|
Syllabus contents: |
History of Modern Ethics
(PHIL 342) |
|
Course
Information • Friday Quiz Section AB 2:30-3:20pm (BAG 106)
Professor Michael Rosenthal
|
|
|
Course Description
We will study the development of modern ethical philosophy with an emphasis on the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Among the questions we will consider are: What is the source of value? What is the role of self-interest in ethics and how do we define it? What role does knowledge play in ethical action? Are humans naturally social or not? We will start with selections from Montaigne and consider the influence of skepticism and the new sciences on ethics. Then we will examine texts from four distinct schools of thought: 1) natural law theorists; 2) the rationalists; 3) epicureans and egoists; and 4) those who advocate autonomy as the basis of value, culminating in the work of Kant. Assignments and Grading Policy Participation:
All students are expected to attend class and
participate regularly in class conversation. In
addition to reading texts and writing papers,
philosophy involves
listening, reflection, and dialogue. Students
who are regularly absent from class cannot
regularly
participate and therefore cannot cultivate these essential skills. Papers: Each student will be expected to write two short papers (5-7 pages in length) on an assigned topic. The first paper will be due by the beginning of class on Monday, April 29th. The second paper will be due by the beginning of class on Wednesday, May 29th. Late papers will be automatically penalized 10 points for every 24-hours it is late after the due date. The paper must be uploaded to the course Drop Box on Catalyst tools. You can access the Drop Box through Catalyst Tools on My-UW or directly at this URL: https://catalyst.uw.edu/collectit/dropbox/rosentha/25893. Each paper will be graded and is worth 100 points of your final grade. A grade of 53 points is required to pass each paper assignment. Both papers must be completed to pass this class. There will be ten opportunities to turn in a study guide. Each study guide will be graded as either “satisfactory” (OK) or “unsatisfactory” (not OK). You will receive a satisfactory grade on each assignment if you: (a) write a minimum of 250 words; (b) present the material systematically; (c) show a minimal degree of comprehension; and (d) raise at least one thoughtful objection. The first time that you turn in an unsatisfactory guide I will give you the opportunity to rewrite it (within three days after it has been handed back) in order to receive a satisfactory grade. You will only be given this opportunity to rewrite once. Each guide graded as satisfactory will be worth 10 points for a possible total of 100 points. Each study guide graded as unsatisfactory is worth 5 points. Each time that you do not turn in a study guide you will receive 0 points. You can turn in a “late” study guide up to a week after the original due date. The maximum you can receive for a late study guide is 5 points. Each study guide must be uploaded to the course Drop Box on Catalyst tools. You can access the Drop Box through Catalyst Tools on My-UW or directly at this URL: https://catalyst.uw.edu/collectit/dropbox/rosentha/25893. A minimum overall score of 53 points is required to pass this assignment. Final Grade:
Your final grade will be computed on the
basis of the assignments you have turned in. There
is a total possible point score of 400 points. Below
you will find a conversion table. The
first column represents total points for
the course. The second column represents
the grade for a single paper. The third
column represents the approximate letter grade equ 392-400
98-100
A+
4.0 Nota Bene: (1) Cheating in any form (including plagiarism, of course) will result in automatic referal to the Dean’s office. You are assumed to understand the university rules concerning inappropriate academic conduct. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the instructor. (2) In order to pass this course students
are required
to: a) have enough total points (i.e.,
at least 212 points); and also b) pass (i.e., receive at least
53 points
in) at least three out of the four individual components of the course
(i.e.,
first paper, second paper, study guides, and final exam).
If you have enough total points to pass but
do not pass three of the four components you will fail the course. Absolutely no exceptions will be made to this
policy. There is one required text and it is available for purchase at the University Bookstore:
Please note that this is a guide and subject
to change. Page numbers refer to the text. 4/1 Course Introduction and Background 4/3 Montaigne (37-56) and Grotius (88-110) 4/5 Discussion Section [Study Guide 1 due] Week 2 – Natural Law, Part 1 4/8 Hobbes (111-137) 4/10 Pufendorf (156-182) 4/12 Discussion Section [Study Guide 2 due] Week 3 – Natural Law, Part 2 4/15 Locke (183-200) 4/17 Du Vair (201-215) 4/19 Discussion Section [Study Guide 3 due] Week 4 – Intellect and Morality, Part 1 4/22 Spinoza (201-215) 4/24 Spinoza (237-255) 4/26 Discussion Section [Study Guide 4 due] Week 5 – Intellect and Morality, Part 2 4/29 Leibniz (313-330) First Paper Due 5/1 Wolff (331-351) 5/3 Discussion Section [Study Guide 5 due] Week 6 – Epicureans and Egotists, Part 1 5/6 Gassendi (353-368) 5/8 Mandeville (388-398) 5/10 Discussion Section [Study Guide 6 due] Week 7 – Epicureans and Egotists, Part 2 5/13 Paley (446-459) 5/15 Bentham (460-480) 5/17 Discussion Section [Study Guide 7 due] Week 8 – Autonomy and Responsibility, Part 1 5/20 Butler (525-544) 5/22 Hume (545-567) 5/24 Discussion Section [Study Guide 8 due] Week 9 – Autonomy and Responsibility, Part 2 5/27 NO CLASS – MEMORIAL DAY 5/29 Hume (545-567) Second Paper Due 5/31 Discussion Section [Study Guide 9 due] Week 10 – Autonomy and Responsibility, Part 3 6/3 Kant (651-664) 6/5 Kant & Final Remarks 6/7 Discussion Section [Study Guide 10 due] Week 11 – Exam Week 6/11 FINAL EXAM (Tuesday, 2:30-4:20pm; Savery 264)
|
|
|
Last Updated: |
Contact the instructor at: rosentha@u.washington.edu
|