You have freedom in the ways that you meet the objectives specified in this
syllabus. Discuss modifications you wish to make with the instructor.
Three activities are listed below. They provide the opportunity to explore areas of
particular interest to you. These areas should be pursued in a manner that will fulfill all of
the course objectives.
1. Turn in weekly reading reaction papers. These short essays may summarize content of the
readings, however they should also include your reaction to and synthesis of the primary and
supplemental material. Each paper should be double-spaced and follow the citation style
appropriate to your sub-discipline (i.e. APA citation style is not appropriate for most
social science journals).
2. As we speak, so we are. Engaging this material requires study, reflection
and interpretation. The questions we ask are often more instructive than the answers
given.
The class will be a proseminar with students assigned to lead portions of
the discussion at least once during the semester.
Each week all students will submit discussion questions over that week's primary and
supplementary reading. Submitted questions will be typed and cite the readings to which
they refer. The purpose of these questions is both to stimulate classroom
discussion but, even more importantly, to help you engage the material and
think about it more deeply. You may be surprised at the perspectives
expressed in the questions framed by your colleagues.
3. Choose ONE of the following:
3a. Scholarly paper (15-20 pages, citation style appropriate to your
sub-discipline) showing critical thought, analysis and synthesis applying and or critiquing one
(or
more) theories of moral philosophy as they pertain to a current ethical moral dilemma. This ethical
issue can be personal, social, or professional.
3b. Complete an individualized activity or project. The focus of this project
should be one that is relevant to your educational goals and interests, acceptable to the
instructor, and pertinent to the course objectives outlined above. This activity may take may
take many forms; e.g. an article submitted for publication, documentation of the application
of theory in a real-world conflict resolution, a field study in applied ethics, or a creative
pursuit showing command and application of moral theory.
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Topic
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Reading
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Assignment
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| week 1
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Introduction
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(P) = packet (T) = Timmons
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Meet the
Professor
Take
self evaluation
First night discussion
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| week 2 |
Summum Bonum:
Wisdom
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Timmons: "Introduction" which
addresses how theories are evaluated in the Western analytic
tradition.
Berlin: "The Pursuit of the Ideal" (19) (P) which
begins the discussion of monism versus pluralism.
Abby: "Introduction" to Charles Taylor (P) helps orient
the student to the work of Charles Taylor.
Taylor: Ethics of Authenticity Chapter 1 "Three
Malaises" begins the discussion of ethics from a contemporary
pluralist perspective.
In our historical survey we start with Platonic dialogues which
focus largely on wisdom, ethics, justice and virtue. Plato and
Aristotle defined the terms and structured the intellectual
categories for most philosophical debate in the West for the next
2000 years. They are still relevant today as the theories developed
in that tradition, both in science and in philosophy, are still very
current.
Plato: Alcibiades
1 (34) (P)
Plato: The Republic Myth of the Cave (10)
(P)
Plato: Apology (15)
(P)
Plato: Crito
(9) (P)
Optional Reading:
Jowett's introduction to Alcibiades
Jowett's introduction to Apology
(6 )
Jowett's introduction to Crito (2 )
Protagoras (34) Jowett's introduction to Protagoras (7)
'Simonides Agon' in Protagoras
Provencal (7)
Roebuck: Review of Ethics of Authenticity (P)
Plato
Berlin
Charles Taylor
Plato: Philebus
(60) Jowett's Commentary (33)
Plato: Gorgias (82) Jowett's Commentary (34)
Plato: Meno (31)
Jowett's Commentary (14)
Apology Commentary Kelly Ross
(56)
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Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
Suggested Study
Essays on Ethics
Encyclopedia Entries
Ethical Philosophers
Review:
historical context
The safest general characterization of the
European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of
footnotes to Plato"
A. N. Whitehead, Process and Reality, 1929
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| week 3 |
Virtue Ethics
eudaimonia
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Aristotle: Virtue and Character (12) (T)
Rosalind Hursthouse: "Normative Virtue Ethics"
(T)
Michael Slote: "Agent-Based Virtue Ethics" (T)
Thomas Hurka: "Against Virtue Ethics" (T)
Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics
(94)
-
The good for man NE I.1-7,13
- Virtues of character NE II.1-9
- Responsibility NE III.1and 5
- Justice NE V.1-5
- Virtues of the Intellect NE VI.1-13
- The good for man second discussion NE X.1-8
Taylor: Ethics of Authenticity Chapter 2-4
- The inarticulate Debate 13-23
- The Sources of Authenticity 25-29
- Inescapable Horizons 31-41
Optional Reading:
Aristotle
Eudemonia
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Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
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| week 4 |
Natural Law
Divine Command
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C E Harris: "The Ethics of Natural Law" (13)
(T)
Philippa Foot: "The Doctrine of Double Effect"
(5) (T)
Emmett Barcalow: "Problems for Natural Law Theory" (5)
(T)
Aquinas: Summa Theological: Treatise
on Law (15) (P) questions 90-97
Mortimer: "Morality
is Based on God's Commands" (4) (T)
Timmons: "Does Morality Depend on God's Commands" (T)
Plato: Euthyphro
(17) (P) Commentary (3)
Taylor: Ethics of Authenticity Chapter 5-6
- The Need for Recognition 43-53
- The Slide to Subjectivism 55-69
Optional Reading:
Aquinas
Hardon The Meaning of Virture
in Thomas Aquinas
Kelly Ross Euthyphro Commentary
(polemical)
Augustine
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Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
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| week 5 |
Egoism
Utilitarianism
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Plato: Republic: "The Ring of Gyges"
(3) (P)
Ayn Rand: The Virtue of Selfishness (6) (T)
James Rachels: "Egoism and Moral Skepticism" (10)
(T)
Peter Singer: "Egoism, Altruism, and Sociobiology" (8)
(T)
Jeremy Bentham: The
Principle of Utility (16) (T)
Kai Nielsen: Against Moral Conservatism (10) (T)
John Rawls: Two Concepts of Rules (10) (T)
J L Mackie: The Ethics of Fantasy (12) (T)
J S Mill: Utilitarianism
(46)
Taylor: Ethics of Authenticity Chapter 7-8
- La Lotta Continua 71-79
- Subtler Languages 81-91
Optional Reading:
The Ring of
Gyges and the Myth of the Cave
from Bernard Suzanne
Bentham
Mill
Rand
Singer
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Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
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| week 6 |
Deontology
Freedom
Will
Duty
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Bowman: Kant and the Project of the Enlightenment (P)
Berlin: Kant as an unfamiliar source of nationalism (P)
Kant: The Moral Law
and Autonomy of the Will (8) (T)
Robert L Holmes: "Kantianism" (13) (T)
O'Neill: "On Treating People as Ends in Themselves" (5)
(T)
Feldman: "On Treating People as Ends in Themselves" (8)
(T)
Kant: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
(51)
Optional Reading:
Kant
Kant Philosopher of
the Month
Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics
of Morals
A Beginner’s Guide to Kant’s
Moral Philosophy
Kant: The
Moral Order
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Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
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| week 7 |
Rights
&
Social
Contracts
Relativism, Pluralism Particularism
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Berlin: Equality (22)
(P)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (P)
(choose at least one of the following)
Optional Reading:
Kukathas Whats the Big Idea Kemerling
On Locke's Morality
Read all:
Benedict: A Defense of Ethical Relativism (7) (T)
Rachels: The Challenge of Cultural Relativism (7) (T)
Sartre: "Moral
Choice Without Principles" (3) (T)
W D Ross: "What Makes Right Acts Right?" (6) (T)
David McNaughton: "Principles or Particularism?" (9)
(T)
Brad Hooker: "Moral Particularism: Wrong and Bad" (11)
(T)
Berlin: The Apotheosis of the Romantic Will (31) (P)
Hardy Berlin's Big Idea
(3) (P)
Taylor: Ethics of Authenticity Chapter 9
Optional reading: Sartre
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Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
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| week 8 |
Ethics of Care
Applied Ethics
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Gilligan: "Moral
Orientation and Moral Development" (9) (T)
Virginia Held: "Feminist Ethical Theory" (17) (T)
Nel Noddings: "An Ethic of Caring" (12) (T)
Claudia Card: "Caring and Evil" (6) (T)
Abby: Charles Taylor chapter 1 (42) (P)
Taylor: Ethics of Authenticity Chapter 10
- Against Fragmentation 109-121
student choice |
Discussion questions
Reading reaction paper
Final Analytic Paper
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