Ethical Theory

 

 

Office hours: Tu 10:30-12 (except M11), F 10-11:30 (except M14, M21, A4), and by appointment

  

 

 

Spring 2008

 

 

Office:   HLMS 164B

  

 

 

Professor Norcross

 

 

Phone: 303 492 7527

 

Email: norcross@colorado.edu

 

 

Texts: Contemporary Ethics, William Shaw

Contemporary Debates in Moral Theory, James Dreier (ed.)

Course description:  This is a course on ethical theory, with a particular emphasis on the debate between consequentialism (usually represented by utilitarianism) and deontology. We will also explore some issues in contemporary metaethics.  I will expect you to attend class fully prepared to discuss the assigned readings for the week in question.

Requirements (with weight towards final grade): homework (40%), final paper (50%), class participation (10%). Since class participation is a requirement for passing the class, and you can't participate unless you attend, this class has the following attendance policy: more than five absences, for whatever reason, will result in failing the course.  Since you never know when you might get sick, it is not a good idea to miss class, unless you absolutely have to.

Homework: For the twelve weeks starting with Week 3 and ending with Week 14 you will write a total of ten 450-900 words (approx. 1 1/2-3 pages) reaction pieces to the readings assigned for that week. The purpose of the assignments is for you to engage the readings, not to summarize them.  Find something interesting in the readings that you want to talk about.  You might want to take issue with something you read, to support it, or simply to point out how interesting or important it is.  Your assignment should be uploaded to your dropbox on the CU Learn site. Paste the text into the text box. If there is formatting you really don't want to lose, you can also attach your assignment as a Word document (save it as either Word 2004 or earlier or as rtf), but make sure to paste into the text box as well.  It should be well-written (complete grammatical sentences, correct spelling), and carefully proofed. Since the purpose of the homework assignments is for you to engage the readings before class, and thus be prepared to discuss the readings in class, your assignment will uploaded to your dropbox on the CU Learn site before the first class of the relevant week. If it is uploaded after 12PM on the relevant day, the system will automatically mark it as late. No assignments will be accepted by the system more than a week late. I will grade 3 of your 10 assignments (selected at random) out of 10 points, assign a point for each of the other 7 that are completed, and give 1 point for completing 6 or 7 total assignments, 2 points for completing 8 or 9, and 3 points for completing all 10 (for a maximum possible score of 40). Completion of fewer than 5 assignments will result in failing the homework part of the course, and thus, since homework is a requirement, the entire course. The selection of the 3 to be graded is as follows: 1 from weeks 3-6, 1 from weeks 7-10, 1 from weeks 11-14. Thus, if you don't complete any assignments before week 7, you will already have lost 12 points

Suggestions.  Do the reading assignments well in advance. You will probably have to read the text two or three times before you have an adequate grasp of the material. Philosophy is hard. Don't expect to understand it all at the first reading. Make use of my office hours to discuss things you don't understand. Ask questions in class. Very few questions are too silly to ask.

Disability Accommodations: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability please submit a letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities (303-492-8671, Willard 322, http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices).

Religious holidays: If you have to miss a class because of a religious holiday, plan on using one of your five excused absences.

Honor Code: The honor code applies to every aspect of this class (including attendance).

Schedule of assignments (subject to change—check frequently). Readings are from Contemporary Ethics (CE), Contemporary Debates in Moral Theory (CD) and online sources as indicated.

Dates

 

 Assignment

  

Wk 1 (J15-17)

 

 Mill 1, 2

Wk 2 (J22-24)

Mill 3, 4

 

Wk 3 (J29-31) 

CE ch. 1

 

Wk 4 (F5-7)

 

CE ch. 2

Wk 5 (F12-14)

 

CE ch. 3

Wk 6 (F19-21)

 

CE ch. 4

Wk 7 (F26-28)

 

Alastair Norcross, "Comparing Harms: Headaches and Human Lives", Philosophy and Public Affairs, Spring 1997

Michael Ridge, "How to Avoid Being Driven to Consequentialism: A Comment on Norcross", Philosophy and Public Affairs, Winter 1998

Alastair Norcross, "Speed Limits, Human Lives, and Convenience: A Reply to Ridge", Philosophy and Public Affairs, Winter 1998

All available online through CU library

Wk 8 (M4-6)

 

CD pp. 5-37

Wk 9 (M11-13)

 

CD pp. 38-53

Alastair Norcross, "Two Dogmas of Deontology: Aggregation, Rights, and the Separateness of Persons" (available on CU LEarn)

No Class M11

Wk 10 (M18-20)

 

CE ch. 5, No Class either day (but homework still due)

 

 

Wk 11 (A1-3)

 

CE ch. 8

No Class A3

Wk 12 (A8-10)

 

CD 99-123

 

Wk 13 (A15-17)

 

CD pp. 129-159

 

Wk 14 (A22-24)

 

CD pp. 163-196

 

Wk 15 (A29-M1)

 

CD pp. 201-238

Final paper due A 29