The objectives of the course will be as follows: 1. To develop and promote the intellectual skills necessary for understanding and reflectively acting on ethical issues and controversies, including the ability to recognize values and ethical perspectives in environmental rhetoric and debate, to critically analyze and adjudicate between competing for moral arguments and philosophical perspectives. 2. To provide students with an appreciation for the range of ethical and valuable perspectives on environmental issues; an introductory understanding of the most influential and significant theories in environmental ethics; and acquaintance with the social movements which correlate with and carry various perspectives on human-environment relations. 3. To provide students with the opportunity to analyze real-world environmental issues and controversies and to contribute to their resolution through the application of ethical theory.