Watersheds: Classic Cases in Environmental Ethics (Philosophy)

This casebook recounts nine pivotal events in the life of the planet. It presents accounts of cases such as Love Canal, the Exxon Valdez, Chernobyl, the north coast forests and the spotted owl, and the depletion of the ozone layer. Each of these cases offers a concrete, real life context in which to discover the complex decision making processes involved an environmental disaster. The authors illuminate the assumptions, values, political conflicts and social tensions at work in each situation. Through these cases, it challenges readers to recognize the far reaching impact of each disaster and to consider how such disasters could be prevented. On another level, these specific cases also compel readers to see the ethical basis of policy decisions and to reconsider our philosophical approach to our relationship with the earth.