The University of Tennessee hosted the Animals, Ethics, & Law Symposium on March 2-3, 2012.  Most of the talks, commentaries, and Q&A were recorded and are available online for viewing here.  Nick Robinson’s keynote address and Clare Palmer’s talk should be of particular interest to environmental ethicists.  Also, photographs of the event are available on the symposium website.

Speakers:

Nick Robinson (keynote) – “The Legal Principle of Resilience: A Guiding Norm for Life in Our Anthropocene Epoch”, Pace Law and Forestry; Yale, Environmental Studies

Colin Allen – “Ethics, Law, and the Science of Fish Welfare”, Indiana, Philosophy and Cognitive Science.  Commentators: Dean Rivkin, Tennessee, College of Law, and Gary McCracken, Tennessee, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Taimie Bryant – “Animal Law and Virtue Ethics”, UCLA Law.  Commentators: Iris Goodwin, Tennessee, College of Law,  Joan Heminway, Tennessee, College of Law

David DeGrazia – “The Question of Animal Suffering”, George Washington University, Philosophy.  Commentators: Ralph Harvey, Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine, and John Nolt, Tennessee, Philosophy

David Favre – “Respectful Use: An Ethical Construct for Lawful Interactions with Animals”, Michigan State, Law.  Commentators: Jon Garthoff, Tennessee, Philosophy, and Hal Herzog, Western Carolina, Psychology

Rebecca Huss – “The Intersection of Legal Issues Involving Animals and Gerontology”, Valparaiso, Law.  Commentators: Marian Roman, Tennessee, College of Nursing, and Elizabeth Strand, Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine

Clare Palmer – “What (If Anything) Do We Owe Wild Animals?”, Texas A&M, Philosophy.  Commentators: Gordon Burghardt, Tennessee, Psychology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and Joel MacClellan, Tennessee, Philosophy