REQUIRED TEXTS: Maitreya's translation of the Dhammapada

RESERVE TEXTS: William T. Jones, Kant and the 19th Century and Hobbes to Hume; Henberg & George, Readings in the Development of Moral Thought (2^nd ed.); Gier, God, Reason, and the Evangelicals; The World of the Buddha.

Note: This schedule may change due to extended class discussion or unexpected early completion of a unit.  The exam and in-class writing dates will be changed only under very special circumstances.

1/16&21 INTRODUCTION (2)

Synopsis:  Three areas of philosophy and two types of logical argumentation.

Assignment: Reading on philosophical arguments and ethical objectivism and subjectivism.  Click here for group questions for first day.

1/21   Group Work on the Origin of Moral Rules. See your questions here.

1/23   The Life of the Buddha. Slide Show. Read "The Savior Archetype."

1/28-2/6   BUDDHIST ETHICS (4).

Synopsis: The Buddha's "Process" Philosophy. The Middle Way and the 8th-Fold Path. The Five Precepts. Buddhist Virtue Ethics.

Assignments: Dhammapada on the web and the text of your Maitreya translation. Note: you need to read only the first 24 chapters of the Dhammapada.

2/4      Group Work on the Dhammapada. See your questions here.

2/6      In-Class Writing on Buddhism.  Read Questions that tend not to Edification

2/11-20 ARISTOTLE (4).

Synopsis: Plato: Aristotle’s teacher. The relation of ethics and politics. Ethics as practical knowledge. Eudaimonia as the highest good. Aristotle's theory of the soul. Souls, persons, and abortion. Doctrine of the Mean. Aristotle's "Relativism."

Assignments: Selections from the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics on the website.  For extra reading click here.

Synopsis: Confucian Theory of Human Nature. The "Silver" Rule. Mencius' "Four Beginnings. Analogical Reasoning. Is Human Nature Good or Evil?

Assignment: Web Reading Assignment: The Analects of Confucius and the Book of Mencius.  Also read this article on humanism.

3/11-20  THOMAS AQUINAS (4)

Synopsis: Faith vs. reason. Types of Christian Ethics. Critique of Aristotle. Moral rationalism. Evil is in intention not in consequences. The Doctrine of Double Effect.

Assignments: Web Reading Assignment on Existence of God and Moral Law.  For reading on the Doctrine of Double Effect, go to the library reserve website at www.lib.uidaho.edu/ereserve. Look up my reserve list under "G" and use <phil10302> as a username and <ZAZjaY> as a password to open the file.  For Scriven reading, see file in Philosophy Department, 4th Floor Morrill Hall.

3/13    TAKE-HOME EXAM.  You will find your study questions here.  Your exam is due on March 25 at 2 PM.

3/25-4/3  DAVID HUME (4).

Synopsis: The empirical method and critique of speculative metaphysics.   Morality based on sentiment. Benevolence as the highest virtue. The "Is" vs. the "Ought."

Assignments: Web Reading Assignment. Jones, Hobbes to Hume, 337-347.

3/27   Group Work on the Ten Commandments.

4/1    Group Work on Hume.

4/8-17  IMMANUEL KANT (4)

Synopsis: Kant's moral argument for God and the afterlife. Religion is morality. The centrality of a good will. Three forms of the categorical imperative. Categorical vs. hypothetical imperative. What is a person?

Assignments: Web Reading Assignment. Jones, Kant and the19th Century, 69-84. Review abortion reading. Read Puccetti article on e-reserve at www.lib.uidaho.edu/ereserve. Look up my reserve list under "G" and use <phil10302> as a username and <ZAZjaY> as a password.

4/15        In-Class Writing on Kant.

4/17        Group Work on the Categorical Imperative.

4/22-5/1  JOHN STUART MILL (4)

Synopsis: Bentham's hedonic calculus. The problem of Mill's On Liberty. Mill's qualitative utilitarianism and nonegoistic hedonism. Higher vs. lower pleasures. Utilitarianism and the ethics of Jesus.

Assignments: Web Reading Assignment.   Read Broyles article on e-reserve at go to the library reserve website at www.lib.uidaho.edu/ereserve. Look up my reserve list under "G" and use <phil10302> as a username and <ZAZjaY> as a password.

4/29        In-Class Writing on Mill.

5/1          Group Work on Ancient Chinese Women

5/6&8     WOMEN AND ETHICS (2).

Synopsis: Is moral rationalism sexist? A Critique of Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development.

Assignments: Henberg & George, 161-171; 249-268. Kohlberg vs. Gilligan and Ivanhoe on Web.

5/8       In-Class Writing on Women and Ethics.

5/13     IN-CLASS FINAL (100 pts.). We meet at 1-3 in Admin 227. Study Questions on the Web. See Web for a paper in lieu of the final.

REQUIREMENTS. One Take-Home Mid-Term (100 pts.); one in-class final (100 pts.); 4 in-class writings (40 pts.); 7 sets of group work (140 pts.); and 12 EthicsTalk posting (120 pts.). Those students taking the course pass/fail must do a good faith effort on all the requirements. The total number of points in the course is 500. The letter grades will be as follows: 450+ = A; 400+ = B; 350+ = C; 275+ = D; 275 and below is an F.

ETHICSTALK.  There is a threaded discussion linked to the website called EthicsTalk.  You must post a substantial paragraph on three moral issues not assigned to you, Aristotle, the Buddha, Confucius/or Mencius, Aquinas, Hume, Kant, Mill, an ancient Chinese woman not assigned to you, and your views on affirmative action as defined by the federal government. Three of your postings must include a response to another student's posting on one of the topics. (It does not have to be a separate posting.) You must print out a copy of your postings and turn in six of them before March and your response turn it in to the grader by March 13.  Students lose any or all possible points by not posting by that date.  The remaining postings are due on May 8.

RECITATION HOURS.  Fridays 4-5 will be reserved for help sessions for both sections of ethics.  Please come prepared with your questions in the philosophy department seminar room in Morrill Hall 402.

CLASS ATTENDANCE.  Six absences (20% of class time) will result in the lowering of one letter grade. Six absences before March 13 will be grounds for failing the class. This includes illness, field trips, and other excused absences.  The student is responsible for keeping track and knowing when this limit has been reached. 

OFFICE HOURS: MW 3:30-4:30 Morrill Hall 403. Office telephone 885-6284; 883-3360 (home). E-mail (ngier@uidaho.edu) is the best way to communicate with the instructor.