University of Waterloo
Department of Philosophy
Philosophy 110B
Ethics and Value Theory
Winter 2013
MWF 11:30-12:20, Room AL 124
Instructor and T.A. Information
Instructor: Benjamin Nelson
Office: Hagey Hall 360
Office Hours: Tuesday 2PM
Email: bsnelson@uwaterloo.ca
Course Description
“What is the good life? What is evil? What is the right thing to do? Is there an objective
difference between right and wrong?”
These are some of the questions that belong to ethics, value theory, and moral theory.
This course is about ethics in the Western philosophical tradition, which involves the
study of virtue, goodness, morality, and their inter-relations. Most weeks will be
dedicated to a new question. We will be looking at the following topics: virtue ethics;
moral psychology; value theory; consequentialism; deontology; contractarianism;
particularism; the ethics of care; the ethics of belief; and moral standing.
The aim of the course is to understand what makes each theory salient to everyday life,
and to understand the logical and practical consequences you might face once you
adopt a given outlook. Serious philosophical discussion of ethical quandaries will be
peppered throughout the course, possibly including the ethics of slavery, torture,
euthanasia, terrorism, sexism, world poverty, animal ethics, abortion, and civil
disobedience.
Course Goals and Learning Outcomes
The main thing you’ll get out of this course is a knowledge of ethical philosophy.
Secondary emphasis will be on developing the ability to write concisely, argue
effectively, and listen carefully. Students will need to complete five assignments in the
course: two blogging reports, two quizzes, and a final exam.
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
•
Argue in a concise and logical way.
•
Two blog-style essays.
•
Articulate the main issues and problems in ethical theory.
•
Readings and quizzes.
•
Listen and read effectively.
•
In-class participation.
•
Readings.
Required Text
•
Ethical Theory: An Anthology, Second Edition (ed. Russ Shafer-Landau),
Wiley-Blackwell
Available at the Bookstore, but reasonably priced used copies are also online through
Amazon.ca.
You may use other versions of the material we are covering, but it is your job to make
sure that you are reading the correct parts, and to borrow a fellow student’s text (if need
be) to ensure that’s the case. DO NOT ASK THE PROF TO DO THIS FOR YOU!
iClicker
This course will take advantage of iClicker technology starting in week 2. Students must have an iClicker
and bring it to class in order to receive their 15% participation grade. Please note that impersonation (i.e.,
using absent friend’s device to record their answers) is a serious infraction and can result in a suspension
penalty.
Course Requirements and Assessment
Information on course requirements and assessments.
Assessment
Date of Evaluation (if known)
Weighting
Quiz 1
Week 3
10
Blog 1
Week 5
10
Quiz 2
Week 7
15
Blog 2
Week 9
20
Exam
Finals Week
30
Participation
N/A
15
Total
100%
We will go over the ins and outs of the assignments in more detail as we get along in the term.
Quiz 1
Knowledge of Philosophy, moral motivation, virtue ethics
Blog 1
Essay.
Quiz 2
Knowledge of value theory, consequentialism, rules and integrity
Blog 2
Essay.
Final exam
Knowledge of all course material
Course Outline
Notes on readings.
Week
Date
Topic
Readings Due
1
January
Introduction to Ethics & Moral Philosophy
None
2
January
Moral motivation
Plato (p.127-137)
Feinberg (p.167-177)
3
January
Virtue ethics & rational authority
Aristotle (p.620-9)
Annas (p.676-84)
4
January
Value theory
Mill (p. 258-263)
Nozick (p.264-5)
Parfit (p.294-8)
Ross (p.299-302)
5
February
Consequentialism
Mill (p.417-422)
Smart (p.423-7)
Hare (p.458-465)
6
February
Rules and integrity
Thomson (p.543-552)
Hooker (p.428-39)
7
February
Deontology
Kant (p.485-498)
Foot (p. 536-542)
8
March
The ethics of care
Noddings (p.699-712)
Baier (p.721-8)
Frye (p.729-34)
9
March
Contractarianism
Gauthier (p.571-580)
Scanlon (p.593-608)
10
March
Moral standing
Kant
Singer
Feinberg
11
March
Particularism
Ross (p.756-762)
Little (p.776-784)
12
March-April
Objectivity and moral reasoning
Smith
Harman
Brink
Late Work
All assignments are due at the beginning of lecture on the indicated due dates. Late submissions
will be penalized 10% PER DAY (including weekends). Students submitting late work must
send Prof. Nelson an e-mail with the submission as an attachment (functioning as a “time
stamp”), and coordinate with him the submission of the paper copy of the assignment.
Electronic Device Policy
LEARN is the main mode of communication for this course after lecture and e-mail. Prof.
Nelson will be posting notes, announcements, any possible changes to the reading schedule, and
grades via LEARN. In addition, quizzes will take place over LEARN. Students may also use the
Discussion Boards to ask questions about the readings or the assignments, and to coordinate
study groups, etc. Because the LEARN site is so important, students are strongly encouraged to
regularly access the site so as not to fall behind.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is required in order to receive a participation grade (15%). iClicker is required to
register attendance.
Institutional-required statements for undergraduate course outlines approved by Senate
Undergraduate Council, April 14, 2009
Cross-listed course
Please note that a cross-listed course will count in all respective averages no matter under
which rubric it has been taken. For example, a PHIL/PSCI cross-list will count in a Philosophy
major average, even if the course was taken under the Political Science rubric.
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the
University of Waterloo are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and
responsibility.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid
committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is
unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid
offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek
guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean.
When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed
under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of
penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline.
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university
life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70
- Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4.
Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 70 Student Petitions and Grievances (other than regarding a petition) or Policy 71 - Student
Discipline if a ground for an appeal can be established. Read Policy 72 - Student Appeals.
Other sources of information for students
Academic integrity (Arts) Academic Integrity Office (uWaterloo)
THE WRITING CENTRE
There is a Writing Centre on campus that offers help to students who want to improve their
writing skills: http://elpp.uwaterloo.ca/writingcentre.html
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
Note for students with disabilities: The AccessAbility Services office, located in Needles Hall
Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate
accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of
the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability,
please register with the AS office at the beginning of each academic term.