This is a past event
In this talk Dr Dower argues that there is nothing valuable in sustainability unless what is (to be) sustained is of value. Much of the contestability of the concept of sustainability resides in different views about what is of value, both about what is worth pursuing and having and about the acceptable ways in which these things are pursued and maintained. Ethics comes into answering these questions about ends and means; for instance, is it human interests that matter or the interests of other living things? Is it the well-being of humans in my community or the world? What ethical constraints operate (e.g. justice, fairness, not harming) to limit what we or our group (town, area, country, association, business company) wish to sustain as valuable to us? Sustainability discourse sometimes functions as part of our goals, but more often functions as part of the ethical side-constraints on other goals. Arguably, the ethical side-constraints must be cosmopolitan (all human beings matter), future-oriented (future generations matter), and bio-centric (policies take into account the impact of actions on non-human life as well).
Nigel Dower is Honorary Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Aberdeen and Academic Consultant (t/a ‘Cosmopolitan Agendas’). He joined the University of Aberdeen in 1967 where he taught until 2004, except for three years teaching Philosophy in Zimbabwe (1983-86) and five months as Gillespie Visiting Professor, College of Wooster, Ohio in 2000. He was Head of Department from 1996-1999 and 2000-2001. In June 2004 he took early retirement in order to pursue his interests in ‘exploring ethics in a globalised world’ through teaching, lectures, writing and consultancy. He was visiting Professor in the University of Akureyri, Iceland in Sept-October 2004, and Visiting Professor in Colorado State University, Fort Collins January-May 2006.
- Speaker
- Dr Nigel Dower, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Philosophy, University of Aberdeen
- Hosted by
- Centre for Sustainable International Development/ACES
- Venue
- KCG5 - Kings College, Ground Floor, Room 5
- Contact