An examination, at an introductory level, of the reasons to act morally, moral relativism, the nature of justice and the character of our other virtues and vices. Particular focus will be trained on the normative ethical theories of JS Mill and Immanuel Kant and the implications these theories have for many of the practical ethical problems we face today such as abortion, climate change and our obligations to humans, non-human animals and other forms of life.
Resources
Handouts
- Syllabus
- Handout 1: Thomson
- Handout 1b: Sorites Arguments and Personhood
- Handout 2: Mill
- Handout 3: Critiques of Consequentialism
- Handout 4: Kant
- Handout 5: Anderson
Lectures
Lecture 1: An Introduction to Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 2: Thomson 1 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 3: Thomson 2 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 4: Thomson 3 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 5: Thomson 4 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 6: Thomson 5 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 7: Overview of Moral Theory Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 8: Mill 1 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 9: Mill 2 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 10: Mill 3 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 11: Mill 4 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 12: Mill 5 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 13: Mill 6 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 14: Mill 7 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 15a: Mill 8a (Ch 3) Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 15: Mill 8 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 16: Mill 9 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 17: Mill 10 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 18: Williams 1 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 19: Williams 2 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 20: Williams 3 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 21: Williams 4 Phil 4 S 2020
Lecture 22: Kant 1
Lecture 23: Kant 2
Lecture 24: Kant 3
Lecture 25: Kant 4
Lecture 26: Kant 5
Lecture 27: Kant 6
Lecture 28: Kant 7
Lecture 29: Kant 8
Lecture 30: Kant 9
Lecture 31: Kant 10
Lecture 32: Kant 11
Lecture 33: Kant 12
Secondary Sources
- Sobel on Kant’s Formula of Universal Law
- Pallikkathavil on Kant’s Formula of Humanity
- Kant on Race
- Kantians on Our Duties to Other Animals (and Plants?)
- Kant “On a Supposed Right to Lie…”
Assignments
- Phil 4 Essay 1 S 20
- Phil 4 Essay 2 S 20
- Study Guide for Final Exam W 19