Peter Wenz

Peter S. Wenz (born 1945) is an American philosopher noted for his expertise in environmental ethics. He holds the positions of Professor of Philosophy and Legal Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, University Scholar of the University of Illinois, and Adjunct Professor of Medical Humanities at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Wenz earned his B.A. in philosophy from Harpur College in 1967 and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1971. His academic career includes teaching positions at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and international appointments at South Bank University, Aberdeen University, Oxford University, and the University of Canterbury. He is also a regular instructor at the Chautauqua Institution. Wenz is widely recognized for his contributions to environmental justice, having been among those who coined the term in the mid-1980s. His influential articles include "Just Garbage" and "Minimal Moderate and Extreme Moral Pluralism." He has also published extensively on animal rights and vegetarianism. His main areas of specialization encompass environmental ethics, political remedial philosophy, and medical ethics.