Summer 2014 Online Ethics Reading Schedule

May 19 UNIT ONE

Readings: Ariely (7); Haidt, Intro and Ch. 1 (27)

Focus: Try to track the major research findings in Ariely's article. Identify factors that influence cheating and the implications that Ariely draws from this. Haidt's introduction just gives you some of the big claims the book will defend. Track these briefly. Chapter one starts to explore the metaphor of the rider and elephant. Unpack the metaphor and connect it to the research Haidt cites. Note also overview Haidt gives of past (20th century) theories of morality. The discussion of Schweder and Turiel's theories will be a little difficult, but note the summary on p. 22 and 26.

Readings: Singer, Ch. 1, About Ethics, Practical Ethics (15)

Focus: Singer's chapter gives you some arguments against strong relativism. Follow also his reasons for thinking about "universalizability" as a defining trait of ethics, one that leads to utilitarianism, among other positions. Create Edit Delete

May 24 UNIT TWO

Readings: Aristotle, Bk. 1 (13 single spaced)

Focus:Aristotle's classic analysis takes you through a number of topics: how various "ends" or goals in life are organized, an identification and argument for the ultimate goal of human existence (spoiler alert: it's happiness!) and a basic definition of happiness. (Unless you're a philosophy major or minor, you can skip section 6.) In the last section (13), he tells us a bit about the nature of the soul, since a "rational principle" is one of the key terms in the definition. Track all this and you're on your way to a blessed existence. But you do also need "buona fortuna"!

Readings: Aristotle Book 2 (10)

Focus: Aristotle is giving his account of virtue here, a kind of psychology of character. This is typically referred to as his theory of the "golden mean." If you feel a bit lost with the reading, check out the wiki page on Aristotle's moral theory or, better, the online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

May 29 UNIT THREE

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 2 (25)

Focus: Haidt starts with a critique of philosophical rationalism. Then track his contrast among Plato, Hume, and Jefferson. Don't worry so much about the history of moral psychology or Haidt's own intellectual biography, but do try to get his reasons (related to the roach juice and soul selling research) for moving from a "Jeffersonian" model to what he calls "social intuitionism." Follow his account of the rider and elephant.

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 3 (20);

Focus: This chapter mostly develops ideas layed out in Chapter 2. It's really about getting to know the elephant.

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 4 (23)

Focus:The chapter is paired with Chapter 3 in the sense that it provides research and reasoning about the second part of the hypothesis that, "Intuitions come first, strategic reasoning second."

June 02 UNIT FOUR

Readings: de Waal, Intro and 5-21.(16)

Focus: de Waal's now famous essay begins with a discussion of the various positions evolutionists, including contemporary biologists, took (and still take) with respect to the continuity or discontinuity between or moral nature and our evolution history. Track the "who's who" and "why" in this segment and what he means by "veneer theory"

Readings:de Waal (21-42)

Focus: This section on animal empathy is filling with great anecdotes and examples, but also presents de Waal's so-called "russian doll" model for understanding empathy in hominids (apes and humans). Track definitions of sympathy and empathy and, if you missed the definition of ToM, go back to intro. xvi, or check the wikipedia page on "theory of mind". Bring your favorite anecdote to class.

Readings:de Waal (42-58)

Focus: Track de Waal's research on reciprocity and fairness (and its limits) in capuchin monkeys. Note what we says about morality and out-group violence. At the end of the essay there is a nice connection with Haidt and Hume.

Readings: de Waal essays, Singer, p. 140-151.(11)

Focus: You can skip the last 7 pages of Singer's essay since they address a different issue than de Waal's main essay. As with the Koorsgard essay, you get a really good philosopher disagreeing with a primatologist on philosophical grounds. Try to track Singer's use of "reason" and "emotion." What would Haidt say? (WWHS?)

June 06 UNIT FIVE

Readings: Rachels, Ch. 6 (15)

Focus: The main focus in this chapter is social contract theory and the Prisoner's Dilemma.

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 5 (17)

Focus: After some hard work on philosophy this week, we get back to Haidt. Note the project of part two of the book, showing there's more to morality than harm and fairness. Haidt's experiences make up a lot of the chapter, but try to catch what he's saying about WEIRD morality and Shweder's ethics of autonomy, community, and divinity. The connection between anthropology and psychology is also important.

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 6 (16)

Focus:This is a pretty important theoretical chapter. Follow the "moral taste receptors" analogy, the overview of utilitarianism and kantianism, and the chart on page 125.

June 11 UNIT SIX

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 7 (27)

Focus: Readings: Rachels, Ch. 9 (10)

Focus: This short non-technical introduction to Kant focuses on the question of whether there are moral absolutes and the Kantian analysis of cases such as false promises and lying. Track the arguments about hypothetical and categorical imperatives and criticisms of Kant's view.

June 17 UNIT SEVEN

Readings:Rachels, Ch. 7, "The Utilitarian Approach" p. 98-109 (11)

Focus: This article helps you appreciate the radicalness of utilitarianism by comparing its analyses of three applied ethics topics: euthanasia, marijuana legalisation, and obligations to non-human animals. Track the traditional vs. utilitarian approaches and we'll have some small group discussion of at least two of the topics.

Readings: Hinman, Ch. 8, pp. 242-254 (12)

Focus: In this short reading you get a summary of classical concepts of justice from Plato, but mainly a summary of John Rawls theory of justice. Rawls' theory is one of the most widely read today so try to track the major concepts. We'll try to apply it in class to some contemporary political justice questions.

Readings: Singer, Ch. 2 - Equality and Its Implications, p. 38-53 (15)

Focus: In this part of the Chapter, Singer discusses how his egalitarianism would apply to economic inequalities, affirmative action, and, to a lesser extent, disability ethics.

June 19 UNIT EIGHT

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 10 (25)

June 21 UNIT NINE

Readings: Singer, Rich and Poor (28)

Focus:

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 11, p. 246-264 (18)

Focus:

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 11, part 2, p. 264-273(9)

Focus:

June 23 UNIT TEN

Readings: Haidt, Ch. 12 (35)

June 25 UNIT ELEVEN - Papers and take home exams. You should be able to finish your course work by June 28th. Create Edit Delete

©2014 by Mark Alfino, Department of Philosophy, Gonzaga University.