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SyllabusEthicsFall 2000Marist CollegeDr. Greg MosesCourse Description:In this course we will survey classic ethical writings of Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, Bentham, and Mill, then turn to a contemporary survey of feminist political ethics. Throughout our investigations, we will inquire into the lasting value of the ethical writings before us, testing the principles and suggestions for consequences and relevance to our own moral lives. In the end, we will write our own explorations of prospective models for ethical reflection.Required Texts:
Requirements and Grades:The final grade will be based upon the following:
Outcomes:By the end of the course, students should be able to (1) characterize and apply a variety of moral theories and (2) demonstrate an ability to make use of the course materials to assist with moral reflections. Frequent assignments and papers will assess student competency in these areas.Attendance Policy:Excused absences should be documented within two weeks. More than two unexcused absences will result in the deduction of a full letter from the final grade. After more than four unexcused absences, the instructor reserves the right to issues a failing grade for the course.Praxis Report:Each student is required to undertake 12 hours of community service, attend two Praxis roundtables, and submit four pages of reflection on experience and scholarly literature related to the service activities. In this course, the praxis report will be integrated into the final paper.Preparations:For each class meeting, a preparation is indicated, which will be due at the beginning of class. Preparations not ready for class will be counted late at half value.Schedule of Inquiry:Sep. 5-Introduction to course. The study of ethical theory. Part One: Aristotle and Thomas In this section of the course we will review classic moral theories of Aristotle and Thomas, testing these theories for relevance against moral predicaments found in our own lives, portrayed in videos, experienced in community service, and faced in public debates. A midterm paper of eight pages will select a moral predicament from any of the above sources (2 pages), explore how Aristotle and Thomas might approach the issue (4 pages), and assess our own satisfaction with these classic approaches (2 pages). Assessment will be based on completeness of assignment, attention to scholarly habits of citation, composition, soundness of arguments, difficulty, and creativity of your chosen position. Sep. 7-Aristotle, Bks. 1&2 Read: Selected Book Preparation: Two paragraphs, typed. (1) Summarize the main points in your selected book and (2) select a key passage for elaboration and application, i.e. what does the passage mean to you and how might you apply it in your own life. Workshops: Share your preparations, helping to summarize Aristotle's work and identifying key passages that might be applied to contemporary issues. Please be sure that each participant gets two to three minutes for presentation. Forum: On issues and applications in Aristotle. Select video for discussion (a video saturated with moral predicaments). Sep. 12-Aristotle, Bks. 3&4 Read: Selected Book. Preparation: Two paragraphs, typed, as above (1) summarizing your selected chapter and (2) selecting a key passage for elaboration and application in a public issue. Workshops: As above, please allow each participant two to three minutes for presentation. Forum: On issues and applications in Aristotle. Praxis: Selecting service projects. Video: Illustrating moral predicaments. Sep. 14-Aristotle, Bks 5&6 Read: Selected Book. Preparation: Two paragraphs, typed. (1) Summarizing your selected chapter. (2) Applying a selected passage to a moral predicament in the video. Workshops: Sharing presentations & applications. Forum: Testing Aristotle. Video: Continuing moral predicaments. Sep. 19-Aristotle, Bks. 7&8 Read: Selected Book Preparation: As before, two paragraphs (1) summarizing a book and (2) applying a passage to a moral predicament illustrated by the video. Workshops: Sharing preparations. Forum: Re-testing Aristotle. Praxis: Announcing service projects. Sep. 21-Aristotle, Bks. 9&10 Read: Selected book. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) summarizing selected book (2) applying a passage to issues and experiences in community service. Workshops: Sharing preparations and reflections on community service. Forum: Aristotle and Praxis. Sep. 26-From Aristotle to Aquinas. Read: McInerny's introduction to the Disputed Questions on Virtue, pp. vii-xix. Preparation: Three paragraphs: (1) Summary and passage from text (2) selection of contemporary moral issue (3) how an Aristotelian/Thomist framework might be used to approach the issue. Workshops: Transition to Thomas, with suggested issues. Forum: An influential approach to moral problems considered. Video: Moral predicaments illustrated. Sep. 28-Disputed Questions 1-4. Read: Selected question. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) summarize the nature of the dispute; (2) summarize Thomas' response and consider how his answer might be used to address a moral predicament in the video. Workshops: Share preparations on Thomas. Please allow time for each participant. Forum: Getting acquainted with Thomas. Video: Continuing illustration. Oct. 3-Disputed Questions 5-8. Read: Selected question. Preparation: (1) summarize the nature of the dispute; (2) summarize Thomas' response as it might be applied to a video predicament. Workshops: Share preparations. Forum: Implications of a Thomistic framework. Oct. 5-Disputed Question 9-13 Read: Selected question. Preparation: (1) summarize the nature of the dispute; (2) summarize Thomas' response as it might be applied to a moral issue in your own life. Workshops: Share preparations. Forum: Implications of a Thomistic framework. Oct. 10-Disputed Questions on the Cardinal Virtues Read: Selected question. Preparation: (1) summarize the nature of the dispute; (2) summarize Thomas' response as it might be applied to a moral issue encountered in your community service. Workshops: Share preparations. Forum: Thomas and social justice. Oct. 12-Reviewing Aristotle & Thomas Preparation: Three paragraphs: (1) Two paragraphs identifying key themes of moral theory for each of our thinkers. (2) Proposed moral issue that you plan to examine for the midterm paper. Workshops: Themes and issues for Aristotle & Thomas. Forum: Planning the midterm paper. Oct. 17-Outline Workshop Prepare: Complete outline for midterm paper. Workshops: Sharing approaches. Please take time to critically assess fellow members' proposals for thoroughness and interest. Nominate a representative report. Forum: Sample outlines shared. Oct. 19-Midterm Workshop Preparation: Paper due (see above.) Workshops: Share results. Forum: Sharing papers. MIDTERM BREAK Part Two: Kant, Mill & Bentham In this section of the course we will review classic moral theories of Kant, Bentham, and Mill, testing these theories for relevance against moral predicaments found in our own lives, portrayed in videos, experienced in community service, and faced in public debates. A midterm paper of eight pages will select a moral predicament from any of the above sources (2 pages), explore how Kant, Bentham, and Mill might approach the issue (4 pages), and assess our own satisfaction with these classic approaches (2 pages). Assessment will be based on completeness of assignment, attention to scholarly habits of citation, composition, soundness of arguments, difficulty, and creativity of your chosen position. Oct. 24-Introducing Kant Read: Introduction to Groundwork, pp. vii-xxx. Preparation: Three paragraphs: (1) summary of Kant's approach to moral theory (2) selection of most interesting claim (3) your assessment of that claim. Workshops: Sharing initial impressions of Kant. Forum: First look at Kant. Video: For moral reflection. Oct. 26-Further introduction Read: Kant's own preface, pp. 1-5. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) summarize how Kant sees his own work and (2) reflect on the way that Kant's approach compares or contrasts to Aristotle and Aquinas. Workshops: Share preparation. Forum: Getting acquainted with the Kantian turn. Video: Material for moral reflection. Oct. 31-Kant's Groundwork, Section I Read: Groundwork, Sec. I, pp. 7-18. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) summarize Kant's approach and (2) show how the approach might be used to assess the morality of a predicament found in our most recent video. Workshops: Share preparations and applications. Forum: On the uses of the categorical imperative. Nov. 2-Kant's Groundwork, Section II Read: Groundwork, Section II, pp. 19-51. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) summarize Kant's argument and (2) present examples from any of our videos that would help illustrate one of Kant's key claims. Workshops: Sharing preparations and illustrations. Forum: Autonomy and heteronomy of the will. Nov. 7-Kant's Groundwork, Section III. Read: Groundwork, Section III, pp. 52-66. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) summarize Kant's argument and (2) reflect on the way in which Kant affects your own view of morality and how you might apply Kant's theory to an interesting moral predicament in your own life. Workshops: Summarizing Kant and making applications. Forum: On the deeper issues of moral theory and whether they make a difference. Nov. 9-Pause for Praxis. Preparation: Two pages: (1) A vivid description of some experiences in community service and (2) a Kantian style assessment of the quality of moral life that is reflected. Workshops: Sharing Praxis experiences. Forum: Of moral life and moral theory. Nov. 14-Beginning with Bentham Read: Bentham's Introduction, Chs. 1-4, pp. 65-89. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) Summary of Bentham's theory of utility and (2) exploration of the use of utility to assess the moral quality of life reflected in your community service experience. Workshops: Sharing summaries and assessments. Forum: The utilitarian turn. Nov. 16-Bentham, part two. Read: Bentham's Introduction, Chs. 5-14, pp. 89-112. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) Summary of Bentham's views on punishment and (2) your own assessment of the validity of his arguments. Workshops: Sharing thoughts on Bentham's theory of punishment. Forum: Pain and punishment. Nov. 21-Beginning Mill Read: Utilitarianism, Chs. 1&2, pp. 272-298. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) Summarize Mill's view of utilitarianism and (2) suggest how the principles might apply to issues in your own moral life. Workshops: Sharing first impressions of Mill. Forum: On Mill with comparisons to Bentham. THANKSGIVING BREAK Nov. 28-Mill, part two. Read: Utilitarianism, Chs. 3&4, pp. 298-313. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) Summarize Mill's view of utilitarianism and (2) suggest how the principles might apply to issues in your own moral life. Workshops: Sharing the theory and assessment of utilitarianism. Forum: On the value of utilitarianism. Nov. 30-Mill, part three. Read: Utilitarianism, Ch. 5, pp. 314-338. Preparation: Two paragraphs: (1) Summarize Mill's view of the relationship between justice and utilitarianism (2) apply his view to an issue of critical public concern. Workshops: Sharing views on utilitarian justice. Forum: Utilitarianism today. Dec. 5-Paper Due on Kant, Mill & Bentham Workshops: Sharing results. Forum: Sample papers. Part Three: On Feminist Ethico-Politics Final Exercise: Due at Final Exam Period TBA-In this paper we will give a vivid description of our community service experience (2 pages), selecting an argument from the feminist reader that seems most helpful in reflecting on that experience (2 pages) and sketching a model of ethical theory that best answers to our own sense of the moral life (6 pages), making reference to course materials where relevant for purposes of comparison or contrast. Assessment will be based on completeness of assignment, attention to scholarly habits of citation, composition, soundness of arguments, difficulty, and creativity of your chosen position. Dec. 7-Feminism, part one. Read: Selected chapter from part one of the Bar On & Ferguson reader. Preparation: (1) Summarize a key argument (2) assess the value of the argument for your own moral purposes. Workshops: Sharing first impressions of feminism. Forum: Wading in to moral psychology. Dec. 12-Feminism, part two. Read: Selected chapter from part two of the Bar On & Ferguson reader. Preparation: (1) Summarize a key argument (2) assess the value of the argument compared to another thinker from previous weeks. Workshops: Sharing further reflections on feminism. Forum: How does feminism compare to Aristotle, etc.? Dec. 14-Feminism, part three. Read: Selected chapter from part three of the Bar On & Ferguson reader. Preparation: (1) Summarize a key argument (2) assess the value of the argument for moral evaluation of your community service experience. Workshops: Testing applications to community service. Forum: Looking at the final paper. Final Workshop-Sharing results and sample papers. Contact Information
Office: Fontaine 322 Phone: 575-3000 x2217 Email: Greg.Moses@Marist.edu Web: gregmoses.net Home: 473-4737 |
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