Syllabus

Vitals

• Course Number and Title: NPD 2000: Ethics and the Environment (Sections 11 and 12).
• Catalog Description: "The Second-Year Seminar focuses on the question Why should I be ethical?. It furthers each student's entry into the life of the mind and continues the development of essential communication skills. Prerequisite: NPD 1000. Minimum Grade: C-. Completion of 30 semester hours of coursework or permission of the Director of the Dialogue Program." (North Park University 2009)
• General Education: This course does satisfy part of a General Education area requirement.
• Meeting Time/Place: MW 2:15 pm–3:20 pm (Carlson Tower, Room C-33/34), F 10:30–11:30 am (Carlson Tower, Room C-33/34 or LHA).
• Credit: 4 sh.

Instructors

Karl Clifton-Soderstrom	Johnny Lin
Email: kclifton-soderstrom@northpark.edu Work Phone: (773) 244-6279	Email: johnny@johnny-lin.com (This is the best way to reach me). Twitter: jwblin (I'm not on the public timeline, however). Work Phone: (773) 244-6266. Office Location: Carlson Tower, Room C-26. Office Hours: See my schedule for my regular office hours, make an appointment to see me, or just drop in if my door's open. Personal Link: http://www.johnny-lin.com. My RateMyProfessors.com Rating.

Texts and Supplies

See the Course Bibliography for the list of required textbooks, additional required readings, and optional readings. Additional required readings are available online (links provided on the Schedule). Optional readings are found online and in the reader on reserve in the library.

See the list of External Links for additional resources on the subjects of the course. In the News lists a potpourri of current news articles on environmental topics. As the course progresses, works may also be placed on reserve at the library.

All books are available at the bookstore.

Computer requirements: All students are expected to have unfettered access to a personal computer (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) or netbook with broadband-speed Internet access. Student access to University computing labs fulfills this requirement. All students are assumed to be proficient with a word processing program and a presentation program (e.g., Microsoft Word and Powerpoint), and willing to learn a spreadsheet program (e.g., Microsoft Excel). All students must have a valid email account that they check on a daily basis.

Goals & Topics

First and foremost, I hope you will discover a new dimension of worshiping God through hard work, critical thinking, community learning, and wrestling with ethics and the environment. Additional goals include:

• The outcomes for the Dialogue 2 course:
  • "Addresses the question: What does it mean to be ethical?"
  • "Includes works from three or more disciplines including ethics and the social or natural sciences."
  • "Helps students understand what the human good is."
• Analyzing various conceptions of nature and place and ethical theories of the environment.
• Applying philosophical, theological, literary, and scientific analysis to reasoning about ethical courses of action regarding environmental issues.
• Growing in the ability to closely reading a text.
• Growing in the ability to writing reasoned and well-crafted papers.
• Growing in learning how to learn. See this page for some tips on learning.

Requirements

Minor Assignments (MAs): This category consists of reading, writing, and research assignments, designed to help you engage the reading and lectures while you are doing the reading, as well as practice writing, reading, and thinking critically. In general, MAs are graded on a 10 point scales, with a value between 5 and 10.

Major Papers (MPs): You will write two major papers during the term, through which you will practice extended argumentation and research. See the prompts for details.

Quizzes and Exams: These are meant to test your understanding of the readings and lectures. They will be short answer, essay, and/or multiple choice. Quizzes are usually every Monday, there is one midterm in Week 7, and a comprehensive final exam on Wednesday, May 5, 1:00 pm–3:00 pm. See here for details.

Projects: These include a debate(s), a speech(es), etc. See the prompts for details.

Grading

Percentages listed by the category is with respect to your overall grade. The number in the parenthesis is the number of assignments in the category:

• Assessment of Integrated Learning and Social Responsibility Outcomes (weekly participation, in the form of Minor Assignments and Quizzes): 32% (16) for MAs and 13% (12) for Quizzes.
• Asssessment of Skills Outcomes (Major Papers): 9% for MP 1 and 16% for MP 2.
• Assessment of Integrated Learning Outcomes (Projects): 10% (5).
• Assessment of Knowledge Outcomes (Midterm and Final Exam): 10% for each exam.

The quickest way to fail the course is to not turn in the assignments. Zeros on even the minor assignments quickly add up to an F. Please turn in all the work.

If you have turned in no less than 60% each of the Minor Assignments and Projects, and have taken no less than 60% of the Quizzes plus Midterm, I will replace your cumulative Quizzes and Midterm grades with your Final Exam grade if the Final Exam grade is higher.

Scale: The chart below shows the lower-end cutoffs for each possible passing letter grade. The University, as a policy, does not award A+ grades.

Lower Cutoff (inclusive)	Letter Grade
94%	A
90%	A–
87%	B+
84%	B
80%	B–
77%	C+
74%	C
70%	C–
67%	D+
64%	D
60%	D–

Makeups & Late Policy

There are no makeups for quizzes, exams, or presentations/demonstrations unless for reasons of physical health, bereavement, or University business.

Work is accepted only in class. It may be considered late anytime after it is collected in class. Work late:

• 1 class session: 20% is deducted.
• 2 class sessions: 40% is deducted.
• > 2 class sessions: Not accepted.

Late penalties are waived for reasons of physical health, bereavement, or University business. Please see me/send me an email if something like this comes up.

Collaborating

As with any relationship, I expect honesty, respect, and grace to be the foundation of our time together. I expect this for myself, as well as for you. Collaborating in work is a wonderful opportunity to practice all three principles. Cheating, however, is an affront (to the first two) or an abuse (of the last) of these norms, and so will result (at a minimum) in a zero for the Assignment involved. If you are not sure what constitutes cheating, please ask me; here are some guidelines to help you on this issue:

• For problem sets, papers, reports, presentations, and projects: I encourage you to work together and discuss your ideas freely. Each person must, however, write-up the Assignment themselves; do not just re-copy one another's solutions.
• For writing assignments of any form, plagiarism is, of course, cheating. Plagiarism involves representing another's work as your own and/or without proper acknowledgment. The most common form is the use of another's words without quotation or citation.
• For the quizzes and exams: These should be your own work, written without the use of other help or resources, unless explicitly specified.

While I make solutions inaccessible on class websites after the class is over (to decrease temptations to cheat), our department is small, and so you probably know someone who has taken this class before and has copies of exams, problem sets, and/or solutions. I also have a policy of giving students solutions to as much work as I can because I want students to use their old work in studying for the final (or other exams). Thus, I realize that solutions are potentially in circulation. However, I ask that current students limit their consultation of work from previous sections in certain ways. Here are specific scenario categories:

• Consultation of problem set solutions from previous sections while you are working on that same problem: This constitutes cheating.
• Consultation of papers, reports, projects or presentations from previous sections while working on a current section's paper, report, project or presentation: This does not constitute cheating. I encourage you to use other people's work to give you ideas (though, as mentioned above, please do not just copy their work) for these types of Assignments!
• Consultation of any Assignments (including problem set solutions, papers, exams, etc.) from previous sections while studying for a current section's quiz or exam: I do not consider this cheating.

For example, if you have a friend who took this course before and you consult his/her problem set solutions while studying for an exam, that does not constitute cheating. However, if you consult those problem set solutions while working on that problem set, that does constitute cheating.

I believe these are reasonable guidelines that balance a number of competing interests, and that do not constitute an unfair burden on conscientious students. Recall that I do not curve grades, so dishonest students really are hurting themselves and God, but not other students. Please let me know if you have any concerns.

Disabilities

"Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Academic Services Learning Specialist by email or by phone at (773) 244-5737, or stop by the office located on the 2nd floor of the Student Services Building. Please do so as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. If needed, appointments can be relocated" (North Park University 2009). More information is available online at http://www.northpark.edu/disability.

Schedule

Full references for readings listed in the schedule below can be found in the Course Bibliography. Some optional readings are on online or on reserve in the library. See the Syllabus and Assignments index for details regarding assignments.

Please have readings listed under the "Reading Due" column read for the class of that date. For Benson, you should read all the "Readings" in the back of Benson corresponding to the chapter(s) assigned.

Please turn-in assignments listed in the "Assignment Due" column at the class of that date. Work is due at the beginning of the next class session after it's assigned, unless otherwise stated. Class sessions include the Fri. lectures in Anderson Chapel; those classes are not supplementary.

Abbreviations: MA = Minor Assignment, MP = Major Paper.

Week (Class) #	Date	Day	Agenda for Class	Reading Due	Assignment Due
1 (1)	Jan 11	Mon.	Introduction to the course (C-33). Lecturers: K. Clifton-Soderstrom, J. Lin. Assigned: Minor Assignment 1.
1 (2)	Jan 13	Wed.	Writing Workshop with peer review of MA 1 (C-33). Assigned: Major Paper 1 (first draft due Wed. Feb 10, final draft due Fri. Feb 19).	Bouma-Prediger: Chapter 1.	Minor Assignment 1.
1 (3)	Jan 15	Fri.	How do we know if there is a problem? What can science tell us and a schema for analyzing environmental ethics (C-33). Lecturer: J. Lin. Reminder: The Major Paper 1 first draft is due Wed. Feb 10, with the final draft due Fri. Feb 19.	Bouma-Prediger: Chapter 2. Lomborg: Chapter 1. (If this link does not work, multiple copies are in an envelope hanging on Prof. Lin's office door, C-26. Please do not take them out of Carlson Tower, and return them promptly so other students can access them.) As you read, think through these critical reading questions.
2	Jan 18	Mon.	No class—Martin Luther King Day
2 (4)	Jan 20	Wed.	Quiz 1. Policy-prescriptiveness and other ways of connecting science to policy (C-33). Lecturer: J. Lin.	Oreskes: "Science and Public Policy: What's Proof Got to Do With It?" Sarewitz: "How Science Makes Environmental Controversies Worse."
2 (5)	Jan 22	Fri.	Introduction to "What is the Good of Human life?" (Anderson Chapel) Lecturer: I. Ahn. Assigned: Minor Assignment 2.
3 (6)	Jan 25	Mon.	Quiz 2. Introduction to Environmental Ethics (C-33). Lecturer: K. Clifton-Soderstrom.	Benson: Chapter 1. (Remember: Read all "Readings" in the back of Benson corresponding to the chapters when the chapters are assigned. All Readings are listed in the Table of Contents. The Readings related to each chapter are mentioned in the chapter text as well as in margin notes in the chapters; see p. 27 for an example.)	Minor Assignment 2.
3 (7)	Jan 27	Wed.	Critical Reading Workshop 1 (Section 11 meets in C-33, Section 12 in C-34). Assigned: Project 1: Tribal planning committee meeting debate regarding bio-prospecting for Taxol (due Mon. Feb 8).	Benson: Chapter 1 (and all associated Readings). Booth: Chapter 7–9.	Minor Assignment 3 (in-class).
3 (8)	Jan 29	Fri.	What is the Good of Human life?: Postmodernism (Anderson Chapel). Lecturer: K. Clifton-Soderstrom. Assigned: Minor Assignment 4.
4 (9)	Feb 1	Mon.	Quiz 3. Critical Reading Workshop 2 (Section 11 meets in C-33, Section 12 in C-34). Assigned: Minor Assignment 5.	Benson: Chapter 2 (and all associated Readings). Booth: Chapter 7–9.	Minor Assignment 4.
4 (10)	Feb 3	Wed.	Critical Reading Workshop 3 (Section 11 meets in C-33, Section 12 in C-34).	Benson: Chapter 2 (and all associated Readings). Booth: Chapter 7–9.	Minor Assignment 5.
4 (11)	Feb 5	Fri.	What is the Good of Human life?: The Enlightenment/Modernism (Anderson Chapel). Lecturer: G. Clark.
5 (12)	Feb 8	Mon.	Quiz 4. Project 1: Tribal planning committee meeting debate regarding bio-prospecting for Taxol (C-33/34).	Benson: Chapter 3 (and all associated Readings).
5 (13)	Feb 10	Wed.	Project 1: Tribal planning committee meeting debate regarding bio-prospecting for Taxol (cont.). Writing Workshop: Peer-review of first draft of Major Paper 1 (C-33/34).	Benson: Chapter 3 (and all associated Readings).	First draft of Major Paper 1.
5 (14)	Feb 12	Fri.	What is the Good of Human life?: Aristotle/Ancient (Anderson Chapel). Lecturer: K. Clifton-Soderstrom.
6 (15)	Feb 15	Mon.	Quiz 5. Discussion (C-33/34). Assigned: Minor Assignment 6.	Bouma-Prediger: Chapter 3.
6 (16)	Feb 17	Wed.	Discussion (C-33/34).	Bouma-Prediger: Chapter 4.	Minor Assignment 6.
6 (17)	Feb 19	Fri.	What is the Good of Human life?: Jesus/Christian thought (Anderson Chapel). Lecturer: G. Clark.		Final draft of Major Paper 1.
7 (18)	Feb 22	Mon.	Quiz 6. Discussion. Assigned: Minor Assignment 7.	Bouma-Prediger: Chapter 5.
7 (19)	Feb 24	Wed.	Doing research at the Library (Brandel Library, 2nd Floor Computer Lab). Reminder: The midterm is the next class session. See the Study Guide for tips and additional information.		Minor Assignment 7.
7 (20)	Feb 26	Fri.	Midterm (C-33).
8 (21)	Mar 1	Mon.	The worldviews of the Enlightenment and Romanticism (C-33). Lecturer: D. Koeller.	Cronon, "The Trouble with Wilderness". Emerson, excerpts from Nature. Paley, "Paley's Formulation of the Teleological Argument".
8 (22)	Mar 3	Wed.	Field trip to the Art Institute. We'll be leaving in two groups, one at 1 pm and the other at 2:15 pm. Both groups will meet in front of Burgh Hall. Make sure to bring fare for the CTA and $4 for the admission fee, as well as pen, paper, and something to write on. If you cannot attend this field trip, please see your instructor. Assigned: Minor Assignment 8 (due Fri. Mar 5). Project 2: Field Trip to the Art Institute Worksheet (due Fri. Apr 30).
8 (23)	Mar 5	Fri.	Writing Workshop: From topics to questions. Assigned: Minor Assignment 9.	Booth: Chapter 3.	Minor Assignment 8.
No class—Spring Break
9 (24)	Mar 15	Mon.	Writing Workshop: From questions to problems. Responses: The range of possible solutions.	Booth: Chapter 4. Sarewitz and Pielke: "Breaking the Global-Warming Gridlock".	Minor Assignment 9.
9 (25)	Mar 17	Wed.	Discussion. Assigned: Minor Assignment 10.	Sandler: Chapter 1. For this and other Sandler readings, you will probably find the reading guides for Sandler to be helpful.
9 (26)	Mar 19	Fri.	Discussion.	Sandler: Chapter 2. Assigned: Project 3 (due Fri. Apr 30).	Minor Assignment 10.
10 (27)	Mar 22	Mon.	Quiz 7. Discussion. Assigned: Minor Assignment 11.	Sandler: Chapter 3.
10 (28)	Mar 24	Wed.	Writing Workshop: Planning the draft. Assigned: Minor Assignment 12.	Sandler: Chapter 4. Booth: Chapter 12–13.	Minor Assignment 11.
10 (29)	Mar 26	Fri.	Discussion.	Sandler: Chapter 5.	Minor Assignment 12.
11 (30)	Mar 29	Mon.	Quiz 8. Discussion. Assigned: Minor Assignment 13.	Benson: Chapter 5 (and all associated Readings).
11 (31)	Mar 31	Wed.	Writing Workshop: Counterarguments.	Benson: Chapter 5 (and all associated Readings). Booth: Chapter 10.	Minor Assignment 13.
11	Apr 2	Fri.	No class—Easter Break
12	Apr 5	Mon.	No class—Easter Break
12 (32)	Apr 7	Wed.	Quiz 9. Discussion. Assigned: Minor Assignment 14. Reminder: There will be a number of extra credit opportunities during the week of April 14–17.	Benson: Chapter 6 (and all associated Readings).
12 (33)	Apr 9	Fri.	Discussion.	Benson: Chapter 7 (and all associated Readings).	Minor Assignment 14.
13 (34)	Apr 12	Mon.	Quiz 10. Discussion.	Benson: Chapter 7 (and all associated Readings).
13 (35)	Apr 14	Wed.	Writing Workshop: Peer review of first draft of Major Paper 2. Assigned: Minor Assignment 15.	Booth: Chapter 13.	First draft of Major Paper 2.
13 (36)	Apr 16	Fri.	Writing Workshop: Introductions and conclusions. Non-Christian religious worldviews: Buddhism.	Booth: Chapter 14. Swearer, "Principles and Poetry, Places and Stories: The Resources of Buddhist Ecology."	Minor Assignment 15.
14 (37)	Apr 19	Mon.	Quiz 11. Non-Christian worldviews: Buddhism (cont.). Assigned: Minor Assignment 16.	Gross, "Toward a Buddhist Environmental Ethic."
14 (38)	Apr 21	Wed.	Non-Christian religious worldviews: Buddhism and traditional Chinese religions.	Snyder, "Chinese Traditions and Ecology: Survey Article."	Minor Assignment 16.
14 (39)	Apr 23	Fri.	Non-Christian religious worldviews: Traditional Chinese religions (cont.). Handout: We gave out an oversimplified summary of worldviews in class. Assigned: Project 4.		Final draft of Major Paper 2.
15 (40)	Apr 26	Mon.	Synthesis Session 1: Developing your personal statement on environmental ethics and engaging the statements of others. Assigned: Project 5.	"An Evangelical Declaration on the Care of Creation." Cornwall Alliance: "The Cornwall Declaration on Environmental Stewardship."	Project 4.
15 (41)	Apr 28	Wed.	Synthesis Session 2: Developing your personal statement on environmental ethics and engaging the statements of others. Assigned: Project 6.		Project 5.
15 (42)	Apr 30	Fri.	Synthesis Session 3: Developing your personal statement on environmental ethics and engaging the statements of others. Assigned: Please work through these sample questions prior to the next class. We'll look at these questions as part of our review.		Project 2: Field Trip to the Art Institute Worksheet. Project 3: Environmental Virtues Walkabout. Project 6. All Extra Credit assignments.
16 (43)	May 3	Mon.	Review for Final Exam.
—	May 5	Wed.	1:00–3:00 pm: Final Examination.

Other Course Administration Issues

For details regarding all other course administration issues (e.g., dropping the course, conditions under which Incompletes are awarded, etc.), please see the current University Catalog.