Philosophy 22: Introductory Ethics

Philosophy 22: Introductory Ethics

Spring 2007; Section 001: Caldwell 105

Monday and Wednesday, 10:00-11:15am

Instructor: Ted Parent

Office: Caldwell Hall 210B

Office Hours: TBA

Course Website: http://www.unc.edu/~tparent/phil22.html

This course is an introduction to ethics—the subdiscipline of philosophy which inquires into what is valuable, which actions are right, and what good citizens of a just state are like. As an introductory course, we will study the most important ethical traditions within philosophy: Utilitarianism, Deontology, Virtue Ethics, as well as Nietzsche’s Moral Genealogy.

Texts:

Crisp and Slote (eds.), Virtue Ethics, Oxford UP 1997. (Abbreviated as “VE”)

Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, trans. Ellington, 3rd edition, Hackett 1993.

Mill, Utilitarianism, 2nd ed., Hacket 2002.

Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals, trans. Kaufmann, Revised edition, Vintage 1989.

Course Assignments:

(1) Every Wednesday (with a few exceptions; see below), there will be an in-class writing assignment (about a paragraph in length) on the reading for that week. Satisfactory performance on these assignments is a requirement for the course, which means that unsatsifactory performance can lower your final grade. However, exemplary performance on these assignments can also act as “extra credit” to boost your final grade.

(2) Paper (no min length; max length 6 pages) due on February 5 worth 30% of the final grade.

(3) Paper (no min length; max length 6 pages) due April 2 worth 35% of the final grade.

(4) Take-Home Exam due March 19 worth 35% of the final grade.

No late assignments accepted. If you are unwilling to abide by this policy, please drop the course.

N.B. Excellent or poor participation/attendance will also affect your final grade. In extreme cases, poor attendance will result in an automatic ‘F’ for the course, regardless of your performance on the assignments.

Tentative Schedule

*Indicates a week where there will NOT be an in-class writing assignment.

*WEEK ONE

Jan. 8 Introductory session.

Jan. 10 Logic/Argumentation

*WEEK TWO

Jan. 15 NO CLASS (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

Jan. 17 Mill, Utilitarianism Ch. 2

WEEK THREE

Jan. 22, 24 Mill, Utilitarianism Ch. 2 (cont’)

WEEK FOUR

Jan. 29, 31 Mill, Utilitarianism Ch. 4

WEEK FIVE

Feb. 5, 7 Kant, Groundwork for a Metaphysics of Morals, 393-405

First Paper Due Feb 5

WEEK SIX*

Feb. 12, 14 Kant, Groundwork, 406-420

WEEK SEVEN

Feb. 19, 21 Kant, Groundwork, 420-424

WEEK EIGHT

Feb. 26, 28 Kant, Groundwork, 424-431

March 5, 7 SPRING BREAK

WEEK NINE

Mar. 12, 14 Michael Stocker, “The Schizophrenia of Modern Ethical Theories” in VE

WEEK TEN*

Mar. 19, 21 Robert Louden, “On Some Vices of Virtue Ethics” in VE

WEEK ELEVEN

Mar. 26, 28 Susan Wolf, “Moral Saints” in VE

WEEK TWELVE

Apr. 2, 4 Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals Essay 1

Second Paper Due Apr 2

WEEK THIRTEEN

Apr. 9, 11 Nietzsche, Genealogy Essay 2

WEEK FOURTEEN

Apr. 16, 18 Nietzsche, Genealogy Essay 3

*WEEK FIFTEEN

Apr. 23 Catch Up/Review

Final Exam at 7:15pm on Monday, April 25 in Caldwell Hall 105.

Honor code: The Chancellor has asked faculty to include the following statement in all course syllabi.

"The Honor Code prohibits lying, cheating or stealing when these actions involve academic processes or University, student or academic personnel acting in an official capacity. The Campus Code requires students to conduct themselves in such ways as not to impair the welfare or the educational opportunities of others in the University community. As a UNC student, you have accepted a commitment to the Honor Code and the Campus Code, and the principles of academic integrity, personal honesty, and responsible citizenship on which they were founded more than 100 years ago. "Academic dishonesty in any form is unacceptable, because it circumvents the purpose of the University's life and work. As a faculty member, I have a responsibility to report any possible Honor Code violations to the Student Attorney General. I trust that you will join me in supporting the Honor Code by signing the Honor Pledge on all written work, and by consulting me if you are uncertain about your responsibilities within this course."