DATE

Assigned/Recommended readings

CONTENT FOR THIS CLASS

WORK FOR NEXT CLASS

WEEK 1

Aug 26th-28^th

Roderick Nash: The American Environment, pp. ix - xiv.

Miguel Santos: The Environmental Crisis: pp. xiii – xiv.

Intro to the course

Students share their answers to the questions sent to them by e-mail previous to the beginning of the course. What does ecology mean for you? How would you describe it? What are the key words or concepts that you associate with the terms ecological or environmental?

Reflection on the concepts of non-human nature and wilderness

Why does the modern environmental movement start in countries with better environmental conditions?

Reflections number 1

Is Nature a human product or a natural product? Is it both?

What should be the Governments role with respect to the Environment?

WEEK 2

Sept 2^st-3^th

Roderick Nash: The American Environment, pp. 3-29.

Miguel Santos: The Environmental Crisis: pp. 4-6

Kellert and Wilson: The Biophilia Hypothesis: pp. 20-27 and 31-41

Notes on the history of American Ecology

   The disappearance of wilderness

Catlin, Thoreau, Marsh, Olmsted Schurz and Powell

   Conservationist movements

Muir, Leopold, Roosevelt and others

Debate: The end of the old frontier, the beginning of the new one.  Implications of the term frontier.  Reflection on the influence of our environment on our way of being and behaving.

Reflection number 2

How does our environment influence our way of being

and behaving?

Does nature have the right to exist and go its own way independently from humans?

WEEK 3

Sept 9th-11^th

Lynn White’s article

Max Oelschlaeger: chapter  2.

Roderick Nash: The American Environment, pp: 64…, 71…, 105…, 197…, 201. (Just read a bit of each part: until you get the main information).

Miguel Santos: The Environmental Crisis: pp. 6-12.

MR. JEFF COCHRAN WILL BE IN CHARGE OF OUR CLASS THIS WEEK :)

Notes on the history of American Ecology

WWII: The New Conservationism: Wilderness Act, Scenic Rivers Act, National Trails Act…

 The explosion of the first nuclear bomb, and the beginning of the ecological era.

Reflections-Debate on Silent Spring and Lynn White´s document: “The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis”

Reflection number 3

How do Nature lovers become one of Nature’s main problems?

Do we prioritize new technologies to deal with the environmental

problems or a new attitude on the part of humans to deal with

their relationship with nature?

Has Christianity been responsible for the environmental destruction?

If so, how?

WEEK 4

Sept 16^th -18^th

Max Oelschlaeger: chapter  4

Miguel Santos: The Environmental Crisis: pp. 58-128.

The ecological era, part II: pollution and overpopulation

Scientific and epistemological transformations over the 20^th century.

Reflection number 4

Should population be controlled? If so, how? Are there any other reasons

to control population numbers other than the ecological crisis?

WEEK 5

Sept 23^nd -25^th

 David Loye: Darwin's Lost Theory of Love. Chapter Nine.

Brief review of Quantum Physics, Chaos Theory, Thermodynamics, Dissipative Structures, Darwin modern interpretation by David Loye.

Reflection number 5

The new readings on Darwin’s concept of evolution and the chaos theory.

Are relationships the only reality? If so, how could this affect

our understanding of the individual and of society?

WEEK 6

Sept 30^th – Oct 2^nd

George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp. 26-36 (Simple in Means, Rich in Ends); And from the same book: pp. 141-150 (Four Changes, Gary Snyder). Photocopies of Naess´s founding document (given in class).

Ecophilosophies: the problem of assigning value to the natural world; the new axiological theory.

Comments on Deep Ecology´s founding document: The Shallow and the Deep…

Reflection number 6

Your thoughts on Arne Naess’ foundational document.

WEEK 7

Oct 7^th - 9^th

DUE TUESDAY:

Bill Devall´s and Alan Drengson´s article:

Deep Ecology Movement and Related Topics (uploaded in Angel)

George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp. ix-xxi (Preface)

DUE THURSDAY:

PLEASE READ:

Arne Naess: The Apron Diagram. Document in Angel.

PLEASE LISTEN TO THESE THREE FILES UPLOADED IN ANGEL:

Between Bucharest and the Deep Ecology Platform: George Sessions and Bill Devall. 

Discussion: The Apron Diagram: is it possible a system like the one proposed here?

Reflection number 7

How viable do you find the Apron Diagram as a social

and political model?

WEEK 8

Oct 14^th - 16^th

George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp. 213-221: Arne Naess: The Deep Ecology "Eight Points" Revisited.

PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS FILE UPLOADED IN ANGEL:

Colloquium: The Deep Ecology Platform I

Reflection number 8

Consequences from the distinction between the Platform points

as description and not prescription.  Please comment on Naess’ idea

that the important thing is to win the war, so everybody needs

to focus on their particular battle.

WEEK 9

Oct 21^th - 23^th

George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp. 85-94. Andrew McLaughlin: The Heart of Deep Ecology.

George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp.131-140: Paul Shepard: Ecology and Man: a Viewpoint.

The Deep Ecology Platform II

^{Tues: Elisa Sharpe}

^{Thurs: Kristie Akey}

Reflection number 9

Your comments on points 4 and 7 of the Platform

WEEK 10

Oct 28^th - 30^st

In Angel:

Deep  Ecology  and  Criticism.

Deep Ecology: A Debate on the Role of Humans in the Environment, by Wendy Ambrosius.

In Angel:

Social Ecology versus Deep Ecology

E-Reserve:

Philosophical Dialogues: Please read: Chap 36-37 pg 302-306

The critics of Deep Ecology, Part I

Students take sides and justify their position.

^{Tues: Gerald Meeker}

^{Thurs:Sarah Baker}

Reflection number 10

Please comment on the criticism that you find more powerful

and justify.

WEEK 11

Nov 4^th  - 6^th

TUESDAY

In Angel:

• Ecofeminism vs. Deep Ecology

• E-Reserve: The Chalice and the Blade, by Riane Eisler, pp. xiii-xxii

• George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp. 265-268.

• OPTIONAL: George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Pp. 269-289. Warwick Fox: The Deep Ecology-Ecofeminism Debate and Its Parallels.

THURSDAY

In Angel:

• Ecological Imperialism

• INDIA TOGETHER: ECOLOGY FOR THE PEOPLE

• THE MIRACLE OF BANGLADESH

The critics of Deep Ecology, Part Ii

Students take sides and justify their position.

^{Tues: Ilyssa Brown}

^{Thurs:Jess Schmonsky}

Reflection number 11

Has this review of Deep Ecology’s critics helped you understand

Deep Ecology better? Explain your answer.

WEEK 12

Nov 11^th -13^th

TUESDAY

Naess and Rothenberg: Is It Painful To Think? For this week, the first six chapters of the book are the required reading.

THURSDAY

Naess and Rothenberg: Is It Painful To Think? Chapters VII, VIII, IX and the Epilogue.

Intro to Arne Naess: his life, its influence in his philosophy

Debate: Scrutinizing the leader figure through Arne Naess.

^{Tues: Andrew Snider}

^{Thurs: Allison Waring}

Reflection number 12

A summary on your reaction to Arne Naess' life. What surprised you? What inspired you? What shocked you or disappointed you? How does his figure connects with what you had learned about the Deep Ecology movement?

WEEK 13

Nov 18^th 20^th

TUESDAY:

WHAT IS DEEP ECOLOGY? By Stephan Harding

In Angel:

Bernard Lown’s Prescription for Survival

THURSDAY

George Sessions, Deep Ecology for the 21st century. Arne Naess, Deepness of Questions and the Deep Ecology Movement. Pp. 204-212

The ecological experience (I): Deep Questioning, Deep Experience.

^{Tues: Elizabeth Lawliss}

^{Thurs: Mary Bennet}

Reflection number 13

Do you believe in the possibility of an ecological experience such

as the one described by the Deep Ecology followers? Explain your answer.

WEEK 14

Nov 25^th

THIS WEEK´S PLAN HAS BEEN MODIFIED. WE MOVE TO WEEK 15TH.

The ecological experience (I): Deep Experience, Deep Commitment.

^Tues:

^Thurs:

education and commitment should take us? Please, explain.

WEEK 15

Dec 2^nd  -4^th

In Angel: It all needs to be read and listened by Tuesday.

SEX, MYTH AND POLITICS.

^{A meeting with a giant, by M. Garcia-Notario.}

^{Finding Beauty in a Broken World, by T. Tempest Williams.}

Farming the Amazon with a Machete and Mulch

FINAL REVIEW and Final Essay

^{Tues: Laura McGinley/ Philip Shivokevich/Meagan Holderman}

^{Thurs:Margarita García-Notario and David Rothenberg}

WEEK 16

FINALS WEEK