PHIL 440A: READING ASSIGNMENTS

Reading assignments are from Louis P. Pojman, Ethical Theory (ET), 5th Edition, and from a course reader (READER), both available for purchase at the University Book Store. Please do reading assignments before class on the day they are due.

Week #1 (July 23-24)

Thursday, July 23: Introduction

NO READING ASSIGNMENT.

Friday - Monday, July 24-27: Objective To-Be-Pursuedness?

Friday Readings: (1) G.E. Moore, "Non-Naturalism and the Indefinability of the Good", ET, paragraphs 5-11 and 13 [you may skip paragraph 12], pp. 464-470.

(2) J.L. Mackie, "The Subjectivity of Values", ET, pp. 498-508.

Week #2 (July 27-30)

Monday Reading: (3) Thomas Nagel, "Value: The View From Nowhere", ET, pp. 169-178.

Tuesday - Thursday, July 28-30: Objective-To-Be-Doneness?

Tuesday Readings: (1) David Hume, "On Reason and the Emotions: The Fact/Value Distinction", ET, pp. 457-464.

(2) Elijah Millgram, "Was Hume a Humean?", READER pp. 71-80.

Wednesday Readings: (3) Bernard Williams, "Internal and External Reasons", READER pp. 81-87.

(4) Christine Korsgaard, "Skepticism About Practical Reason", READER pp. 88-98.

Thursday Readings: (5) Jean Hampton, "Rethinking Reason", READER pp. 3-20.

Friday - Monday, July 31 – August 3: Evolution and Ethics

Friday Readings: (1) E.O. Wilson, “Sociobiology and Ethics”, ET, 615-618.

(2) Michael Ruse, "Evolution and Ethics: The Sociobiological Approach", ET, pp. 618-633.

(3) Elliott Sober, "Prospects for an Evolutionary Ethics", ET, pp. 634-645.

Week #3 (August 3-7)

Monday Readings: (4) Gilbert Harman, "Moral Nihilism", ET, pp. 517-526.

(5) Nicholas Sturgeon, "Moral Explanations", ET, pp. 526-537.

Tuesday and Wednesday, August 4-5: Utilitarianism

Tuesday Readings: (1) Mill, "Utilitarianism", ET, pp. 183-204.

(2) Bernard Williams, "Against Utilitarianism", ET, pp. 219-228.

Wednesday Reading: (3) John Hospers, “Rule-Utilitarianism”, ET, pp. 229-238.

Thursday, August 6: Midterm Review

No Reading Assignment.

Friday, August 7: Midterm Exam

The midterm will be given in two parts. The first part will be given in class on Friday. Bring an exam booklet to class for this part of the exam. The second part of the midterm exam will be a take-home essay due in the PHIL 440 Collect It dropbox by midnight (more or less) on Monday, Aug. 10th.

Week #4 (August 10-14)

Monday - Wednesday, August 10-12: Kantian Moral Theory

Monday Readings: (1) Robert Nozick, “Side Constraints”, ET, 238-242. (Begin with Section 2; you may ignore Section 1.)

(2) Immanuel Kant, "The Foundations of the Metaphysic of Morals", ET, pp. 255-275. [Note that "argue" in the second column, line 22, on page 274 should be "agree".]

Tuesday Readings: (3) David Gauthier, "Morality and Advantage", ET, pp. 93-100.

(4) Jonathan Bennett, "The Conscience of Huckleberry Finn", excerpts, READER pp. 21- 25 and pp. 31-32.

Wednesday Readings: (5) Thomas Nagel, “Moral Luck”, ET, pp. 294-302.

(6) T.M. Scanlon, "Contractualism and Utilitarianism", ET, pp. 358-369.

Thursday - Friday, August 13-14: The Ethics of Care

Thursday Readings: (1) Carol Gilligan, "Moral Orientation and Moral Development", READER pp. 40-47.

(2) Annette C. Baier, "Hume, the Women's Moral Theorist?", READER pp. 48-57.

Friday Reading: (3) Marilyn Friedman, "Beyond Caring", READER pp. 58-70.

Week #5 (August 17-21)

Monday - Tuesday, August 17-18: Virtue Ethics

Monday Readings: (1) Aristotle, "The Ethics of Virtue", Book I, Sections 1-5, and 7 [omit 6 and 8-13] and Book II [omit Book III], ET, pp. 375-377, 378-379, and 383-388.

(2) Alasdair MacIntyre, "The Nature of the Virtues", ET, pp. 416-429.

Tuesday Readings: (3) William Frankena, "A Critique of Virtue-Based Ethical Systems", ET pp. 403-408.

(4) Walter Schaller, “Are Virtues No More Than Dispositions to Obey Moral Rules?”, ET, pp. 409-416.

Wednesday, August 19. Objectivity in Ethics

Readings: (1) Bernard Williams, "Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy", ET, pp. 538-549.

(2) Ronald Dworkin, "Objectivity and Truth: You'd Better Believe It". READER pp. 99-120 ONLY. You are not required to read the section beginning with "Internal Skepticism".

Thursday, August 20: Final Exam Review and Take-Home Exam

No Reading Assignment. The take-home part of the final exam will be given out in class. It will be due in the PHIL 440 Collect It dropbox at midnight (more or less) on Friday, Aug. 21.

Friday, August 21: In-Class Final Exam

Bring an exam book to class with you.