Philosophy 105: Ethics (Winter 2011)
Instructor: Max
Cherem
E-mail:
Max.Cherem@kzoo.edu
Schedule: M/W/F, 2.40-3.55pm,
Dewing #210 Office hours: T&TH, 9 to
11am (& by appointment), HH #202
Course Description:
Ethics is a sub-field of philosophy with rather
lofty goals. It claims to be the study of what is valuable, what people have practical
reason to do, and what is right and wrong. This course is only an introduction
to part of this rich subfield: normative
ethics. At the end we may have time for a small taste of applied ethics[1].
We start by engaging with standard attempts to question ethics (amoral-ism,
relativism, egoism, etc.). We then survey the main ethical frameworks: virtue
ethics, utilitarianism and deontology. We will read a variety of classical
texts in these traditions as well as some more contemporary authors. The course
is designed to demonstrate why ethics matters, to expose students to a variety
of ethical frameworks and to equip them with the conceptual resources to think
critically about each framework.
General
learning objectives:
By the end of Phil 105, all students are
expected to be able to:
á
Identify and articulate the standard
problems encountered by approaches that attempt to deny or deflate the need for
a moral system or framework of evaluation (subjectivism, relativism,
amoral-ism, etc).
á
Identify and articulate the fundamental
elements of and differences between the main schools within moral philosophy (virtue
ethics, utilitarianism, deontology).
á
Understand the arguments of each author
in detail as well as the assumptions that they rely upon.
á
Identify and articulate the weak points
in each way of viewing morality and the weak points in each particular authorÕs
writing.
á
Make a considered judgment backed up by
reasoned argumentation (so, not a
mere preference) as to the moral system that the student finds most convincing.
The student should be able to construct a successful persuasive argument
explaining why their chosen system is
superior to other systems.
We will meet these learning objectives through a
combination of readings, pre-class questions that accompany readings, lectures,
in-class discussion, and individual assignments (see below).
Expectations:
This syllabus will let you know my expectations. I am also interested in
knowing about you and what your expectations for class are. Please take
a moment to fill out the note card on your desk with the following:
(1.)Name,
year, major (if known) and relevant interests—academic or otherwise.
(2.)Prior
experience in philosophy, political science, logic, mock trial, pre-law or
debate (if any).
(3.)(Most important) Your
expectations for this class!
Participation
and Attendance: make up 15% of your grade. For the
purposes of evaluation I consider attendance
a necessary yet not sufficient condition for participation (you canÕt
participate unless you attend, but simply attending does not mean you are
participating). So, if you miss 3 days (without reasons that count as
extenuating circumstances) you will automatically loose this 15%. If you
must miss a day due to family emergencies or other extenuating circumstances
then please e-mail me in advance (if possible). Please also e-mail me whenever
you miss class for other reasons. As for participation:
you need to be an active participant to get full participation (i.e.:
contribute to in-class debate, answer questions, respectfully critique /
respond to / build upon a point made by an author or a fellow classmate, etc).
This means that you should always come to class having thoroughly read the assigned readings. Apart from lecture we will
use structured questions and class discussion to analyze the readings; both
methods require familiarity with the text and active questioning based on that
familiarity.
Paper
writing standards: Writing a philosophy paper is different
from the paper writing you might do for other classes. Although many of the
questions we will discuss have no single ÒcorrectÓ answer there are
nevertheless better and worse ways to construct an argument. You will be graded
on how well you defend your views
(whatever they may be) not the content of your
views. For guidance please read Jim PryorÕs essay ÒHow to Write a Philosophy
PaperÓ (required). Even though his style can be snarky, it helps: http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html.
You should strive to clearly and succinctly express your arguments. This may
involve an accurate, short summary of anotherÕs arguments. Please always keep
in mind that when writing you need to express yourself very clearly, as I can
only grade what you write on the page. Even if you know a theory or argument well in your head, I can only grade what
you write (there is no fair way
evaluate what someone intends to
write but does not clearly express). I write fairly detailed comments on each
studentÕs paper in order to explain why you have earned a certain grade. Comments
are meant to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and to do better
on the next paper. If you ever feel that my comments show that I have
misunderstood what you wrote then please meet with me and we will go over the
paper.
Turning
in writing and extensions: For all writing
assignments you should BOTH email
a copy to me AND turn in a
duplicate paper copy to the bin hanging outside my office (HH#202). Assignments need to be emailed to me by 4.00pm
on the due date. Place a (exact duplicate) paper copy in the bin outside my door by 5.00pm the same day (1 hour later). Humphrey House closes at 5pm, so do not be late. Assignments will
be counted down 1/3 of a grade (A to A-, or B- to C+) for each day (or part of
a day) they are late. This means it is important to turn things in on time.
Please plan ahead so that you are not working on something right up until 4.00pm.
While extensions will not normally be granted please let me know if you feel
there are extenuating circumstances that merit an extension.
Laptops and cell phones:
This class involves engaged discussion. A distraction-free environment where
people can focus on the material is always the best for discussion. Because
laptops typically produce a variety of distractions (email, Farmville, etcÉ)
they are not allowed. Also, do not text during class.
Discussion questions: I distribute questions via email each
week to help you focus on the most salient issues within the readings (this is
why I ask for your K-emails the first day). Although we will discuss some of
these questions in class we will not always get to every question. I encourage
you to think about the questions we do not get to after class and re-read the
material with them in mind. Doing so will help you on assignments and papers.
You are also encouraged to come to office hours to discuss any questions that
we donÕt get to in class or other aspects of the material as well.
Readings: Please read the
readings before class on the day for
which they are listed below (except the 1st day). You will need to
thoroughly read (not skim) all assigned readings. You will probably need to
read some assignments twice or three times. This course has some difficult
reading and philosophy texts take time to read. I donÕt want anyone to fall
behind, so please make sure you set aside enough time in your winter schedule
to do the readings. You are encouraged to come to office hours to talk further
about the readings.
Short summary assignments:
For each of the 3 main moral positions we cover I will assign a prompt asking
you to summarize an authorÕs views or a particular issue. Because the prompts
will be fairly straightforward your response should be short: 400-500 words
maximum! You only need to do 2 of the 3 prompts and you may choose which 2 to write. The prompts are assigned as
we go along. This means that if you choose to skip one prompt you must
do the remaining ones. You may also choose to do all 3 prompts and take the
highest 2 grades.
Grading breakdown:
á
Attendance and participation: 15%
á
2 short summaries (350-400 words each)
throughout the term: 30% (each worth 15%)
á
Midterm paper: 25%
á
Final paper: 30%
Texts:
á
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. Roger Crisp (trans. / ed.)
á
John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism. Roger Crisp. (ed.)
á
J. J. C. Smart & Bernard Williams, Utilitarianism: For and Against.
á
Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Mary Gregor (trans./ed.)
á
James Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (6th ed.) [7th
ed. just released, but we will use the 6th ed.]
Week 1
Tues,
01/03: [Tues. is run
on Mon. schedule for week 1; No class on 01/04 because Wed. is run on Tues.
schedule]
Reading:
Jim PryorÕs online essay ÒHow to Write a Philosophy PaperÓ (see above for web
address)
Handout:
pick up Singer & Plato handouts.
Fri,
01/06: What is Morality
/ Ethics? One of PlatoÕs characters expresses skepticism about morality.
Reading:
Rachels chapter 1 (pgs. 1-13), Singer handout (pages 1-15), Plato handout
(pages 37-49).
Handout:
pick up Benedict handout.
Week 2
Mon,
01/09: Contemporary
challenges to morality: relativism and subjectivism.
Reading:
Rachels, Chapters 2 & 3 (pgs. 14-47) & Benedict handout.
Handout:
pick up Williams & Driver handouts.
Wed,
01/11: Contemporary
challenges to morality: relativism and subjectivism continued.
Reading:
Williams handout (pgs. 1-12), Driver handout (pgs.11-21)
Handout:
pick up Gauthier handout.
Fri,
01/13: A short
session Egoism and Contractualism. What would a sophisticated contractual-ist
morality really be?
Reading:
Rachels, Chapters 5 & 6 (pgs. 62-96) & Gauthier handout.
Handout:
pick up Annas and Anscombe handouts.
Week 3
Mon,
01/16: Martin Luther King Day, No Classes.
Wed,
01/18: Virtue
Ethics: An introduction.
Reading:
Rachels, Chapter 12 (pgs. 158-172), Anscombe (pgs.----) & Annas (pgs.----).
Fri,
01/20: Virtue
Ethics in Aristotle: ÒEudaimoniaÓ, the highest achievable human good.
Reading:
AristotleÕs Nicomachean Ethics Book I, Chapters 1-6.
Week 4
Mon,
01/23: Virtue
Ethics: AristotleÕs function argument.
Reading:
AristotleÕs Nicomachean Ethics Book I, Chapters 7-13 & all of Book II.
Handout:
pick up Louden handout.
Wed,
01/25: Virtue
Ethics: finishing up Aristotle and a Contemporary critique.
Reading: AristotleÕs Nicomachean Ethics: Book
VII, Chapters 11-14, Book X, Chapters 1-8 & Louden handout.
Handout:
pick up Bentham handout.
Writing:
Virtue Ethics related summary prompt assigned via email.
Fri,
01/27: Utilitarianism—BenthamiteÕs
simplistic account and an introduction to Millian utilitarianism.
Reading:
Bentham handout (chapters 1 & 4), Part of CrispÕs introduction to
Utilitarianism (pgs. 5-26 only)
Week 5:
Mon,
01/30: MillÕs more
sophisticated utilitarianism
Reading:
Rachels, Chapter 7 (pgs. 97-109), MillÕs Utilitarianism chapters 1 & 2
(pgs. 49-72),
Wed,
02/01: MillÕs more
sophisticated utilitarianism
Reading:
MillÕs Utilitarianism Chapter 5 (and possible review; check your email)
Fri,
02/03: Midterm
Break: No class.
Week 6:
Mon,
02/06: A more contemporary
critique of utilitarianism.
Reading: WilliamsÕ ÒA Critique of
UtilitarianismÓ chapters 1-4 (in ÒUtilitarianism for and AgainstÓ)
Wed,
02/08: A more
contemporary critique of utilitarianism continued.
Reading:
WilliamsÕ ÒA Critique of UtilitarianismÓ chapters 5-7
Fri,
02/10: Finishing
up with utilitarianism.
Reading:
Rachels, Chapter 8 (pgs. 109-123) & rest of introduction in Utilitarianism
(pgs. 26-32)
Writing:
Utilitarianism related summary prompt assigned via email.
Week 7:
Mon,
02/13: Beginning
deontological ethics.
Reading: Rachels, Chapters 9 &10 (pgs. 124-145)
& KantÕs Groundwork, Preface and section 1
Wed,
02/15: Deontological
ethics in Kant.
Reading: Groundwork, section II (pages 19-31)
Fri,
02/17: Deontological
ethics in Kant continued.
Reading:
Groundwork, section II (pages 31-36)
Week 8:
Mon,
02/20: Deontological
ethics in Kant continued.
Reading:
Groundwork, section II (pages 36-51)
Handout:
pick up Langton and Singer handouts.
Wed,
02/22: Finishing
up deontological ethics.
Reading:
Langton and Singer handouts (and review of Kant)
Handout:
pick up Held handout.
Writing:
Deontology related summary prompt assigned via email.
Fri,
02/24: Tying up
some loose ends: religion and ethics, feminist ethics.
Reading:
Rachels, Chapters 4 & 11 (pgs. 48-61 & 146-157), Held handout.
Handout:
pick up Finnis, Marquis, Thomson and Warren handouts.
Week 9:
Mon,
02/27: A taste
of applied ethics part 1: Abortion.
Reading:
Marquis and Warren handouts (a pro-life and a pro-choice position).
Wed,
02/29: A taste
of applied ethics part 1: Abortion.
Reading:
Finnis & Thomson handouts (a pro-life and a pro-choice position).
Handout:
pick up Singer and Kekes handouts.
Fri,
03/02: A Taste
of applied ethics part 2: global allocation of resources.
Reading:
Singer & Kekes handouts.
Handout:
pick up Rachels and Glover handouts.
Week 10:
Mon,
03/05: A Taste
of applied ethics part 3: Euthanasia.
Reading:
Rachels and Glover handouts.
Wed,
03/07: Review
day.
Reading:
To be determined.
Fri,
03/09: Review
day.
Reading.
To be determined.
FINAL
PAPER DUE on 03/13 at 4.00pm.