Waterethiek

Water is essential for life. While we can survive weeks without food, we cannot survive more than a couple of days without water.

This course aims to provide an introduction to philosophical water ethics. It will present the main philosophical issues in the water domain in a practical way by situating these issues within real cases. Questions addressed will include:

• Is it fair to drink water, knowing that the production of one cup of coffee requires 140 liters of water on average?

• Should we prioritize between different water uses, like agriculture, navigation, and recreation?

• Should we continue building hard flood defenses at the expense of the environment?

• Should local citizens be given a voice in water-related decision-making?

These and other questions will be linked to ongoing discussions in other disciplines within philosophy, most notably in ethics of technology, philosophy, and ethics of risks, environmental ethics, climate ethics, and global justice.

This course will provide students with an understanding of approaches in water engineering and water policy. Students will get experience discussing and evaluating ethical considerations in water engineering and water policy. Topics covered include water and justice, water and economic valuation, water and human rights, water and responsibility, and water and engineering.

This course links to, amongst others, the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; https://sdgs.un.org/goals):

• SDG6 Clean water and sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all;

• SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable;

• SDG13 Climate action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts;

• SDG14 Life below water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

This course has no formative assessments or exams. It will be assessed via written assignments. The assessment consists of two parts:

- Case study (group assignment in groups of 2-4 students);

- Essay (individual assignment).

Students are not allowed to write the case report and the essay on the same topic.

Calculation of the course grade:

The course grade is calculated as follows: 0.4 * case study grade + 0.6 * essay grade. The final grade will be rounded to the nearest half-integer. Students with a final grade of 6.0 or higher have passed the course.

Validity: Grades for the different parts are valid only in the academic year in which the student participates in the tutorial sessions.

Resit: In case of a grade lower than 6.0, students are allowed to write a new case report on a different case or a new essay on a different topic. This needs to be completed in the quarter following the quarter in which the tutorial sessions take place.

Feedback: Students receive feedback on their assignments via Brightspace. Students receive detailed feedback on the draft version of their essay.

Note: The assessment form does not depend on whether the course will be delivered online or on campus.