Philosophy 361 Ethics Darwall Fall 1997 SYLLABUS Required Texts [available through Shaman Drum Bookshop, 313 S. State Street] Gilbert Harman, The Nature of Morality (NM) John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism (U) Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (G) Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals (GM) Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (NE) Carol Gilligan, In A Different Voice (DV) Coursepack materials (CP) [n.b., these are required reading, not supplemental; they are available from Dollar Bill Copying, 611 Church St.] In addition to required readings there will also be recommended supplemental materials. These will be on reserve in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. Course Web Page (linked to my home page): www.umich.edu/~sdarwall Tentative Schedule of Lectures and Readings September 3 Fundamental philosophical issues in ethics 8 Mill I (U, ch. 1) 10 Mill II (U, first 12 paragraphs of ch. 2, and ch. 4; Bentham, "Principles of Morals and Legislation," CP, 1-10; recommended: Frankena, Ethics, ch. 5) 15 Mill III (Reread Mill II) 17 Mill IV (U, rest of ch. 2; Harman, NM, ch. 13; recommended, Frankena, Ethics, ch. 3) 22 Mill V (U, chs. 3,5; Rawls, "Two Concepts of Rules," CP, 11-26; recommended: Mill, On Liberty, ch. 4) 24 Naturalism (NM, chs. 1,2; Alain Locke, "Values and Imperatives," CP, 27-35) 29 Theological voluntarism (Arthur, "Does Morality Depend on Religion?" CP, 37-41) October 1 Ideal Judgment Theories (NM, ch. 4; Firth, "Ethical Absolutism and the Ideal Observer," CP, 41-55; Rawls, "An Outline of a Decision Procedure for Ethics," CP, 57-67) 6 Relativism (NM, chs. 7-9; Lyons, "Ethical Relativism and the Problem of Incoherence," CP, 69-76) 8 Emotivism (Ayer, "Critique of Ethics," CP, 77-82) 13 Midterm 15 Kant I (G, Preface) 20 Kant II (G, ch. 1) 22 Kant III (G, reread ch. 1, first half of ch. 2 (to Ak. 428); Harman, NM, ch. 6; also recommended: Frankena, Ethics, 25-28) 27 Kant IV (G, remainder of ch. 2) 29 Kant V (G, reread ch. 2, Rawls, A Theory of Justice, CP, 83-100) November 3 Kant VI (G, ch. 3) 5 Nietzsche I (GM, Preface and First Essay) 10 Nietzsche II (GM, Second Essay) 12 Aristotle I (NE, bk. 1) 17 Aristotle II (NE, reread bk. 1, bk. 2; recommended: Burnyeat, "Learning to be Good") 19 Aristotle III (NE, reread. bk. 2, bk. 3 and chs. 3-9 of bk. 4) 24 Aristotle IV (NE, bk. 10, chs. 1-5) 26 Aristotle V (NE, bks. 8,9) December 1 Aristotle VI (NE, bk. 6 ) 3 A Critique of traditional moral philosophy: relationships and particularity (DV, 1-63; recommended: Noddings, Caring, 1-103) 8 Self, other, and morality (DV, 64-105, 128-150) 10 Summing up Course Requirements: two essays (one, 4-6 pages, and the other, 6-8 pages), a midterm, a final exam, and active participation in discussion section (including the Text Analysis Project), weighted in the following percentages: 1st paper, 17.5%; midterm, 17.5%; 2nd paper, 25%; final exam, 25%; participation in discussion section, 15%. The final exam will be given December 16, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the lecture hall. My regular office hours will be Thursday, 4 to 5 p.m., and Friday, 10-12 a.m., at my office, 2227 Angell Hall, and by appointment. Celery Kovinsky, who will also lead sections, will hold office hours as well, which she will announce. We encourage you to come in to talk to us about the course. I can also be reached by email (sdarwall@umich.edu) or phone (763-3493 (office), 996-3964 (home)). E-mail is an especially good way to communicate, as I check my messages regularly.