Download Philosophy 191 - Grove City College

Dr. Michael Coulter
PHILOSOPHY 191: INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
Fall 2008 MWF 3-3:50 pm
"What we possess . . . are the fragments of a conceptual scheme, parts which now lack those
contexts from which their significance derived. We possess indeed simulacra of morality, we
continue to use many of the key terms. But we have - very largely, if not entirely - lost our
comprehension, both theoretical and practical, of morality."
-Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue
Office: HAL 300e in Social Science Suite
Office phone: x3796 Home phone: (724) 458-4448
E-mail: [email protected]
Campus Box# 3073
Office Hours
MWF 8-9 am, 10-11:30 am, 1-2 pm; TR 10-11, 1:30-2:30 pm;or by appointment.
Course Description: "A study of moral theory and the insights of principal figures whose ideas
have shaped ethical understanding. The course begins with Plato and concludes with
contemporary twentieth century ethicists. Primary sources are used." (From the GCC catalog)
Elaboration: We will examine some key works on ethics in the Western intellectual tradition.
The aim of the study of these works is not simply historical (e.g., what did Aristotle believe?),
but what does this or that particular work suggest about the nature of ethical life. That is, the
intent is to read these works as reflections on the great ethical questions.
Goals:
1) To know the key ideas of the moral philosophy of important thinkers in western
civilization
2) To develop the ability to read and discuss important primary source readings
3) To develop the ability to write papers examining important texts in moral philosophy
Course Objectives:
1. Help the students become critical thinkers
2. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of key ideas, such as virtue and natural law, in
western moral philosophy
3. Students will demonstrate an ability to write essays examining philosophical texts
Means of Assessment:
1.
Objectives 1 will be assessed by means of the writing of a term paper and the essay
questions on the exams
2.
Objectives 2 will be assessed by means of two exams
3. Objective 3 will be assessed by the writing of three shorts essays
DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES:
1. Demonstrate the ability to understand and evaluate philosophical questions from a
Christian theistic framework. This will require the student to see the relationship
between faith and learning and how such a perspective applies to the critical and
analytical questions posed by humans in the great search for wisdom.
2. Demonstrate ability to read, comprehend, and evaluate the thought of great philosophers
of the past and present in terms of the presuppositions and historical contexts of their
claims about the philosophical task as well as the implications of such thought in terms of
ethical and social practice. This will require observation of and interaction with primary
source texts that approach the great questions and concerns that philosophers have been
asking for many millennia.
3. Demonstrate ability to comprehend the major issues in philosophy from the
aforementioned Christian theistic perspective as well as the ability to interact with the
concerns and perspectives of other philosophies, religions, and worldviews in order to
develop the skills necessary to think through what one believes and why. This will
require the development of skills necessary to evaluate an argument or a belief critically
in terms of strengths and weaknesses.
4. Demonstrate basic and maturing research skills. This will include the ability to state
theses, show those theses through analysis of primary texts, discuss the possible
weaknesses of one’s own analysis, and test those theses against the best scholarship.
5. Articulate a worldview that integrates knowledge of philosophy with other disciplines in
order to see the consequences of a consistent Christian theistic worldview. Students will
recognize the tensions in this integration process rather than accepting simplistic answers
and thus will be helped to grow into mature and thoughtful persons.
6. Demonstrate basic research and writing skills. This ability will be assessed through the
evaluation of the assigned paper.
7. Demonstrate basic knowledge of philosophical concepts.
8. Demonstrate ability to research, write, and speak in the content area of Philosophy.
9. Be competitive and prepared for graduate school and seminar opportunities, as
assessed by placement data and alumni surveys.
Departmental Objectives and Course Objectives
1. Course Objective 1 is linked to Departmental Objectives 3, 4, 6, and 8.
2. Course Objective 2 is linked to Departmental Objectives 1, 2, 3 and 7
3. Course Objective 3 is linked to Departmental Objectives 2, 4, and 6
Texts:
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics trans. Terence Irwin, 2nd edition. (ISBN 0-87220-464-2)
On Law, Morality, and Politics by Thomas Aquinas (ISBN 0-87220-031-0)
Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche, translated by Walter Kaufmann (0679724656)
Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant, translated by James Ellington (087220-166-x)
Five Dialogues by Plato, translated by G.M.A. Grube (ISBN 0-915145-22-7)
Course Requirements:
1. Read all assigned readings before they are discussed in class.
2. Participate in classroom discussion. Very good classroom discussion can result in a bonus at
the end of the semester. In regards to class discussion, quantity is not the same as quality. (10%)
3. Exams: Midterm (30%); Final (30%)
4. Write three 4-5 page essays. The due dates are listed in the course schedule. These essays will
examine an idea or a particular theme within a given text. For example, how does Socrates
understand virtue in the Meno? The essay for this class is not a research paper; it is a textual
analysis. The papers are worth 30% of your final grade.
In summary:
Participation
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
Term Papers
Total
10%
30%
30%
30%
100%
Class Policies:
1. Attendance: Standard college policy allows three unexcused absences for a three-credit course. N.B.:
Each unexcused absence over three reduces your final grade by 2%.
2. Late assignments: Papers are due at the beginning of class on the assigned due date. Papers not in when class
begins are already one day late. Each additional day lowers the grade by 3%.
3. Students who must miss an exam for an excused absence must arrange with me an alternative date.
4. Plagiarism and Academic Integrity: You must acknowledge your sources in endnotes or footnotes. This includes
not only direct quotations but also any reference to or paraphrases of an idea that you did not come up with on your
own. Anyone caught giving or receiving assistance on any class assignment shall be penalized and shall be reported
to the Student Affairs Office for referral to the Discipline Committee of the College. Please read the "Honesty in
Learning" statement in the GCC catalog.
N.B.: This syllabus, including the schedule that follows, may be changed during the semester at the discretion of the
instructor to better meet the needs of this course.
GCC Statement on Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious violation of moral and academic principles. It involves claiming as one’s
own original work the ideas, phrasing, or creative work of another person. As such, plagiarism is a
direct violation of the biblical commandments against stealing, bearing false witness, and
covetousness; thus, the Grove City College policy. We encourage our students to think seriously
about the demands of their Christian faith in regards to this issue.
We remind students that plagiarism includes the following:
1) Any direct quotation of another’s words, from simple phrasing to longer passages,
without using quotation marks and properly citing the source of those words;
2) Any summary or paraphrase of another’s ideas without properly citing the source of those
ideas;
3) Any information that is not common knowledge —including facts, statistics, graphics,
drawings—without proper citation of sources;
4) Any cutting and pasting of verbal or graphic materials from another source—including
books, databases, web sites, journals, newspapers, etc.—without the proper citation for
each of the sources of those materials; this includes any copyrighted artwork, graphics, or
photography downloaded from the Internet without proper citation;
5) Any wholesale “borrowing,” theft, or purchasing of another’s work and presenting it as
one’s own, whether from the Internet or from another source;
6) Any presentation of “ghost-written” papers—whether paid for or not—as one’s own
original work;
7) Making one’s work available for copying by others, as well as copying work posted on
the Internet or otherwise made available by another.
5. The use or possession of former examinations from this course in preparing for tests is
considered a violation of the GCC Honesty in Learning Policy as stated in the college bulletin.
Note: This syllabus, including the schedule that follows, may be changed during the semester at
the discretion of the instructor to better meet the needs of the class.
Grading Scale: A= 93-100%
B- = 80-82%
D+ = 67-69%
A- = 90-92%
C+ = 77-79%
D = 63-66%
B+ = 87-89%
B = 83-86%
C = 73-76%
C- = 70-72%
D- = 60-62% F= 60 and below
SCHEDULE FOR THE SEMESTER
8/25- Introduction to Course
Ethics as the Examined Life: Plato
8/27 - Plato, Euthyphro http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthyfro.html
8/29: No Class
9/3- Plato, Apology http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html
9/5- Plato, Crito and final scene from Phaedo http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/crito.html
9/8 - Plato, Meno
Ethics as Reason and Habituation: Aristotle
9/10 - Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics pages 1-11
9/12- ibid 11-22
9/15 - ibid 23-34
9/17 - ibid 35-46
9/19 - ibid 46-57
9/22 - ibid 57-69
9/24 - ibid 69-81
9/26 - ibid 82-93
9/29 - ibid 93-99
10/1 - ibid 99-114
10/3 - ibid 114-137
10/6 - ibid 137-153
10/8- ibid 153-171, ARISTOTLE PAPER DUE
10/10 – Mid-Term Exam
Stoicism: Reason Governing the Emotions
10/13 - Epictetus, Enchiridion http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html
Ethics as Natural and Divine Law and Human Reason: Thomas Aquinas
Note: Corresponding pages to the 2nd edition are in red.
10/15 - Readings from On Law, Morality, and Politics, Aquinas 1-16 (1-15)
10/17 - ibid 17-27, 29-43 (16-24), (26-38)
10/20 - ibid 44-60, 64-71 (40-57), (59-65)
10/22 - ibid 83-89, 101-107, 109-114 (75-81), (81-88), (88-93)
10/24: Fall Break
10/29 – ibid 176-189, 198-202, 220-229 (130-142), (148-155), (164-173)
Ethics as Divine Law: John Calvin
10/31 - Selections from John Calvin (distributed via email) – PAPER ON CALVIN OR
AQUINAS DUE
Modern Ethics
11/3 - Kant, Preface and Part I of Grounding of Metaphysics of Morals;
Read also: Kant’s “What is Enlightenment?” http://ethics.sandiego.edu/Books/Kant/Enlightenment/Kant_Enlightenment_IE&NS.htm
11/5 - Kant, Part II of Grounding
11/7 - Kant, Part III of Grounding
11/10- Mill. Utilitarianism, Chapters 1-3 http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill1.htm (Note: This is
a link to Chapter 1. Links to the other chapters can be found at the bottom of this page)
11/12 – Mill, Utilitarianism, Chapters 4-5
11/14 - Nietzsche from Beyond Good & Evil (sections)
11/17
11/19
Preface, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13, 19, 32, 33, 34, 46
- Nietzsche sections 108, 116, 132, 153, 186-203 (p. 97-118), 212
- Nietzsche Part Seven – Our Virtues; sections 259, 260, 261
Contemporary Ethics
11/21: No Class
12/1– Sartre (to be distributed) Stevenson (to be distributed)
12/3 – James Q. Wilson (to be distributed); Alasdair McIntyre (to be distributed)
A Response to Modernity
12/5 12/8, 12/10, and– John Paul II, Veritatas Spendor (The Splendor of Truth)
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jpii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html
Note: We will read this document over a three day period. Read one-third of it for each day.
PAPER ON MODERN OR CONTEMPORARY ETHICS DUE on STUDY DAY
Final Exam – Tuesday, December 16 at 7 pm