GPHI
6293

Philosophy and Ecology

New School for Social Research: Philosophy

Liberal Arts
Graduate Course
Degree Students (with Restrictions)
Philosophy and Ecology
Fall 2023
Taught By: Alice Crary
Section: A

CRN: 15652

Credits: 3

This seminar is a study of ecology as a decisively important category for moral and political thought. It will be organized into four overlapping units. Starting with a glance at the history of ecological concern as well as at the place of such concern in an age of anthropogenic environmental catastrophe, the first unit will take up understandings of ecology as saturated by ethical and political commitments and consider how these understandings challenge moral traditions that bear the imprint of classic empiricist and positivist presuppositions. The second unit will be devoted to discussion of Indigenous ecological thought, and the third will be devoted to discussion of some ecowomanist and ecofeminist ecologies. The fourth and longest unit will integrate themes from the previous three in exploring possibilities for ecological integrity and ecologically sound politics. Here we will look back as far as ecological themes in Plato’s Republic, discuss Marx’s theory of “ecological rift,” and consider the efforts of a wide range of social thinkers to inherit these and other ecological traditions in envisioning ecologically defensible forms of life. Course readings will include works by Octavia Butler, Andrew Dobson, André Gorz, Melanie Harris, David Hume, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Eduardo Kohn, Ursula Le Guin, Aldo Leopold, Drew Pendergrass, Plato, Karl Marx, Ariel Salleh, Vandana Shiva, Olúfémi Táíwò, Troy Vettese, and Kyle Powys Whyte.

College: New School for Social Research (GF)

Department: Philosophy (GPHI)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 18

Add/Drop Deadline: September 11, 2023 (Monday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 19, 2023 (Sunday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Open*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 8:44am EDT 5/29/2023

Meeting Info:
Days: Tuesday
Times: 4:00pm - 5:50pm
Building: TBD
Room: TBD
Date Range: 8/29/2023 - 12/5/2023