Course detail

Introduction to environmental studies

FEKT-MUENAcad. year: 2011/2012

The course introduces students of technological orientation into generic environmental problematics and ecology, from the aspect of humanities and social sciences. At the end of the course, students should be able to: - defend the meaning and importance of environmentalism in present world - explain how the progression of environmental issues corresponds with apparently unrelated disciplines such as economy, technology ethics ets. - propose possible solutions of contemporary environmental issues in various levels - from personal to international level - analyse pros and cons of possible solutions - assess contemporary aproaches to solving the national and international environmental issues - interpret and debate results of up to now succesfull and unsuccesfull solutions of environmental issues

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Prof. RNDr. Hana Librová, CSc

Department

Department of Biomedical Engineering (UBMI)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Knowledge obtained in the course forms a complementary material to the technical aspect as presented by the course Ecological Engineering

Prerequisites

The subject knowledge on the Bachelor´s degree level is requested.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching methods depend on the type of course unit as specified in the article 7 of BUT Rules for Studies and Examinations.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Requirements for completion of a course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every.

Course curriculum

* Environmental issues in Czech Rep. and world.
* Ecological determination of human-environment relationship.
* Environmental consequences of food and energy production.
* Relation of ecology and environmentalism - historical overview
* Environmental ethics.
* Environmental economy.
* Sustainable development concept.
* Technological solutions of environmental crisis and their limitations.
* Environmental legislation and policy.
* Solutions of environmental crisis based on personal values.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Enabling students of technological orientation to see the environmental problematics as seen by environmentalists.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme EEKR-M Master's

    branch M-BEI , 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

  • Programme EEKR-CZV lifelong learning

    branch EE-FLE , 1 year of study, winter semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

RNDr. Mgr. Michal Bittner, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Definition and intristic logic of enviromental studies. Relation to sciences and technology
Enviromental studies and ecology, basic concepts and principles, their importance in enviromental discipline
Influencing of man and society by nature: Evolutionary theory
Etology and biosociology, selfish gene theory and the criticism of it in contemporary science
Influencing of nature by man - roots of ecological crisis: Anthropological and psychological determinations of human relationship towards nature
Demographic context, population situation and development of mankind, limits of food source. Malthusianism and its critics.
Relationships between economy and ecological situation. Scarsity and price in economic and ecological perspective. Ecological solutions and job chances.
Ekologically oriented legal interventions, novelty and impassability of ecological problems in traditional concept of law
Environmental problems and politics. Political idea of economic growth contra nature. Enviromentalists as enemies of progress?
Possibilities and limits of technological solutions. History of risky technologies. "American" and "Japanese" way of technology. Technological optimists and sceptics
"Value" solutions of ecological problems. Human and enviromental values. Environmental ethics
Environmentally acceptable way of life. Amount and character of consumption.
Transport, tourism, way of alimentation, urban and rural way of life, deconcentration in settlement