Spring 2024 Distinguished Environmental Lecture

On Wednesday, February 7, FSU Law welcomed Gregory Alexander, the A. Robert Noll Professor of Law, Emeritus at Cornell University, to present the Spring 2024 Distinguished Environmental Lecture. During his talk, “Reversing Means and Ends: The Human Flourishing Theory in Conditions of Climate Change,” Professor Alexander discussed climate change in relation to the human flourishing theory. The theory posits that property is required for the development of the capabilities necessary for humans to flourish. Professor Alexander discussed how climate change creates conditions in which it may be possible and necessary to reverse the means-end relationship assumed in the human flourishing theory, stating that certain human capabilities have become the necessary means for achieving the goal of protecting property, both human-made and natural. He went on to state that the human capacity of cooperativeness can be especially important to protecting property. To illustrate his assertions, Professor Alexander discussed the California wildfires as an example of a climate-related natural disaster where cooperativeness facilitated the goal of property protection. If you were unable to attend this fascinating lecture, a recording of the talk is available online.