Graduate Course
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Summer 2008 Courses
- Hardwig, 540: Moral Particularism (Value)
OR - Reidy, 585: Philosophy of Law (Value)
Fall 2008 Courses
500 THESIS
01, TBA. See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
502 REGISTRATION FOR USE OF FACILITIES
01, TBA. See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
510 PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH
01, TBA - See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
520 TOPICS IN ANCIENT OR MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY – PLATO
01 2.10-3.25 TR – SHAW - This class focuses on several of Plato's dialogues that offer maximally comprehensive and direct treatments of the question at the core of ancient Greek ethics: how should one live? With that aim in mind, we will read all of Plato's Apology, Protagoras, Gorgias, and Republic, focusing especially on the competing claims of pleasure and virtue to a central role in practical life. Pursuing Plato's treatments of ethical themes will lead us to try to understand his views in politics, psychology, epistemology, and metaphysics as well. Substantial secondary reading will be required, and students will be expected to prepare carefully and participate extensively. Students may fulfill the main writing requirements of the class by writing either three short papers or a single long research paper. Research papers will be expected to attempt a genuine contribution to the scholarly literature.
540 TOPICS IN ETHICS OR VALUE THEORY
01 3.40-4.55 TR – SHEPSKI - This course provides an advanced survey of contemporary ethical theory, focusing on three of the most prominent schools of thought in the secular Western tradition: virtue theory, neo-Kantianism, and consequentialism. We will explore developments of these traditions (primarily through the writings of Rosalind Hursthouse, Christine Korsgaard, and Peter Railton) as well as criticisms of each. The goal of the course is to explore what role, if any, should be played in our ethical thinking by each of the following: developing (and acting on the basis of) sound personal character; conforming our actions to universalizable principles; respecting human dignity; and seeking to maximize goodness of consequences. Time permitting, we may also explore a recent "anti-theoretical" development known as moral particularism. Some prior background in philosophical ethics is helpful; undergraduates without such background are strongly encouraged to enroll in Phil 340 either instead of, or concurrently with, this course.
545 ETHICS & ANIMALS
004 9.40-10.55 TR – NOLT – A survey of the philosophical debate on moral responsibility to animals that began with the publication of Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation and Tom Regan’s The Case for Animal Rights. In addition to the moral issues, the course will also deal with the nature of animal consciouness, for which topic the main text will be David Degrazia’s Taking Animals Seriously: Mental Life and Moral Status. Grades will be based on a series of sort papers and a final term paper.
590 SPECIAL TOPICS – JUST WAR THEORIES
01 5.45-8.35 M (ONLY) – REIDY – Recent years have seen a rebirth of philosophical reflection, both analytic and normative, on the tradition of just war theory. In this graduate level philosophy course, available also to advanced undergraduates, we will critically assess both the familiar tradition of just war theory and the more important of the recent philosophical treatments of or modifications to it. In addition to the usual topics of justice in, during and after
war, we will also examine topics such as pacifism and conscientious refusal, preventative war, terrorism and war, and international liability for war crimes and unjust aggression. Class meetings will be conducted seminar style, with regular and active student participation. Requirements will include shorter writing assignments and a final term
paper.
591 FOREIGN STUDY
01, TBA, See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
592 OFF-CAMPUS STUDY
01, TBA. See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
593 INDEPENDENT STUDY
01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, TBA. - See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
600 DOCTORAL DISSERTATION
01, TBA. See Susan Williams in 801 McClung Tower before registering for this course.
601 FREEDOM & MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
01 2.30-5.30 W (ONLY) – COFFMAN – This course serves as both the annual Proseminar for incoming graduate students and an ELMS seminar for interested current students. One of our main aims in this course (as in all Proseminars) will be to discuss, reflect on, and strengthen certain fundamental research, argumentative, writing, and discussion skills—ones essential to success in graduate school and beyond. We’ll achieve this aim mainly by carefully exploring important recent work on philosophical questions and problems involving human freedom and moral responsibility. The course will have four main parts. First, we’ll consider prominent arguments for the thesis that freedom is incompatible with physical determinism (roughly, the view that at any given time there’s exactly one physically possible future). Second, we’ll consider prominent arguments for the compatibility of freedom and determinism. Third, we’ll consider prominent arguments for and against the view that moral responsibility requires freedom. Fourth (and finally), we’ll consider prominent arguments against the view that freedom is compatible with physical indeterminism (roughly, the view that at some times there’s more than one physically possible future). Throughout the course, we’ll be critically assessing influential contemporary theories of action, free action, and morally responsible action. We’ll also consider two important questions about our belief that we’re free (roughly, that at least some of what we do is up to us): [1] Does practical deliberation (roughly, trying to figure out—and then decide—what to do) require a belief in freedom? [2] What bearing should contemporary brain science have on our belief in freedom?
Required Texts
[1] Peter van Inwagen, An Essay on Free Will (Oxford, 1983)
[2] Alfred Mele, Free Will and Luck (Oxford, 2006)
[3] A course packet of readings
Recommended Texts
[1] Robert Kane, A Contemporary Introduction to Free Will (Oxford, 2005)
[2] Laura Ekstrom, Free Will: A Philosophical Study (Westview, 2000)
[3] John Fischer, Robert Kane, Derk Pereboom, Manuel Vargas, Four Views on Free Will (Blackwell, 2007)
Format: A mix of lecture, discussion, and student presentation
ELMS seminar requirements: 4 Critical Commentaries (750-1000 words each); Critical Commentary Presentation; 1 Term Paper (3000-4000 words [“conference-length”])
Proseminar requirements: ELMS seminar requirements + Several “research” assignments involving preparation of article abstracts and bibliographies
644 TOPICS IN APPLIED ETHICS – PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE & ETHANASIA
02 11.10-12.25 TR – HARDWIG - Physician-assisted suicide is a “hot button” issue. People feel very strongly both ways. As is usually the case with hot issues, the heat is generated by the fact that deep-seated beliefs and values are at stake. So, in thinking about physician-assisted suicide we will be forced to confront many issues about the end of life, the kind of care appropriate to the end of life and the responsibilities of physicians. Emphasis will be on developing and discussing the views of the students in the class. (Hardwig is way out there on this issue. But there’ll be no pressure in this course to agree with him.)
Spring 2009 Courses
- Aquila, 522: Descartes (History)
- Graber, 546: Medical Ethics Theory (Applied)
- Douglas, 624: Science and Public Policy (ELMS, Seminar)
- Arnold, 644: Commodification or Pharmaethics (Applied) (depending on student preferences)
- New Faculty (Head): TBA