Professor Talbott (Email:  wtalbott@u.washington.edu)                      Spring Quarter 2008

Office: Condon 632                                                                            Philosophy 440A

Office Hours:  Mon. 3:30-4:30 pm                                                      Ethics

  and by appointment                                                                           MWF 9 – 10: 20 am

Phone:  543-5095                                                                                Condon 223B

Website:  http://faculty.washington.edu/wtalbott/

 

SYLLABUS

PHILOSOPHY 440A:  Ethics (5 Credits)

 

            DISABILITY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS.  If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disability Resources for Students (DRS), 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 (V/TTY).  If you have a letter from DRS indicating you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations you might need for the class. 

 

            I.  Course Goals:  Moral claims have normative force.   They purport to tell us what we may or may not do.  What explains their normative force?  One answer appeals to objective normative truths, but objective normativity seems strange.  Another answer appeals to subjective factors about us, but subjective normativity seems unable to account for the authority that moral claims are usually thought to have.  In this course, we will consider a variety of attempts to explain the normativity of the moral.  The first half of the course will focus on Christine Korsgaard's The Sources of Normativity, to prepare the class for her visit to campus on April 25.  The second half of the course will consider a variety of the most influential answers to the normative question, including Boyd's realism, Blackburn's projectivism, McDowell's Aristotelianism, Rawls's constructivism, Scanlon's contractualism, and Jabermas's discourse ethics.  The course will provide students with an opportunity to develop their ability to explain difficult philosophical readings and issues, to argue for their own views, and to take seriously the views of those with whom they disagree.  Students will develop their philosophical writing with regular short answers to end-of-class questions, one long paper, and a final exam.

 

II.  Course Readings.  The readings will be found in the following sources:  1.  Texts.  The following texts are available for purchase at the University Book Store:  Christine M. Korsgaard, The Sources of Normativity (SN), and Darwall, Gibbard, and Railton, Moral Discourse & Practice (MDP).  2.  Electronic Reserve.  There are two readings on Electronic Reserve (E-Reserve).  There is a link to the E-Reserve Web site on the PHIL 440 Web site.

 

III.  Course Requirements:

 

            1.  CLASS PREPARATION AND ATTENDANCE.  The class meets MWF from 9 to 10:20 am in Condon 223B—EXCEPT MONDAY, MAY 26 (MEMORIAL DAY).  Everyone is expected to do the assigned readings in advance and to attend and to participate in the discussions.   

 

            2. EMAIL ACCOUNT.  You are required to check your U.W. email account regularly.  I will use email to broadcast general course announcements.  You can use email to ask me questions about the course, including questions about the readings or the discussion in class.  You can usually count on receiving a reply within 24 hours.  My email address appears above. 

 

            3.  END-OF-CLASS QUESTIONS (1-5 Points Each).  At the end of each class, you will be asked to give a written answer to a question based on the readings or the discussion in lecture.  These assignments will provide practice for writing answers to exam questions.  Answers to end of class questions may not be turned in late, unless the absence is excused.  All answers to end of class questions for excused absences must be submitted before the Final Exam.  If you are present or have an excused absence and receive less than 1/2 credit for your answer to an end-of-class question, you may resubmit for up to 1/2 credit.  All resubmits must be received before the Final Exam.

 

            4.  PAPERS.  There will be one 8-10 page paper.  The paper assignment is posted on the PHIL 440 Web page.  There is a separate handout of Paper Guidelines.  Please make sure you review the Paper Guidelines before turning in your papers.  PAPERS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES WILL BE PENALIZED.  Undergraduates—especially those who have not taken an upper level philosophy course before—are encouraged to have a draft of your paper read by one of the tutors in the Philosophy Writing Center (Condon 529). 

           

            5.  FINAL EXAM.  A final exam covering the second half of the course will be held on  XX.  Final Exam Review Questions will be distributed in class on Friday, May 30. 

 

            6.  TERM PAPER OPTION.  With my permission, you may substitute a term paper (10-15 pages) for the Final Exam.  Term paper topics must be approved by me on or before Wed., May 28.  If you do a term paper, it is highly recommended that you turn in a draft for my comments.  Drafts are due by the final class session, Friday, June 6.  Final term papers are due at the Philosophy Department Office, Condon 511, at 4:30 pm on Wednesday, June 11. 

 

            IV.  Course Web Site.  All handouts, study questions, paper assignments, end-of-class questions, and the text of transparencies used in class will be available on the course Web site (see URL above).  So if you are ever absent, you can check the course Web site to find out what you missed.

 

            V.  Grades.  Grades will be based on points earned as follows:  (1) End-of-Class questions (approx. 100 points).  (2) Paper (120 points) (3) Final Exam (200 points).  Grades will be assigned at the end of the course based on total points earned as follows:  96% = 4.0; 95% = 3.9; 90%= 3.5; 80% = 3.0; 65% = 2.0; and 50% = 1.0.  Your contribution to discussion in class can improve your grade, but cannot lower it. 

 

            VI.  Academic Integrity. Whenever you turn in any assignment in this course, the understanding is that what you are turning in is your own original work, except to the extent that you explicitly credit others for their contributions. You have an obligation to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, by always attributing any argument or idea that you have borrowed, even if you have modified it, to its source.  The source may be written or oral.  For example, if an argument was suggested by a fellow student, include that information in a footnote.  If it is determined that there has been cheating that involves one student copying another's work on an assignment or exam, if both students were aware of the copying, both will receive zero credit for the assignment or exam, in addition to any other sanctions that might be imposed.

 

            VII.  Extensions Of Time.  Extensions of time should be requested in advance of the deadline.  Unexcused, late work will be penalized.  I am generally willing to give extensions of time for any good reason.  Except in cases of genuine emergency, I do not give Incompletes.

 

            VIII.  Course Evaluation.  Friday, June 6, in class.  The course evaluation is your opportunity to evaluate my performance and to provide suggestions for improving the course. 

 

            IX.  Return of Final Exams.  Unless other arrangements are made, Final Exams will be available for pick-up in the Philosophy Department Office, Condon 511, during the first week of Summer Quarter.  If you would like your Final Exam to be mailed to you, please provide me with a stamped, self-addressed envelope for mailing.