Ethics
Syllabus – Fall 2013
University of St. Thomas in Houston, Philosophy Department
T–Th 7:00–8:15pm, Strake 107
Office Hours: Th 6:00–7:00 pm, Doherty Library
Email: olival@stthom.edu
Prof. Luca Oliva
Course Description
Ethics is an upper level course that offers an account of the meta-ethical and normative theories which
dominate the contemporary debate over morality. Questions like “What is the right thing to do?”, “Is my
conduct morally justified?”, and “Are there foundations for our ethical beliefs?” will be addressed by
examining different approaches to ethics, including moral relativism, subjectivism, supernaturalism,
evolutionary ethics. Among them we will especially focus on the alternative represented by deontology and
utilitarianism, respectively championed by Kant and Mill; and we will extend the moral issues to study cases
of applied ethics such as abortion and human rights. Finally we will question the meaning of “justice” by
means of classic and modern interpretations (Aristotle, Aquinas, Rawls, Nozick). We will also look at the
present-day relevance of these approaches. Students should expect to develop their abilities to properly
reason on everyday situations, to be engaged in thoughtful discussions, and to evaluate concrete ethical
choices.
Bibliography
The required textbook can be purchased at the university bookstore under the label “Ethics, Prof. Luca
Oliva”; the other readings are available on “Blackboard”. All recommended texts can be easily found online.
Harry Gensler, Earl Spurgin, and James Swindal, Ethics: Contemporary Readings. New York: Routledge 2004
(required).
Peter Singer, Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994 (recommended).
Class Schedule
Aug 27
Aug 29
Sept 3
Introduction to the course
H.J. Gensler, Moral Philosophy (1–25)
J.C. Swindal and E.W. Spurgin, History of Ethics (25–43)
Relativism, Subjectivism, Supernaturalism (Metaethics I)
Sept 5
Sept 10
Sept 12
Sept 17
Ruth Benedict, Defending Cultural Relativism (I, 43–50)
H.J. Gensler – M.G. Tokmenko, Against Cultural Relativism (I, 50–58)
David Hume, Ethical Claims Describe Feelings (I, 58–63)
Thomas Nagel, Ethical Claims are Objective (I, 63–70)
Thomas Nagel, The Objective Basis of Morality (Blackboard)
C.S. Lewis, The Moral Law is from God (I, 70–78)
The Bible, Love of God and Neighbor (I, 78–84)
Class Presentations
Intuitionism, Emotivism, Prescriptivism (Metaethics II)
Sept 19
Sept 24
Sept 26
Oct 1
G.E. Moore, Irreducible Ethical Truths (II, 84–89)
W.D. Ross, Objective Prima Facie Duties (II, 89–99)
A.J. Ayer, Ethical Claims Express Feelings (II, 99–107)
A.J. Ayer, Ethics for Logical Positivists (Blackboard))
J.L. Mackie, Values are Subjective (II, 107–116)
J.L. Mackie, The Argument from ‘Queerness’ (Blackboard)
R.M. Hare, Universal Prescriptions (II, 116–126)
J.P. Sartre, An Existential Ethics (II, 126–137)
Class Presentations
1
Ethical Methodology
Oct 3
Oct 17
W.K. Frankena, Moral Justification (III, 137–144)
Jürgen Habermas, Discourse Ethics (III, 144–153)
Immanuel Kant, Ethics is Based on Reason (III, 153–158)
Immanuel Kant, Categorical Imperative (Blackboard)
Paul Ricoeur, The Golden Rule and Religion (III, 167–173)
Friedrich Nietzsche, Master and Slave Morality (III, 173–178)
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science (Selected Aphorisms) (Blackboard)
Lawrence Kohlberg, Moral Education (III, 186–196)
Oct 22
Oct 24
Paper Discussions
Paper Discussions
Oct 8
Oct 10
Utilitarianism, Non-Consequentialism, Justice and Virtue Ethics, Evolutionary Ethics (Normative Ethics)
Oct 29
Oct 31
Nov 5
Nov 7
Nov 12
Nov 14
J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism (IV, 196–202)
J.J.C. Smart, Defending Utilitarianism (IV, 202–210)
Bernard Williams, Against Utilitarianism (IV, 210–215)
R.B. Brandt, Rule Utilitarianism (IV, 215–222)
John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (IV, 229–235)
Robert Nozick, Justice and Goods (IV, 235–240)
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (A Selection from) (IV, 240–250)
Alasdair MacIntyre, Virtue Ethics (IV, 250–258)
Robert J. Richards, A Defense of Evolutionary Ethics (Blackboard)
Thomas Aquinas, On the Natural Law (Blackboard)
Class Presentations
Topics in Applied Ethics
Nov 19
Nov 21
Nov 26
J.J. Thomson, A Defense of Abortion (V, 266–274)
Sidney Callahan, Pro-life Feminism (V, 174–284)
Peter Singer, Animal Liberation (V, 284–294)
J. Baird Callicott, The Land Ethic (V, 303–311)
Dec 3
Dec 5
Dec 10
Paper Discussions
Paper Discussions
Final Exam, 7:15–9:45pm
Assignments and Assessments
a) A brief summary of the readings is required at the end of any section; then, it will be presented and
discussed in class, unless a paper is due. The subjects will be specified each time individually. Two papers will
be presented according to the class schedule; the choice of the arguments ranges over the subjects of the
course. The course includes a final comprehensive exam. Further indications will be provided during the
course. b) Your final grade will be composed by the sum of all assignments, proportionally distributed in the
following way: 20% class presentations and participation, 40% papers, 40% final exam.
Policy
Attendance will be taken every class during the first 5 minutes. After two unjustified absences your final
grade will be lowered proportionally. Absences can be justified only by a medical note. Any disruptive
behavior along with any delay in returning the assignments (exam, papers, presentations) will negatively affect
your final grade.
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