Spring 2009 – Tentative Reading/Exam Schedule

(last updated March 19, 2009)

_________________________________________________________________Week 1

Jan. 12 - 15

M/Tu: Introduction to Course Objectives

W/Th: no assigned reading
_________________________________________________________________Week 2

Jan. 19 - 22

M Martin Luther King Day, No class

Tu/W MLK, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

Th: David Hume, “A Dialogue…” (Text, p4-12)

________________________________________________________________Week 3

Jan. 26 - 29

M: David Hume, “A Dialogue…” (Text, p4-12)

Tu/W/Th: Inclement Weather – no class

________________________________________________________________Week 4

Feb. 2 - 5

M/Tu: James Rachels, “The Challenge…” (Text, p.12-21)

Rachels Notes/Summary

W/Th: Plato, “Moral Forms”, (Text, 24-29)

Plato, The Cave Allegory

Ted Bundy quotation

_______________________________________________________________ Week 5

Feb. 9 - 12

M/Tu: J.L. Mackie, “The Subjectivity of Values” (Text, p29-38)

W/Th: Egoism/Altruism

________________________________________________________________ Week 6

Feb. 16 - 19

M/Tu: Finish Egoism/Altruism

Review

W/Th: EXAM I

________________________________________________________________ Week 7

Feb. 23-26

M/Tu: Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, Book I

Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, Book 2 (Text, p144-151).

Louden, “On Some Vices of Virtue Ethics” (Text, 167-174).

W/Th: Handout – summary/criticisms of virtue ethics

_______________________________________________________________ Week 8

Mar. 2 - 5

M/Tu: Jeremy Bentham, “The Principle of Utility” (Text, p310-312).

J.S. Mill, from “Utilitarianism” (Text, p313-326).

W/Th: Catch up, Handouts,

_______________________________________________________________ Week 9

Mar. 9 - 12

M/Tu: UTILITARIANISM

W/Th: UTILITARIANISM

_______________________________________________________________ Week 10

Mar. 16 - 19

M/Tu: SPRING BREAK!

W/Th: SPRING BREAK!

_______________________________________________________________ Week 11

Mar. 23 - 26

M/Tu: UTILITARIAN CRITICISMS

Start: Kant, from “The Foundations…” (Text, p258-267).

W/Th: Kant, continued

_______________________________________________________________ Week 12

Mar. 30 – Apr. 2

M/Tu: Eric Watkins, “Kant’s Cat. Imperative,” (Text, p268-274).

W/Th: Plato, The Euthyphro Dilemma (Text, p43-44).

Kai Nielson, “God and the Basis of Morality,” (Text, p70-77)

_______________________________________________________________ Week 13

Apr. 6 - 9

M/Tu: EXAM II

W/Th: Sartre, “Existentialism”

Richard Taylor, “Is a Phil. Ethics Possible?”

_______________________________________________________________ Week 14

Apr. 13 - 16

M/Tu/W/Th: Hippocrates, “Hippocratic Oath” (Test, p.389).

Rachels, “Active and Passive Euthanasia, “ (Text, p.391-394).

Sullivan, “…Euthanasia: An Impertinent Distinction?” (Text, p395-398).

Rachels, “More Impertinent Distinctions…” (Text, p399-406).

_______________________________________________________________ Week 15

Apr. 20 - 23

M/Tu: Richard Taylor, “The Singer Revolution”

W/Th: Peter Singer, “What Should a Billionaire Give …”

Peter Singer, “Rich and Poor”

_______________________________________________________________ Week 16

Apr. 27 – 30

M/Tu: Ted Honderlich, “Omissions and Terrorism”

Review

W/Th: Exam III