paper” means a hard copy, that is, thin, 8½ by 11" rectangular sheets made from wood pulp, stapled together in the upper left hand corner, with 12 point font, dark, easily legible print on them. An electronic file on a storage device or an email attachment is ordinarily not acceptable. Approval for submitting your paper electronically must be explicitly granted by Prof. Stephens. Late papers will be penalized ten (10) points (one full letter grade) per weekday late. Early submissions are very welcome!

DATE ASSIGNMENT*

Jan. 12 Introduction to course

Jan. 17 Garvey, Introduction and Chapter 1: A Warmer World
Jan. 19 Garvey, Chapter 2: Right and Wrong

Jan. 24 Garvey, Chapter 3: Responsibility
Jan. 26 Garvey, Chapter 4: Doing Nothing

Jan. 31 Garvey, Chapter 5: Doing Something
Feb. 2 Garvey, Chapter 6: Individual Choices and Epilogue Review Guide Exam #1

Feb. 7        Exam #1
Feb. 9         Vaclav Smil, “Global Energy: The Latest Infatuations” in Energy, Ethics and Environment. ISBN 9781121450578. Go to https://create.mcgraw-hill.com/shop/ and type in ISBN 9781121450578 to access
                 Michael Grunwald, “Seven Myths about Alternative Energy”
                 Mark Floegel, “Half a Tank: The Impending Arrival of Peak Oil”

Feb. 14       Team Alpha presents on petroleum. Read C. M. Chiong Meza & G. P. J. Dijkema, “Transition to renewable energy sources: Some lessons of the Brazilian case,”
                  B. Czucz, J. P. Gathman, & G. R. McPherson, “The impending peak and decline of petroleum production: An underestimated challenge for conservation of ecological integrity,” and
                  B. J. McCoy, P. S. Fischbeck, & D. Gerard, “How big is big? How often is often? Characterizing Texas petroleum refining upset air emissions” on BlueLine under “Lessons”
Feb. 16       class canceled

Feb. 21       Team Alpha - petroleum. Read K. Vittala, “Is Canada’s oil more ethical than Saudi Arabia’s?,” AWMA, “Oil Spills,” and “Transcanada Keystone XL Pipeline” (E Magazine, Sept./Oct. 2011)
Feb. 23       Team Beta presents on coal. Read P. N. Carroll, “The Mountain Top,” Nicole Holstein, “Unveiling Appalachia’s Dirty Little Secret,” Hannah Howard, “Why I Do What I Do,” and
                  EEE #4: Should Utilities Burn More Coal? (50-70)

Feb. 28        Team Beta presents on natural gas. Read EEE #2: Is Shale Gas the Solution to Our Energy Woes? (21-34)            Review Guide Exam #2
                  “Natural Gas” and “Hydraulic Fracturing” on BlueLine under “Lessons”
March 1       Exam #2

Spring Recess

March 13     Team Gamma presents on nuclear energy. Read EEE #11: Is it Time to Revive Nuclear Power? (200-217), Francis F. Chen, An Indispensable Truth: How Fusion Power Can Save the Planet,
                   pp.156-168 (on nuclear power), and J. Levendis, W. Block, & J. Morrel, “Nuclear Power,” Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 67 (2006): 37-49 on BlueLine under “Lessons”
March 15     Team Gamma - nuclear. EEE #12: Can Nuclear Energy Be a Sustainable Resource? (218-244), “After Fukushima Daiichi, What’s Nuclear Energy’s Future?,” International Economy (Spring 2011),
                   and “Floods Threaten Nebraska Nuclear Plants,” The Washington Times, June 21, 2011

March 20     class canceled (Stephens injured)
March 22     Team Delta presents on solar energy. Read EEE #15: Is Renewable Energy Green? (286-308), J. E. Lovich & J. R. Ennen, “Wildlife Conservation and Solar Energy,” and
                  T. E. Rardin & R. Xu, “Printing Processes Used to Manufacture Photovoltaic Solar Cells” on BlueLine under “Lessons”

March 27     Team Delta presents on wind energy. EEE #16: Is Wind Enough? (309-326), M. Marquis et al. “Forecasting the Wind to Reach Significant Penetration Levels of Wind Energy,” American
                  Meteorological Society (Sept. 2011), and R. C. Corry, “A Case Study for Visual Impact Assessment for Wind Energy Development,” Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Vol. 29, no. 4
                  (Dec. 2011) on BlueLine under “Lessons”
March 29     Dan Kelly presents on hydroelectric energy. EEE #17: Can Hydropower Play a Role in Preventing Climate Change? (328-343), Renjie, “Expert says rush to build hydropower poses risks,” Business Daily Update
                  (April 19, 2011), and Madeline Bodin, “Rediscovering Hydropower” Popular Mechanics (Oct. 1, 2008)
April 3         Rachel Ketchmark presents on geothermal energy. EEE #18: Is It Time to Put Geothermal Energy Development on the Fast Track? (344-359),
                  Allan Chen, “Geothermal Powerhouse,” Science News, Vol. 123, no. 12 (March 19, 1983): 186-187, 189, and J. W. Tester et al., “Impact of Geothermal Systems on U.S. Energy Supply in the
                  Twenty-First Century,” Philosophical Transactions: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 365, no. 1853 (Apr. 15, 2007): 1057-1094         Review Guide Exam #3
April 5        Exam #3

SUNDAY April 8, 12 noon Proposed thesis defense paper topic submission to Prof. Stephens DUE (email your proposed topic to Prof. Stephens)

April 10        Jack Sullivan presents on tidal energy. David Kerr, “Marine Energy,” Philosophical Transactions: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 365, no. 1853 (Apr. 15, 2007): 971-992,
                  Rose Riddell, “Turning Tides,” Engineering & Technology (20 Sept. - 3 Oct. 2008): 46-49, Tony James, “Energy from the Deep,” Engineering & Technology (8 Aug. - 11 Sept. 2009): 50-53, and
                  Hans van Haren, “Tidal Power? No Thanks,” New Scientist, Vol. 205, no. 2754 (April 3, 2010): 20-21.

April 12       Robert Goodland & Jeff Anhang, “Livestock and Climate Change” on BlueLine under “Lessons”

April 17       “Tiny Shrimp Leave Giant Carbon Footprint” Feb. 18, 2012 and M. Berners-Lee, C. Hoolohan, H. Cammack, & C. N. Hewitt, “The Relative Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Realistic Dietary Choices,”
                  Energy Policy, Vol. 43, April 2012, 184-190, and "Last 2 paragraphs of Jillian Fry on meat & climate change" (on BlueLine under “Lessons”)

April 19       EEE #8: Are Biofuels a Reasonable Substitute for Fossil Fuels? (131-151)

April 24    Lester Brown, Christopher Flavin, & Sandra Postel, “A Vision of a Sustainable World” from The Worldwatch Reader, ed. Lester R. Brown (New York: Norton, 1991) on BlueLine under “Lessons”
                 http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/;
                 “Nine Population Strategies to Stop Short of 9 Billion”; and
                 “Food Security and Equity in a Climate-Constrained World”     Thesis Defense Paper DUE

April 26 complete IDEA course evaluations in Hitchcock Learning Resource Center (DHHC room 215) from 4:30 - 5 pm Review Guide Final Exam

May 3 1:00 – 2:40 pm Final Exam

* The instructor reserves the right to change anything on this syllabus during the course as circumstances require.

ALPHA	BETA	GAMMA	DELTA
Andres Rodriguez-Burns Erin Cheese Robert Sheran	Ryan Gnabasik Jordan Kellerstrass Jacob Yager	Brianna Baca Mitchell Taylor	Jonathan Trudel Margaret Black

This T. D. paper should have...	(a) a cover page	Include your NAME, the COURSE number and name, the correctly spelled name of your PROFESSOR, a clever and apt TITLE, the WORD COUNT of the body, and the DATE submitted. (Note: This is NOT the date you began writing the paper or the date the paper was due. It is the date you put the paper into your professor’s hands.) Do not print a page number on the cover page.
	(b) a body	Number these pages 1, 2, 3, and so on. Only the words in the body count toward the paper’s word count printed on the cover page.
Staple pages together in upper lefthand corner.	(c) a Works Cited page	This is the last page.