Kelly F. Millenbah1 and Michael P. Nelson1,2,3

1Department of Fisheries and Wildlife2Lyman Briggs College

3Department of PhilosophyMICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Policy rooted in sound science• Policy decisions inescapably normative or

ethical decisions Social science simply not enough

Increased responsibility to the public

• Fully and clearly articulate and justify rationale (part of which is normative) in research and policy

NR policy and

management

ecological knowledg

e

sociological knowledge

politico-legal

knowledge

economic knowledg

e

NR policy and

management

ecological knowledge

sociological knowledge

politico-legal

knowledge

economic knowledge

ethical knowledge

?

NR policy and

management

ecological knowledge

sociological

knowledge

politico-legal knowledge

economic knowledge

ethical knowledge

?

facts about nature,

facts with ethical and

management implications

facts about economies,

also facts with ethical and management

implications

facts about the values that “others”

hold

Facts about how the game is played.

How can I win a political argument

and get what I want?

What values ought I hold?

How can I be right?

Branches of Knowledge

NR policy and

management

ecological knowledge

sociological

knowledge

politico-legal knowledge

economic knowledge

ethical knowledge

?

Winning a contest is not evidence of

being right.

Arriving at a consensus is not evidence of being

right

a necessary, but ignored, aspect of

enlightened management

What these Branches Deliver

The fact that “people hold some

value” is not evidence that they “ought to hold

that value”

Facts about economics inform, but do not

determine, NR management

e.g, that a wolf hunting season will increase

revenue by $?, does not imply, by itself that

wolves should be hunted

Facts about nature inform, but do not

determine, NR management

e.g., that wolf harvesting might disrupt wolf social structure does not

imply, by itself, that wolves shouldn’t be harvested

5 principles5 principles

philosophy/ethics philosophy/ethics

can help satisfy eachcan help satisfy each

Wilson’s Worry:

“Every conservationist with whom I have discussed the subject agrees that the general indifference of people to the living world is the failure of introductory education in biology”

Students must learn “concepts” and be motivated and able to “think for themselves” - not just facts

“Teach top-down” (general to specific) • keep them interested in big picture – opposite

of what we do now

“Reach outside biology” • Especially to the humanities • A way to accomplish 1.

“Focus on problem solving” • problem-oriented as opposed to discipline-

oriented • E.g., “the basis of moral reasoning” as a way to

launch in to biology

“Cut deep and travel far” • specialize and remain broadly educated

“Commit yourself” • focus on passion as the motivation for

learning

“Teach top-down”• ethics/philosophy helps keep eye on the

general “why are we doing this?”

“Reach outside biology” • Duh.

“Focus on problem solving” • ethics/philosophy is all about setting and

solving problems

“Cut deep and travel far” • Again, duh.

“Commit yourself” • ethics/philosophy will help us articulate and

defend commitments

You revise your current curriculum!!!

A typical Curriculum meeting!

Part A• Environmental and historical scan

Part B• Focus groups

Stakeholders and students WRITTEN intended learning outcomes

Apply knowledge of complex socio-ecological systems

Communicate with a diversity of audiences Understand the range of social values

and philosophies that can be applied to natural resource management

Value science as a basis for problem solving

Think quantitatively and apply quantitative tools

Understand a suite of field, laboratory, and computer-based techniques

Students will understand the range of social values and philosophies that can be applied to natural resource management and possess a professional perspective that recognizes and integrates this range of philosophies into a science-based approach to management.

…don’t worry!

Our pluralistic society presents a complex of values and philosophies that can be applied to natural resource management at different levels; often these applications conflict. For example, animal welfare and rights philosophies that are applied to the organismal level often conflict with conservation and even preservation philosophies of population or ecosystem management. The strong traditional role of utilitarian values in the conservation philosophy of our professions often conflicts with preservation philosophy, even though the potential exists to effectively integrate them in many instances. Our students should understand conservationist and preservationist philosophies and be motivated to implement a balanced resource management approach when appropriate. They must be knowledgeable of animal welfare and animal rights philosophies and the difficulties in applying such philosophies to wildlife populations versus individual animals. Students should understand these and other philosophies and accommodate them where they do not interfere with the priority to manage ecological systems.

Meaning and distribution of a range of philosophies that have implications for natural resource management for scales ranging from local to global.

Range of values that are applied to natural resources through a variety of wildlife-based recreation methods.

Emergence and roles of a utilitarian-based conservation philosophy and preservation philosophy in American society as they relate to the fisheries and wildlife profession.

Important differences in the nature of animal welfare and animal rights views and associated values, and the implications of each in fisheries and wildlife management issues.

Ways in which the student’s own natural resource values, use and management influence his/her natural resource management style.

Their own philosophy of natural resource values, use and management.

Ability to analyze natural resource issues and accurately identify the role played by key values and philosophies in those issues.

Ability to express and defend their philosophy of natural resource values, use and management.

Ability to find evidence of and track trends regarding the development of key values and philosophies in society that will have implications on their own resource management efforts.

Students will understand and appreciate the full range of philosophies and values (e.g., utilitarian, preservationist, animal welfare, animal rights) and be motivated to implement a balanced natural resource management approach.

Students will understand and have an appreciation for nature-based recreation.

Free Electives~12 – 15 cr

MSU / College Requirements23 cr

Core55 – 61 cr

Concentrations~24 – 31 cr

Breadth and Depth

Flexible yet provides structure

RIGOROUS

University and College Requirements General Biology General Chemistry Physical Sciences Math and Statistics Communications PHILOSOPHY Experiential Learning Fisheries and Wildlife Core

• Seven Concentrations

Complete one of the following (3 cr.)• FW 438 – Philosophy of Ecology• GEO 432 – Environmental Ethics • PHL 340 – Ethics• PHL 380 – Nature of Science• PHL 484 – Philosophy of Biological

Science

Application to policy!!!

FW POLICY

Who would teach?

Creating a job description • Cross listed with two science based units

Who would come into science and teach and “do” research on philosophy?

Internal conflicts with “this kind of person”

Are we really speaking the same language here?

One, two strikes…

…third time was a charm!

Possible new directions for ethics and philosophy in FW• Working to infuse philosophy/ethics into

other parts of the curriculum• Facilitating double-majors that will deliver

philosophy/ethics, policy• Working to create and fund projects (and

graduate students) between the traditional FW faculty and areas and the new philosophy/ethics faculty

Possible new directions for ethics and philosophy in FW• Allowing/encouraging graduate students to

include an ethics section in their thesis/diss.• Encouraging graduate students to work on

philosophy/ethics topics within FW• Include philosophy/ethics topics in colloquia