Abstract

Should philosophy have public import? Most of us would like to think that it does or should? But what exactly does that mean. What form should the public import of philosophy take? Andrew Light gives us his own account of what it is for philosophy to have pragmatic value in areas such as environmental ethics. He compares and contrasts his views with those of others and elaborates on what it is for a philosophy to be pragmatic and have a public face, as he discusses some of the current debates in environmental ethics and several ideas of the key players in the fi eld. Light argues that there is a connection between environmental ethics and serving the public interest in one’s community. This public role can take the form of making policy recommendations, serving on boards, and participation in public service. Light then gives us a map of plausible steps to take in motivating the pragmatic or public aspects of one’s philosophy.