Appelbaum, Irene

English

University of Montana

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Syllabi Course Syllabi Fall 9-1-2001 PHIL 200E.01: Ethics: The Great Traditions Irene Appelbaum University of Montana - Missoula, irene.appelbaum@umontana.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits you. Recommended Citation Appelbaum, Irene, "PHIL 200E.01: Ethics: The Great Traditions" (2001). Syllabi. 6202. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/6202 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact scholarworks@mso.umt.edu. Philosophy 200E Ethics: The Great Traditions Fall 2001 Administrative •Class: T,R 2:10-3:30, LA 11 • Professor: Irene Appelbaum • Office: LA 159; x4837 •Office Hours: W 3:15-5:00 & by appt. • email: appel@selway.umt.edu • Grader: Joslin Feinauer: 728-4736; joslinf@hotmail.com • Grader: Andrew Meyer: 542-7013; bron85@aol.com • Philosophy Dept. Office: LA 101; x2171 Course Description This course provides an introduction to general normative ethics. By "normative" ethics we mean theories which purport to be action-guiding ­that is, theories which make claims about what one ought to do, rather than simply describing ethical behavior (descriptive ethics), or making claims about the status of ethical claims (meta-ethics). By "general" normative ethics we mean theories concerned with the fundamental principles of ethics and their relation to one another, as opposed to the application of these principles to concrete problems in real-life (applied ethics). The three major traditions within general normative ethics are consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics. The central concept in consequentialist theory is "the good" (what has intrinsic value); in deontology the central concept is "the right" (what one ought to do); and in virtue ethics, the central concept is "character" or "virtue" (how one ought to live) .Through a close reading of the central texts from each of the these traditions we will come to an understanding of the characteristic features, problems, and relative merits of each. Questions to be addressed include: what characteristic features make an action right; what kinds of things have value; how are good things related to what to do; what rights must an ethical theory recognize; are rights basic or derivative; should moral theories take particular acts or general rules as primary. Texts • 	 Aristotle (4th c. BC). Nicomachean Ethics[NE]. Trans. D.Chase, NY: Dover 1998. • 	 Immanuel Kant (1785). Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals [Grounding]. Trans. J. Ellington, Indianapolis: Hackett, 3rd ed., 1993. • 	 John Stuart Mill (1861). Utilitarianism. Indianapolis: Hackett 1979. • 	 Bernard Williams (1985). Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy [ELP]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. • 	 Faculty Packet [FacPac] containing: • 	 Jeremy Bentham (1789). from An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation [IPML]. Darien, CT: Hafner 1970, pp. 1-32. • 	 John Rawls (1955). Two Concepts of Rules. Philosophical Review, LXIV(1 ), 369, pp. 3-32. • 	 W.D. Ross (1930). What Makes Right Acts Right? In The Right and the Good, London: Oxford University Press, pp.16-47. Requirements • 	 Readings: The readings are short but difficult. You should read each assignment at least once before class and twice afterwards. Always bring your text to class. • 	 Exams: There will be 4 in-class exams during the semester, each worth 20% of your grade. If you miss an exam you will receive an F for that exam. Exceptions will be made only for medical reasons (with a written statement from a physician) or family emergencies. Exams will be given on specified dates (see p. 2) regardless of what readings have been covered by that date. • 	 Final Exam: There will be a final exam worth 20% of your grade. The Final Exam is scheduled for Monday, December 17, 3:20-5:20. 2 Reading Schedule (subject to change) 09/04 Introduction Part I: Consequentialism 09/06 Bentham, IPML, Ch. I (pp.1-7) FacPac 09/11 Bentham, IPML, Ch. 11 (pp. 8-23) FacPac 09/13 Bentham, IPML, Ch. Ill (pp. 24-28) FacPac 09/18 Bentham, IPML, Ch. IV (pp. 29-32) FacPac . 09/20 TEST #1 09/25 Mill, Utilitarianism, Ch. 1 (pp. 1-5) 09/27 Mill, Utilitarianism, Ch. 2 (pp. 6-25) 10/02 Mill, Utilitarianism, Ch. 3 (pp. 26-33) 10/04 Mill, Utilitarianism, Ch. 4 (pp. 34-40) 10/09 Mill, Utilitarianism, Ch. 5 (pp. 41-63) 10/11 TEST #2 10/16 Rawls, Two Concepts of Rules, Sections 1 ,2 (pp. 3-18) FacPac 10/18 Rawls, Two Concepts of Rules, Sections 3,4 (pp. 18-32) FacPac Part II: Deontology 10/23 Ross, What Makes Right Acts Right?, (pp. 16-47) FacPac 10/25 Kant, Grounding, Preface, Sec. 1 (pp. 1-5; pp. 7-9 [through para 7]) 10/30 Kant, Grounding, Sec. 1 (pp. 9-17) 11/01 TEST #3 11/06 Kant, Grounding, Sec. 2 (pp. 19-30 [through first full para]) 11/08 Kant, Grounding, Sec. 2 (pp. 30-48) Part Ill: Virtue Ethics 11 /13 Aristotle, NE, Bk. I (pp. 1- 19) 11/15 Aristotle, NE, Bks. II, Ill (pp. 20-33; 34-55) 11 /20 Aristotle, NE, Bks. VI, VII (pp. 98-114; 115-137) 11/22 No Class (Thanksgiving) 11/27 Aristotle, NE, Bk. X (pp. 179-199) 11/29 TEST #4 12/04 Williams, ELP, Ch. 1(pp.1-21) 12/06 Williams, ELP, Ch. 8 (pp.132-155) 12/11 Williams, ELP, Ch. 9 (pp.156-173) 12/13 Williams, ELP, Ch.10 (pp.174-196) 3 

PHIL 200E.01: Ethics: The Great Traditions

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PHIL 200E.01: Ethics: The Great Traditions

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