The Ethics of Metropolitan Growth: The Future of our Built Environment (Think Now)

The Ethics of Metropolitan Growth is about the decisions people make that shape the built environment, from the everyday concerns of homeowners and commuters to grand gestures of national policy. Decisions about the built environment have taken on a particular urgency in recent months. The financial crisis that began in the home mortgage system, the instability of fuel prices, and long-term projections of oil depletion and climate change are now intertwined with more conventional concerns about metropolitan growth, such as traffic flow and air quality. Now, it would seem, is an excellent time for clear thinking about what the built environment can and should become in the future. Robert Kirkman argues that decisions about how to configure and live within the built environment have ethical dimensions that are sometimes hard to see, questions relating to well-being, justice, and sustainability. This book provides practical guidance for sorting through the ethical implications surrounding metropolitan growth, bringing the most immediate concerns of ordinary people to the centre of environmental ethics. Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. Ethics -- 1.1. How was the project chosen? -- 1.2. Are the goals of the project worth reaching? -- 1.3. Are the means used to reach the goals of the project appropriate? -- 1.4. Does the project conflict with projects other individuals or groups are pursuing? -- 1.5. Does the project conflict with other projects the same individual or group is pursuing? -- 1.6. Is the project self-defeating? -- 2. Ethics and Environment -- 2.1. What is the place in which the project will unfold? -- 2.2. How might the project change this place and its broader context? -- 2.3. How much can we know about how the project will unfold in this place? -- 3. Metropolitan Growth -- 3.1. How should we characterize the built environment of the United States? -- 3.2. What are the dynamics that shape the built environment? -- 4. The Ethics of Metropolitan Growth -- 4.1. Is this a good place to live? (Well-being) -- 4.2. Who gets to benefit from this place, and who does not? (Justice) -- 4.3. How long can this place last? (Sustainability) -- 4.4. Who should make decisions about this place? (Legitimacy) -- 5. Using the Framework -- 5.1. Reveal hidden complexity in ethical judgments -- 5.2. Identify points of agreement and disagreement -- 5.3. Focus deliberation -- 5.4. Search for new possibilities -- 6. The Limits of Ethics -- 6.1. To what extent can people act responsibly? -- 6.2. To what extent can people be held responsible for their actions? -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Z Introduction -- Ethics -- How Was The Project Chosen? -- Are The Goals Of The Project Worth Reaching? -- Are The Means Used To Reach The Goals Of The Project Appropriate? -- Does The Project Conflict With Projects Other Individuals Or Groups Are Pursuing? -- Does The Project Conflict With Other Projects The Same Individual Or Group Is Pursuing? -- Is The Project Self-defeating? -- Ethics And Environment -- What Is The Place In Which The Project Will Unfold? -- How Might The Project Change The Place And Its Broader Context? -- How Much Can We Know About How The Project Will Unfold In This Place? -- Metropolitan Growth -- How Should We Characterize The Built Environment Of The United States? -- What Are The Dynamics That Shape The Built Environment? -- The Ethics Of Metropolitan Growth -- Is This A Good Place To Live? (well-being) -- Who Gets To Benefit From This Place And Who Does Not? (justice) -- How Long Can This Place Last? (sustainability) -- Who Should Make Decisions About This Place? (legitimacy) -- Using The Framework -- Reveal Hidden Complexity In Ethical Judgments -- Identify Points Of Agreement And Disagreement -- Focus Deliberation -- Search For New Possibilities -- The Limits Of Ethics -- To What Extent Can People Act Responsibly? -- To What Extent Can People Be Held Responsible For Their Actions? Robert Kirkman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Issues related to metropolitan growth and environmental change are at the heart of public debate today - this book explores the ethical implications behind this hugely topical contemporary debate