York University
Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies
Department of Philosophy
Winter 2023
PHIL 1100M 3.0
The Meaning of Life
Please note that this course is ‘flipped’ – lecture recordings will be
provided in advance of the Monday weekly in-person class meeting with
Prof. Davis and your weekly in-person tutorial
Course Director: Hilary E. Davis, PhD
Required Texts:
e-mail: hdavis@yorku.ca
Coursepack available from York Bookstore
When: Mondays, 11:30am – 12:30pm
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, Happy
Lives, Good Lives: Philosophical Examination
(Broadview, 2015)
Where (beginning January 9th): Vari Hall B
virtual office hours: Wednesday between
10:00am-12:00pm, EST, by appointment
course launch on eClass: Friday, January 6th
first tutorials –Monday, January 9th and
Wednesday 11th
Lewis Vaughn and Jillian Scott McIntosh, Writing
Philosophy: A Guide for Canadian Students, Second
Canadian Edition. (Oxford, 2012).
Additional required articles and videos will be
posted on eClass
***This course will use Turnitin***
York University’s Land Acknowledgement:
York University acknowledges its presence on the traditional territory of many Indigenous
Nations. The area known as Tkaronto has been care taken by the Anishinabek Nation, the
Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat. It is now home to many First Nation,
Inuit and Métis communities. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the Mississaugas of
the Credit First Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt
Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes region.
Course Description:
This introductory course explores a number of questions about the meaning of life, including:
What is the meaning of (my) life? Is there any meaning at all? Is life absurd? If life is without
meaning is that necessarily a bad thing? What is happiness? Is happiness identical to
pleasure? Is there a difference between living a happy life and a good life? Should death be
feared? Should we want to live forever?
In exploring these questions, we will read selections from the works of classical and
contemporary philosophers such as Schopenhauer, Camus, Epictetus, Robert Nozick, Daniel
Haybron, and Susan Wolf.
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Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, if you apply yourself, do all the reading, watch all pre-recorded
lectures, and complete all assignments, activities, and quizzes, you can expect to see
improvement in the following areas:
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To learn how to identify the main point (or thesis) and critically evaluate the arguments
presented in short philosophical writing.
To learn to write clear and engaging essays that present arguments supported with
strong reasons.
To learn about a variety of different philosophical approaches to life, death and
meaning.
To reflect on your own conception of what constitutes a good or meaningful life.
Technical requirements for taking the course:
To participate in the asynchronous portions of this course, students will require a computer
and/or smart device and an internet connection. To meet with Prof. Davis during her virtual
office hours on Zoom, you will need a computer or smart device with webcam and microphone
and a stable internet connection. Zoom can be downloaded as an app on most smart phones.
Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:
Student Guide to eClass
Zoom@YorkU Best Practices
Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide
Computing for Students Website
Student Guide to eLearning at York University
To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can
be run.
Recommended Browser Settings and Versions:
eClass currently supports the following browsers:
 Chrome version 84 and above
 Firefox version 58 and above
 Safari version 12 and above
 Opera version 57 and above
 MS Edge version 84 and above
For eClass to function correctly, it is recommended that the following requirements be met:
 Pop-ups are enabled
 Cookies are enabled
 Javascript is enabled
 Java is installed, up-to-date and enabled
 Firefox help: http://support.mozilla.org
 Chrome help: http://www.google.com/support/chrome/
 Microsoft Edge help: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/microsoft-edge
 Safari help: go to Safari > Preferences. The settings are located on
the Security and Privacy tabs.
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Times and locations:
Weekly Class Meetings
Prof. Davis Q&A Class Meeting Mondays
11:30am-12:30pm Vari Hall B
Tutorials
Bell Luan
Tutorial 1
Monday
9:30-10:30am
DB 0011
Bell Luan
Tutorial 2
Monday
10:30-11:30am
DB 0011
Michael Cust
Tutorial 3
Monday
10:30-11:30am
DB 0015
Fahd Mughal
Tutorial 4
Wednesday 9:30-10:30am
ACW 009
Fahd Mughal
Tutorial 5
Wednesday 10:30-11:30am
R S128
Michael Cust
Tutorial 6
Wednesday 10:30-11:30am
DB 0015
Each week’s recorded lecture should be viewed before the weekly class meeting and your
weekly tutorial.
Teaching Assistants/Tutorial Leaders:
Bell Luan
boluan@yorku.ca
Tutorial Groups #1 & 2
office hours: please email for an appointment
Fahd Mughal fahdm@my.yorku.ca
Tutorial Groups #4 & 5
office hours: please email for an appointment
Michael Cust msccust@gmail.com
Tutorial Groups #3 & 6
office hours: please email for an apppointment
Prof. Davis’ Virtual office hours:
Office hours will be offered by appointment on Wednesdays between 10:00am-12:00pm.
They will be held on Zoom. Appointments can be made using the link under the
Connections and Communications tab.
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Organization of the course
 Please note that this course is 'flipped.' Recorded lectures will be provided in
advance of each week's class meetings with Prof. Davis and tutorials with your
Tutorial Leader.
 Weekly lectures will be pre-recorded and students will view them asynchronously. The
weekly quizzes and forum activities will also be engaged with asynchronously.
 You are expected to view the video lectures and engage with the other course
material prior to the weekly classes and tutorials.
 All course materials are accessed through eClass.
 Weekly course material (e.g. video lectures, handouts, web links, practice exercises,
forum activities, etc.) will be posted on eClass by midnight each Wednesday. None will be
opened in advance of their scheduled date.
 All deadlines and launch times are Eastern Standard Time.
 All quizzes will be due at 11:59pm EST on Wednesdays.
 There are non-negotiable weekly deadlines for quizzes and tutorial discussion forum
activities. Assignment deadlines are also non-negotiable.
 In-person and Zoom classes will not be recorded.
Grading Breakdown:
**Students are expected to view all lecture videos & to prepare all the reading assignments.**

eClass Quizzes (weekly, best 10 out of 12)
= 10%

Minor Essay (Friday, February 10th)
= 20%

Major Essay (Friday, March 17th)
= 30%

Final Exam (in-person, TBA)
= 30%

Participation
= 10%
Total
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100%
All quizzes and Tutorial Forum Activities are due at 11:59pm EST on Wednesdays
All other assignments are due at 11:59pm, EST on their respective due dates.
Please note that this schedule of deadlines and grading breakdown is non-negotiable.
The value of assignments will under no circumstances be reweighed or redistributed.
Grades:
 Your official grade is given by the Registrar once the term is over.
 Do not send emails/messages to discuss your grades. This is a conversation
we can have via virtual office hour appointment once the term is over.
 Final Grades are not negotiable. In order to ensure you earn the grade you want or
need, you are encouraged to attend class, book a virtual office hour appointment to
discuss course material you are finding difficult, and engage in any bonus work that may
arise during the term. Grades are not “bumped up.”
 For a description of York University’s grading scale, see the relevant undergraduate
calendar at: http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/20142015/academic/grades/index.htm
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Submitting assignments on time and missed quizzes and tutorial forum activities:
 Successful academic performance includes students not only completing assignments,
but completing them on time.
 You are strongly encouraged to avoid uploading assignments within the last
hour of a deadline - if, for whatever reason, your document does not
upload, it will be considered late.
 There will be no opportunity to make-up missed weekly quizzes or weekly
Tutorial Forum Activities. If you miss these weekly deadlines, you will
receive a “0” for the assigned work.
 The lowest 2 marks will be dropped for the Quizzes. This is to say that of the 12 weekly
quizzes only the highest 10 will count toward your final mark.
 There will be 10 Tutorial Forum Activities in total. Only your best 5 posts will count
toward you Tutorial Forum grade total. eClass will automatically drop your lowest 5
grades.
Weekly eClass Quizzes (10%):
 There will be a weekly quiz that you must complete on eClass. Each eClass quiz will cover
the material from video lectures, required reading, and other course material linked or
uploaded on eClass (e.g. handouts, videos, linked articles).
 Quizzes will open at 11pm on Wednesdays (when the week’s materials open) and close at
midnight on the following Wednesday.
 Quizzes will vary between 10-20 questions and will be either Multiple Choice or True or
False questions.
 If you miss a quiz, it will not be reopened for any reason once it expires. You
will have 20 minutes to complete each quiz and the clock starts ticking once
you open the quiz. There are no second attempts.
 There will be 12 quizzes in total. eClass will automatically drop your lowest 2 quizzes.
Written Assignments (20% & 30%):
 Instructions for each essay/assignment will be uploaded to eClass approximately 2 weeks
before they are due.
 Essays must be written on the assigned topic(s) only. They must conform to the
specified length restrictions: materials in excess of the specified length will not be read
or graded.
 All written assignments must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font and double
spaced.
 All essays must be uploaded to Turnitin via eClass before the due date and time.
 Ensure that your name, the course number, and your tutorial leader’s name is on your
assignment, and that the pages are numbered.
 Do not include a separate title page; use a header instead.
 Written work will not be accepted by email attachment.
 An assignment will be considered late one minute past the Turnitin deadline.
 You are strongly encouraged to avoid uploading assignments within the last
hour of a deadline. If, for whatever reason, your document does not upload,
it will be considered late.
 No rewrites or outstanding work will be accepted after the last day of classes,
Wednesday, April 5th
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Participation (10%):
This mark will include attendance in tutorial (which means staying for the entire class); thoughtful
contributions to class discussions which avoid self-indulgent and overbearing comments; taking
notes during tutorial; and general attentiveness during lecture and tutorial. Smartphone usage
during class, laptop usage for purposes other than note-taking or referring to eClass, and preparing
for other classes during the lecture and/or discussions will indicate that you are not attentive and
will negatively effect your participation mark.
5 marks out of the 10 for participation will be tutorial attendance marks. Attendance will be taken
by your tutorial leader. You are allowed one unexcused absence from tutorial; beyond that, each
absence will deduct .5 from your five attendance marks. No attendance will be taken in the
tutorials held on January 9th and January 11th
Final Exam (30%)
This will be a 3-hour comprehensive exam which will consist of short answer and comparative
essay questions. The date of the final exam is TBA and will be scheduled during the Winter
term exam period in April. You should not make any travel plans until you know the
date of the exam.
Email/Message Protocols:
 Do not expect me to answer your email in less than 2 days or 48 hours.
 Do not expect me to answer your email after 5pm on weekdays or on weekends.
 Please email me directly at hdavis@yorku.ca rather than using the message function on
eClass.
 I will not answer or reply to email which is anonymous, or which does not
indicate the course title or number in the subject heading – PHIL1100M The
Meaning of Life.
 I will not answer questions by email when the information is on the course syllabus or
on eClass.
 Email and messages are for personal and/or administrative issues that arise. All other
inquires about course material can be made on the eClass Q&A Forum or during my
virtual office hours.
 No essays will be accepted by email. Email attachments will be deleted without being
opened.
 Grades won’t be sent over email so please don’t ask. It is also inappropriate to email me
telling me what grades you need or expect in this course.
Additional Course policies:
 The lecture slides, handouts, and all materials found on this site are for the personal use
only of students who are registered in this course, PHIL1100M. They are for educational
purposes only and intended only to enhance accessibility. The instructor of this course
holds the copyright to this material and does not give permission for any course material
to be to duplicated, copied, and/or distributed outside of the class. Nor do students
have permission to upload course materials to commercial websites, file sharing
websites or apps, or social media. Anytime you download material from this eClass site
you agree to these terms. Any person who uploads or shares course material without the
instructor's permission violates copyright regulations and also FIPPA and will face
serious consequences.
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Students do not have permission to record and capture images from Zoom sessions –
either meetings or office hours. Zoom meetings will not be recorded by the instructor.
As your course instructor, I value your concerns about privacy. eClass includes
technology which gives instructors access to activity logs which reveal
 The eClass material and activities which you have viewed
 The date and time you viewed these activities
 The IP address from which you viewed these activities
By enrolling in this course, you give me permission to view these logs for the purpose of
maintaining academic integrity.
You are strongly encouraged to avoid uploading essays within the last hour
of a deadline - if, for whatever reason, your document does not upload, it
will be considered late.
An assignments will be considered late one minute past the Turnitin deadline.
There will be no opportunity to make-up missed weekly quizzes or weekly
tutorial forum activities. If you miss these deadlines, you will receive a “0”
for the assigned work.
No make-up work or outstanding assignments will be accepted after the last day of classes,
Wednesday, April 5th
Classroom Policies:
 On November 18, 2022, York University called for immediate masking in all
indoor settings. This means you should be wearing a mask to class.
 While the requirement to be vaccinated is also paused, York strongly recommends
that everyone receives a complete vaccine series, including boosters when
eligible.
 Masking and vaccination remain the two most effective ways for everyone to protect
their health.
 Find more information about masks on the Better Together website. N-95 and surgical
masks are available for purchase at a discount on campus at locations such as York
Lanes, the Life Sciences Building and Central Square.
 Additional information on vaccinations, including York’s mobile vaccination clinics in
partnership with GO-VAXX and Toronto Public Health, can be found on the Better
Together website. Walk in or book an appointment through the provincial booking
site or by calling the Provincial Contact centre at 1-833-943-3900.
 The Better Together website has information on where rapid tests are available on
campuses.
 If you are feeling unwell, don’t come to campus, test for COVID-19 (if
available) and update your status on YU Screen to receive guidance from
the University.
 Remember, the Winter is also flu season. It is strongly recommended that you receive
flu shots when eligible
 No eating or drinking in our classroom. Only water is permitted.
 Wash or sanitize your hands frequently and practice good hand hygiene.
 Please do not approach me at the front of the classroom before or after our
class meeting if you have questions. You will have time to ask questions
during the class meeting. If your question is more personal, please email
me or book a virtual office hours appointment.
 In the event that I become ill or do not pass YU screening, I will use the eClass Course
Announcements to communicate to you whether the day's class has pivoted to remote
or been cancelled. Please make sure that you receive Course
Announcements in an email account that you check frequently.
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To be successful in this course:
 You must log on to eClass frequently (3-4 times per week).
 Do all the reading before class and review it again after class. Expect the reading to be
challenging and some weeks it might be heavy.
 Watch all lecture videos before class and review after class.
 You should be completing all coursework by the deadlines posted.
 If you are accessing this course from a different time zone please be aware that all
deadlines and launch times are Eastern Standard Time. You are responsible for
meeting all deadlines even if you are in a different time zone.
 You should be taking notes when you review video lectures - always. The powerpoint
slides are a visual aid for the lectures, not a substitute for note-taking.
 You should be taking notes when you read the course material - always.
 Attend your weekly tutorial
 Ask for help if you need help. Ask questions in tutorial or during class meetings if you have
questions.
 For an updated and helpful website with tips and tools, for writing, time management, and
other necessary tools and skills for university success, see:
http://www.yorku.ca/spark/
 Heed the advice in the following article: http://www.businessinsider.com/10things-every-college-professor-hates-2014-8
 Take care of yourself. Balancing the academic, professional, family, personal, and other
aspects of your life can be challenging sometimes, but always aim to create some balance.
Adding and Dropping This Course – Important Dates:
 The last date to add this course through the enrolment module on-line is January
22nd. If you are currently not enrolled and plan on taking this course, you must keep
trying to enrol online.
 I will not be giving anyone permission to enrol late in this course during the late
enrollment period (January 23rd – February 6th)
 I will not give anyone permission to switch tutorials for any reason.
 The last date to drop this course without receiving a grade (in other words, without it
appearing on your transcript) is March 17th. “Dropping” a course requires you to log on
to the enrolment system and de-enrol from a course. Only then are you officially off the
course list.
 For more dates and details, see:
http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/enrol/dates/fw14.htm
 For information about adding and dropping, course deferrals, grade reappraisals, etc...
see http://myacademicrecord.students.yorku.ca/
Assistance with Writing - http://www.yorku.ca/laps/writ/
It takes time and practice to become a better writer. Invest some time into your writing skills
while you are enrolled in York courses. The Writing Centre is currently offering its services
remotely. You might be interested in: (a) one-on-one online video chat with a writing
instructor regarding an assignment you are working on (by appointment only, book online); (b)
eTutors who will read over and comment on essays you submit to them; or (c) its general online
writing workshops. You are paying for these services through your tuition, so take advantage of
these opportunities when you can.
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Assistance for ESL Learners - http://www.yorku.ca/eslolc/keele/default.asp!
At the ESL Open Learning Centre (OLC), students can ask for help in any aspect of learning
English (e.g. writing, speaking, listening, etc.). There are group workshops or individual
tutoring sessions available. There is a multimedia library, where you can review materials the
OLC has that relate to supporting you in learning and practicing English. There is also a movie
and discussion night - great practice for gaining confidence in speaking English. These services
are available to any student who identifies him/herself as ESL (International or Canadian
student) who is enrolled in courses at York University.
Assistance with Special Needs - http://www.yorku.ca/cds/
As your Course Instructor, I am committed to maximizing your potential for academic
achievement at York and to guaranteeing the services and accommodations for persons with
special needs. It is vitally important that students request any specific accommodations and/or
services they require, and inform the course instructor on the first day of class. This will help
avoid any potential conflicts or misunderstandings that may be encountered during the
academic year.
It is important that students with special learning needs, requiring accommodations of any sort
in connection with their successful completion of a course, contact the appropriate office(s).
Contact the Counselling and Disability Services (CDS) for specifics. It’s also important to
notify instructors of any concerns as close to the course’s start as possible. You
can do this by providing your instructors with the Accommodation Letter the CDS
gives you, or book a virtual office hours appointment if there is anything you wish
to discuss. Making these arrangements significantly in advance will help ensure proper
accommodations right from the beginning of the course. Ultimately, your success in this course
is important to me and I encourage you to come and speak to me at any point during the term
to make arrangements or discuss strategies to help you succeed. Do not wait until deadlines
have passed.
Academic Integrity
You have committed plagiarism when you use someone else’s ideas and present them as your
own. This could take several forms: cheating on a test; letting someone copy from you during a
test; having someone write your paper; copying parts or all of the paper off the internet; buying
a paper; summarizing ideas from any source without properly citing this source. For further
information on plagiarism see: http://www.yorku.ca/academicintegrity/
It is also a violation of academic honesty to represent another's artistic or technical work or
creation as one's own. Just as there are standards to which one must adhere in the preparation
and publication of written works, there are standards to which one must adhere in the creation
and presentation of music, drawings, designs, dance, photography and other artistic and
technical works. In different forms, these constitute a theft of someone else's work. This is not
to say that students should not use the work of others with the proper acknowledgement.
It is also a violation of academic honesty to forge another student’s signature on an attendance
sheet, submit a fraudulent medical excuse, or collaborate on work with classmates or peers
which is assigned individually.
It is your responsibility as a student to be informed about academic integrity. No
level or form of plagiarism or academic dishonesty will be tolerated. Penalties for
academic dishonesty range from a grade of zero on the specific assignment, to
failing the course, to having an official note of academic dishonesty on your
university record.
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Copyright and Intellectual Property:
The educational materials developed for this course, including, but not limited to, lecture notes
and slides, handout materials, examinations and assignments, and any materials posted to
eClass, are the intellectual property of the course director. These materials have been developed
for student use only and they are not intended for wider dissemination and/or communication
outside of a given course. Posting or providing unauthorized audio, video, or textual
material of lecture content to third-party websites violates an instructor’s
intellectual property rights, and the Canadian Copyright Act.
Failure to follow these instructions may be in contravention of the university’s
Code of Student Conduct and/or Code of Academic Conduct, and will result in
appropriate penalties.
Participation in this course constitutes an agreement by all parties to abide by the relevant
University Policies, and to respect the intellectual property of others during and after their
association with York University.
OTHER:
Other important information for students regarding the Ethics Review process,
Access/Disability, Academic Honesty/Integrity, Student Conduct, and Religious Observance
Days is available on the CCAS webpage (see Reports, Initiatives, Documents):http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate_cte_main_pages/ccas.htm
What should you do now?
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Purchase the required course texts.
Notify Prof. Davis of any special needs or circumstances
immediately,
this includes forwarding any Letters of Accommodation from York’s
Counseling and Disability Services.
Review material for Class 1 & Class 2
Attend first class meeting on Monday, January 9th (11:30am – 12:30pm)
Attend your first tutorial either Monday, Jan. 9th or Wednesday, Jan. 11th
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LAPS/PHIL 1100M
The Meaning of Life
Winter 2023
Course Schedule
Week 1
Class Meeting: Monday, January 9th
Tutorials: Monday, January 9th & Wednesday, January 11th
Course Introduction
Read over syllabus and all course policies
How to Read Philosophy
Chapters 1 & 2. Writing Philosophy: A Guide for Canadian Students, Second Edition,
Lewis Vaughn and Jillian Scott McIntosh. (Oxford, 2013).
*The first eClass quiz will be open until 11:59pm on Friday. Normally, quizzes will
close at 11:59pm on Wednesday.
Week 2
Class Meeting: Monday, January 16th
Tutorials: Monday, January 16th & Wednesday, January 18th
Questioning the Question
J. Ayer, “The Claims of Philosophy,” from The Meaning of Life: A Reader, (eds.), E.D.
Klemke & Steven M. Cahn (Oxford, 2008).
Life is Absurd
Albert Camus, “The Myth of Sisyphus,” from The Meaning of Life: A Reader, (eds.),
E.D. Klemke & Steven M. Cahn (Oxford, 2008).
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Week 3
Class Meeting: Monday, January 23rd
Tutorials: Monday, January 23rd & Wednesday, January 25th
Life is Suffering – Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer, “On the Vanity of Existence,” from Exploring the Meaning of
Life: An Anthology and Guide, (ed.), Joshua W. Seachris. (Wiley-Blackwell, 2013).
Arthur Schopenhauer, §21; §29; §39; §41; §52 and Chapter XLIX: The Road to
Salvation, from The World as Will and Representation. (trans.),.F.J. Payne (Dover
Publications, 1958).
(recommended) Arthur Schopenhauer, “On the Sufferings of the World,” from
The Meaning of Life: A Reader, (eds.), E.D. Klemke & Steven M. Cahn (Oxford,
2008).
Week 4
Class Meeting: Monday, January 30th
Tutorials: Monday, January 30th & Wednesday, February 1st
The Stoic Response to Suffering
Epictetus, The Encheiridion (The Handbook), from The Good Life, (ed.) Charles
Guignon (Hackett, 1999)
Admiral James Stockdale, "Courage Under Fire: Testing Epictetus' Doctrines in a
Laboratory of Human Behavior," Speech delivered at the Great Hall, King's
College, London, Monday, November 15, 1993. link to downloadable pdf
(recommended) Marcus Aurelius, Books 2 & 3, from Meditations, (167 A.C.E.),
(trans.) George Long. link to Meditations
(recommended) Lary Wallace, “Indifference is Power,” Aeon, (24 December 2014).
https://aeon.co/essays/why-stoicism-is-one-of-the-best-mind-hacks-ever-devised
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Week 5
Class Meeting: Monday, February 6th
Tutorials: Monday, February 6th & Wednesday, February 8th
Writing Philosophy
Chapters 3 & 4, Writing Philosophy: A Guide for Canadian Students, Second Edition,
Lewis Vaughn and Jillian Scott McIntosh. (Oxford, 2013).
The Buddhist Response to Suffering
Damien Keown, “Chapter 4: Four Noble Truths,” & “Chapter 7: Meditation” in
Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 1996).
(recommended) David Loy, “The 'Lack' of Money,” Huffington Post online edition,
January 23, 2014. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-loy/the-lack-ofmoney_b_4061279.html
(recommended) Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Finding Equanamity in
the Face of Suffering,” Chapter 10 from Happy Lives, Good Lives: Philosophical
Examination (Broadview, 2015)
***Friday, February 10th – Minor essay due***
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Essay must be uploaded to Turnitin by 11:59pm, EST
**Essays will be accepted until Sunday, February 12th, 11:59pm EST
without penalty.**
Failure to submit your essay to Turnitin will result in a 'O' for the assignment.
No assignments will be accepted by email attachment.
Week 6
Class Meeting: Monday, February 13th
Tutorials: Monday, February 13th & Wednesday, February 15th
Happiness: What is it and how is it Measured?
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Thinking about the Nature and Value of
Happiness,” Part 1 (Chapters 1, 2, & 3 ) from Happy Lives, Good Lives:
Philosophical Examination (Broadview, 2015)
(recommended) Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Justice and National
Happiness,” Chapter 11 from Happy Lives, Good Lives: Philosophical
Examination (Broadview, 2015)
(recommended) The Truman Show (1997) available to stream via York University
Library.
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Feb. 20th - 24th
READING WEEK – no class, tutorials, or office hours
Week 7
Class Meeting: Monday, February 27th
Tutorials: Monday, February 27th & Wednesday, March 1st
Happiness and Pleasure Part 1
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “The Feel-Good Feature of Happiness,”
Chapter 4 from Happy Lives, Good Lives:Philosophical Examination
(Broadview, 2015)
Jeremy Bentham, Chapter 1, “The Principle of Utility,” & Chapter 4, “Measuring
Pleasure and Pain,” from An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and
Legislation (1780). link to Bentham
John Stuart Mill, “What Utilitarianism is,” Chapter 2 from Utilitarianism (1863).
(required: pp. 4-11) link to Mill's Utilitarianism
(recommended) Jeremy Bentham, Chapter 5, “The Kinds of Pleasures and Pain,”
from An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1780). link to
Bentham
Happiness and Pleasure Part 2
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Taking Pleasure in Things and Feeling Joy,”
Chapter 5 from Happy Lives, Good Lives: Philosophical Examination
(Broadview, 2015)
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “Enjoyment and the Quality of Life,” Chapter 3 from Flow:
The Psychology of Optimal Experience. (HarperCollins Publishers, 1990).
(recommended) Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “The Conditions of Flow,” Chapter 4 from
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. (HarperCollins Publishers, 1990).
pp. 127-133 only
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Week 8
Class Meeting: Monday, March 6th
Tutorials: Monday, March 6th & Wednesday, March 8th
Happiness as Satisfaction
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Satisfied with What?,” Chapter 6 and “It’s
all about Perspective,” Chapter 7 from Happy Lives, Good Lives: Philosophical
Examination (Broadview, 2015)
Is Ignorance Bliss?
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Is Ignorance Bliss?,” Chapter 8 Happy
Lives, Good Lives: Philosophical Examination (Broadview, 2015)
Robert Nozick, “The Experience Machine,” from Happiness: Classic and Contemporary
Readings in Philosophy, (eds.), Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano. (Oxford,
2008).
Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano, “Choosing the Experience Machine,” Chapter
14, Cahn & Vitrano, Happiness and Goodness: Philosophical Reflections on
Living Well. (Columbia University Press, 2015).
(recommended)Daniel Haybron, “Why Hedonism is False,” from Happiness: Classic
and Contemporary Readings in Philosophy, (eds.), Steven M. Cahn and Christine
Vitrano. (Oxford, 2008).
Week 9
Class Meeting: Monday, March 13th
Tutorials: Monday, March 13th & Wednesday, March 15th
The Good Life – Happiness and Goodness
Jennifer Wilson Mulnix & M. J. Mulnix, “Happiness, Moral virtue, and
Purpose in Life,” Chapter 9 Happy Lives, Good Lives:
Philosophical Examination (Broadview, 2015)
the
Aristotle, Book I (sections 7, 8, & 9) , Book II (sections 1, 4, 6, & 9), &
(recommended) Book X (sections 6, 7, & 8) of Nicomachean Ethics (350
B.C.E.), (trans.). F.H. Peters link to Aristotle
Steven M. Cahn, “Happiness and Immorality,” from Happiness: Classic and
Contemporary Readings in Philosophy, (eds.), Steven M. Cahn and Christine
Vitrano. (Oxford, 2008).
Christine Vitrano, “Happiness & Morality,” from Happiness: Classic and
Contemporary Readings in Philosophy, (eds.), Steven M. Cahn and Christine
Vitrano. (Oxford, 2008).
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***Friday, March 17th – Major essay due***
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Essay must be uploaded to Turnitin by 11:59pm, EST
**Essays will be accepted until Sunday, March 19th, 11:59pm EST
without penalty.**
Failure to submit your essay to Turnitin will result in a 'O' for the assignment.
No assignments will be accepted by email attachment.
Friday, March 17th
Last Day to drop course
Week 10
Class Meeting: Monday, March 20th
Tutorials: Monday, March 20th & Wednesday, March 22nd
Should We Fear Death?
Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus, (trans.), Robert Drew Hicks.
link to Epicurus
Stephen E. Rosenbaum, “How to be Dead and Not Care: A Defense of Epicurus,”
American Philosophical Quarterly 23, 2 (1986) 217-225.
(recommended) Lucretius, Book 3 of On the Nature of Things, (50 B.C.E.), (trans.),
William Ellery Leonard. link to Lucretius
(recommended) Thomas Nagel, “Death,” Nous 4, 1 (1970) 73-80.
Should We Fear Human Extinction?
James Lenman, “On Becoming Extinct,” Pacific Philosophical Quarterly 83 (2002)
253-269.
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Week 11
Class Meeting: Monday, March 27th
Tutorials: Monday, March 27th & Wednesday, March 29th
The Mortality Paradox
Stephen Cave, “Everlasting Glory,” Aeon (19 December 19 2014).
https://aeon.co/essays/why-on-earth-would-we-sacrifice-our-lives-for-lastingfame
(recommended) Stephen Cave, Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How It
Drives Civilization. (Biteback Publishing, 2012).
Immortality -- Should we want to live forever?
Bernard Williams, “The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality,”
from Life, Death, & Meaning, Second Edition, (ed.), David Benatar (Rowman &
Littlefield, 2010).
(recommended) Simone de Beauvoir, All Men are Mortal. (Virago Reprint, 2003).
Week 12
Class Meeting: Monday, April 3rd
Tutorials: Monday, April 3rd & Wednesday, April 5th
Meaningful Lives
Susan Wolf, “The Meanings of Lives” from The Meaning of Life: A Reader, (eds.), E.D.
Klemke & Steven M. Cahn (Oxford, 2008).
Steven M. Cahn, “Meaningless Lives?” from The Meaning of Life: A Reader, (eds.),
E.D. Klemke & Steven M. Cahn (Oxford, 2008).
Final Exam Review
***TBA
Final Exam
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