Course Description

The open course is aimed at anyone interested in the well-being of people and the planet, from secondary school to university and the world of work. The prerequisite for this course is BENY2022, Systems and Planetary Well-being.

This course introduces ethical perspectives on environmental and sustainability issues and considers the good life in the context of planetary well-being. The course will examine how societal norms and institutions, cultural perceptions and value systems influence sustainability and the realisation of planetary well-being. Individual values, choices and responsibilities will be related to wider cultural phenomena and value debates. The course will also explore the links between knowledge, values and action, and environmental perceptions.

After completing the course, you can

• identify the perceptions and values underlying social norms related to the environment and sustainability and relate them to philosophical debates.
• identify the links between knowledge, values, emotions and actions and be able to integrate them into social discourse and the pursuit of planetary well-being.
• describe the relationship of planetary well-being to cultural phenomena and practices, ethical perspectives and concepts of the good life.