Full Syllabus for Philosophy PHL-325K Ethical Theories, unique number 41830
Instructor: Professor Jonathan Dancy WAG 305; office hours T/TH 11.00-12.00
There are no specific prerequisites for this class.
Schedule for classes:
Jan 22 General Introduction: organisational meeting
Jan 24 Mill ch. 1: Introductory remarks
Jan 29 Mill ch. 2 §§1-10: hedonism, higher and lower pleasures
Jan 31 Mill ch. 2 §§11-19: response to criticisms
Feb 5 Mill ch. 2 §§20-end: more criticisms rebutted
Feb 7 Mill ch. 3: sanctions and motivation
Feb 12 Mill ch. 4: the supposed proof of utilitarianism
Feb 14 Mill ch. 5 §§1-16: the problem of justice
Feb 19 Mill ch. 5 §§17-end: resolution of the problem
Feb 21 Ross ch. 1: what is right and what is good FIRST TERM PAPER (1000 WORDS) DUE IN
Feb 26 Ross ch. 2 §§16-24: criticism of utilitarianism; prima facie duties.
Feb 28 Ross ch. 2 §§24-39: further considerations; the right and the optimific
Mar 5 Ross ch. 2 §§39-end: methodology; a new understanding of the duty of beneficence
Mar 7 Ross ch. 3: good, intrinsic goods and organic unities
Mar 12 Ross ch. 5: knowledge, virtue, pleasure as goods
Mar 14 Ross ch. 6 degrees of goodness
SPRING BREAK Mar 26 Ross ch. 7 moral value SECOND PAPER (1000 WORDS) DUE IN
Mar 28 Kant Preface
Apr 2 Kant sec. 1 §§1-13: the good will, the motive of duty
Apr 4 Kant sec. 1 §§14-end: the formal principle of duty
Apr 9 Kant sec. 2 §§1-11: the a priori nature of moral philosophy
Apr 11 Kant sec. 2 §§12-32: imperatives, hypothetical and categorical
Apr 16 Kant sec. 2 §§33-45: the examples
Apr 18 Kant sec. 2 §§ 46-76: rational beings as ends in themselves and as law-makers; heteronomy/autonomy and the kingdom of ends
Apr 23 Kant sec. 2 §§ 46-76 again
Apr 25 Kant sec. 2 §§76-end: criticism of all other theories as heteronomy
Apr 30 Kant sec. 3 §§1-9: autonomy and freedom of the will
May 2 Kant sec. 3 §§10-19: the sensible and the intelligible world; the explanation of the categorical imperative
May 7 Kant sec. 3 §§20-end
May 9 review (optional)
May 8 midnight FINAL TERM PAPER (3000 WORDS) DUE IN
There will be no final examination.
Academic/learning goals: first, to learn how to read a philosophical text from beginning to end with considerable attention to detail, and second, to study in the original three leading texts in the utilitarian, intuitionist and rationalist traditions.
Grading: assessment will be entirely driven by written work. Three papers will be required during the semester, one on each of the works studied; in addition, there will be spot quizzes during the term which will contribute 25% of the grade. Plus and minus grades will be used for determining the eventual class grade. There will be penalties for absence from class without prior notification.
This course carries the Ethics and Leadership flag. Ethics and Leadership courses are designed to equip you with skills that are necessary for making ethical decisions in your adult and professional life. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments involving ethical issues. And of course this is what we will be doing.
This course also carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students the chance to pay specific attention to their writing. In this class, you will write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive specific feedback from me designed to help you improve your writing where necessary. A substantial portion of your grade will come from the quality of your writing, independently of philosophical considerations.
Required books:
J. S. Mill Utilitarianism ed. G Sher (Hackett)
W. D. Ross The Right and the Good ed. P. Stratton-Lake (Oxford: Clarendon Press)
I. Kant Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Ethics tr. M Gregor ed. J. Timmerman (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press)
Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the
Division of Diversity and Community Engagement.