CONTEMPORARY ARISTOTELIAN NATURALISM:
SPRING 2013
REVISED SYLLABUS
(revised 3/11/2012: subject to further revision)
INSTRUCTOR: MICAH LOTT micahelias@gmail.com
Office hours: Wed 2-3pm, Thurs 2-3pm, and by appointment
Course Time: Tue/Thurs: 3pm.
Location: Devlin 112
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS
In recent decades, there has been a revival of interest in Aristotelian naturalism in the work of
philosophers such as Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, and Michael Thompson. In the first part
of the course, we will consider how contemporary Aristotelian naturalists have connected ethics and
the "logic of life." The second part of the course focuses on Aristotelian accounts of moral virtue
and right action. We will be especially concerned with Aristotelian accounts of justice, and how
those compare to rule-consequentialism, on the hand, and Kantian contractualism, on the other.
TEXTS
The following texts are required and available in the BC bookstore. Please purchase the
translations/editions available in the bookstore.
- FOOT Natural Goodness
- THOMPSON Life and Action
- O’HEAR (ed) Modern Moral Philosophy
Shorter readings will be made available as PDFs
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
I) ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION. If you choose to take this class, it is mandatory to attend the
seminar and participate actively. I will often ask you for questions/comments on the readings at the
beginning of class.
II) ASSIGNMENTS:
- Presentations: Each member of the seminar will be required to give one presentations on
the day’s reading. Worth 10% of the final grade.
- Final paper, 15-20 pages in length. Worth 90% of grade.
GRADING
You will receive both letter and numerical grades for each assignment. The numerical grades will be
used to calculate your final grade. Numerical and letter grades correspond as follows:
1
A 10.0-9.5
B+ 8.9-8.7
C+ 7.9-7.7
D 6.9-6.0
A- 9.4-9.0
B 8.6-8.4
B- 8.3-8.0
C 7.6-7.3
C- 7.3-7.0
F 5.9 and below
Late papers will be deducted .5 for each day after the deadline they are received. No extensions are
allowed, outside of tragedy.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is forbidden. Plagiarism undermines the enterprise of learning. It is dishonest. It is
disrespectful to your fellow students, to your instructor, and to yourself. Do not plagiarize. For
penalties and guidelines, please see the BC website.
ELECTRONICS
All electronic devices should be switched to silent mode before coming to class. Because laptops,
tablets, and smart phones tend to be a distraction and an impediment to discussion, their use is
strictly prohibited. Bring your text, your mind, and a pencil and paper!
SPECIAL CONCERNS
If you have any questions or concerns – including any concerns related to a disability or special need
– please feel free to speak with me or email me. I am happy to make accommodations. I want all of
you to be able to learn in a safe, comfortable environment. If you require any accommodation, speak
to me at the beginning of the term. Do not wait till assignments are due to bring this to my attention.
If you are an athlete who needs to miss class in order to play in games, you must give me your game
schedule at the beginning of the term. Based on the number of classes you will miss, we can then
decide if this class is a good option for you. As always at Boston College, athletic practices are not an
acceptable reason for missing class.
2
SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
NB:
THE READING IS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE CLASS ON THE DAY THE ASSIGNMENT IS LISTED.
1
(1/15)
2
(1/17)
Anscombe – “Modern Moral Influential essay from the 1950s. Anscombe’s
Philosophy”
rejection of Kantianism and consequentialism, and
suggestions for a new program in practical philosophy.
Philippa Foot Natural Goodness “A Fresh Start?” and “Natural Norms”
- chapters 1& 2
3
(1/22)
Michael Thompson Life and “Introductory” and “Can Life be Given a Real
Action
Definition”
- chapters 1 & 2
4
(1/24)
Michael Thompson Life and “The Representation of the Living Individual”
Action
- chapter 3
5
(1/29)
Michael Thompson Life and “The Representation of the Life-Form Itself”
Action
- chapter 4
6
(1/31)
Philippa Foot Natural Goodness
- chapter 3:
7
(2/5)
8
(2/7)
Michael Thompson
“Apprehending
Form” in MMP
“Transition to Human beings”
Human
Philippa Foot Natural Goodness
- chapter 4: “Practical
Rationality”
Foot:
“Rationality
Goodness” in MMP
and
9
(2/12)
Anselm Muller: “Acting Well” Sympathetic criticism of Foot. The practicality of
in MMP
moral judgments.
10
(2/14)
Christopher Gowans: “Virtue Criticism of Foot.
and Nature”
3
11
(2/19)
Andreou: “Getting on in a Criticism of Foot. Multiple sound types. The
Varied World”
“Pollyanna Problem” for Aristotelianism.
Milgram: “Review of Life and
Action”
12
(2/21)
13
(2/26)
14
(2/28)
Matthias Hasse: “Practically How must a project of ethical naturalism succeed on
Self-Conscious Life”
its own terms?
15
(3/12)
Hasse continued.
16
(3/14)
Philippa Foot Natural Goodness
- chapters 5 and 6 “Happiness
and Human Good” and
“Immoralism”
17
(3/19)
Mark Lebar: “Aristotelian
Constructivism”
18
(3/21)
Mark Lebar: “Good for You”
19
(3/26)
Elizabeth Anscombe: “Rules, Promises as “naturally untintelligible.” The importance
Rights, and Promises” and of stopping modals.
“On Promising and Its
Justice”
20
(4/2)
Elizabeth Anscombe: “On the Stopping modals, “necessary tasks”, and Anscombe’s
Authority of the State”
approach to ‘the rights of man.’
21
(4/4)
Michael Thompson Life and “Two Tendencies in Practical Philosophy”
Action – chapter 9
22
(4/9)
Michael Thompson Life and “Practices and Dispositions as the Sources of the
Action – chapter 10
Goodness of Individual Actions”
4
23
(4/11)
Michael Thompson Life and “Practice and Disposition as Sources of Individual
Action – chapter 11
Action”
++ Paper Idea Due ++ (About 1 page)
24
(4/16)
Michael Thompson: “What is it Bipolar normativity and a “practical nexus” of agents.
to Wrong Someone?”
25
(4/18)
Alasdair
MacIntyre
– What can Aristotelians learn from Mill?
“Truthfulness and Lies, Part I”
26
(4/23)
Alasdair
MacIntyre
– What can Aristotelians learn from Kant?
“Truthfulness and Lies, Part
II”
27
(4/25)
An attempt to imbed “second-personal reasons” into
Mark Lebar – “Virtue Ethics Aristotelian theory, and a critique of that attempt.
and Deontic Contraints”
Brad Cokelet: “Two-level
Eudaimonism and Second- + Paper Rough Draft or Detailed Outline Due +
Personal Reasons”
28
(4/30)
Nicholas Wolterstorff: “Why
Eudaimonism Cannot Serve as
a Theory of Rights”
29
(5/2)
Brad Hooker: “The Collapse of
Virtue Ethics”
5/9 ++ Final Paper Due ++
5