SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Moral Psychology
Spring 2014
PHIL 3XX/ PSYC 3XX
MWF 8:30 - 9:20am
Math and Sciences Center N306
Instructor: Julia Haas
Contact: jshaas@emory.edu
Office Hours: W 10:00-12:00pm, TH 3:00-4:00pm
Course Description
In this course, students will learn about the major topics and themes in the field of moral psychology by
critically examining philosophical and contemporary scientific research on the nature of human moral
functioning. Exploring these issues in an interdisciplinary spirit, we will aim to arrive at a broad sense of the
problems and methods that currently inform contemporary discussions in moral psychology. We will cover a
variety of topics, including the evolution of morality, moral motivation, moral emotions, moral intuitions and
judgments, race and racial recognition, and feminist critiques of moral psychology.
Course Objectives
a. To critically engage with philosophical and scientific approaches to moral psychology
b. To take part in meaningful conversations about moral psychology and its potential social and ethical
implications
c. To improve students’ critical reading, writing and thinking skills through regular discussions and
assignments
Required Texts
Hume, David: Enquiries Concerning the Principles of Morals
Kant, Immanuel: Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals
Mill, John Stuart: Utilitarianism
Doris, John M.: The Moral Psychology Handbook
*Additional materials will be made available online.
ISBN: 978-0915145454
ISBN: 978-0872201668
ISBN: 978-0872206052
ISBN: 978-0199582143
Course Outline and Readings
INTRODUCTION
Week 1. Introduction: What is moral psychology, and why is it important for us?
 J. Doris and S. Stich, ‘Moral Psychology: Empirical Approaches,’ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
 M. Johnson, ‘How moral psychology changes moral theory,’ (Eds.) L. May, M. Friedman, and A.
Clark, Mind and morals: Essays on ethics and cognitive science, 45-68
HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
Week 2. Hume and Sentimentalism
 Hume, D., Enquiries Concerning the Principles of Morals
Week 3. Kant and Rationalism
 Kant, I., Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals

Kant, I., ‘On the Common Saying: ‘This May Be True in Theory, But It Does Not Apply in Practice,’
Political Writings, Ed. H.S. Reiss
Week 4. Mill and Utilitarianism
 Mill, J.S., Utilitarianism
BASIC CONCEPTS IN MORAL PSYCHOLOGY
Week 5. Morality and Evolution
 Machery and Mallon, ‘Evolution of Morality,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 1)
 S.F. Brosnan and F. de Waal, ‘Monkeys reject unequal pay,’ Nature, 425, 297
 L. Cosmides and J. Tooby, ‘Can a General Deontic Logic Capture the Facts of Human Moral
Reasoning? How the Mind Interprets Social Exchange Rules and Detects Cheaters, Moral Psychology:
Vol.1, Ed. W. Sinnott-Armstrong
Week 6. Moral Motivation
 T. Schroeder, A. Roskies, S. Nichols, ‘Moral Motivation,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 3)
 Blair, R., ‘A Cognitive Developmental Approach to Morality: Investigating the Psychopath,’
Cognition, 5676, 1-29.
 L. Vijayaraghavan, J. G. Vaidya, C.T. Humphreys, L.J. Beglinger, S. Paradiso, ‘Emotional and
motivational changes after bilateral lesions of the globus pallidus,’ Neuropsychology, 22 (3), 412-418.
Week 7. Moral Emotions
 J. Prinz, S. Nichols, ‘Moral Emotions,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 4)
 A. Baird, ‘Adolescent Moral Reasoning: The Integration of Emotion and Cognition,’ Moral Psychology:
Vol.3, E. W. Sinnott-Armstrong
 J. Greene, R. Sommerville, L. Nystrom, J. Darley, J. D. Cohen, ‘An fMRI investigation of emotional
engagement in moral judgment,’ Science, 293, 2105-2108
Week 8. Moral Intuitions
 F. Cushman, L. Young, J. Greene, ‘Multi-system Moral Psychology,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 2)
 W. Sinnott-Armstrong, L. Young, F. Cushman, ‘Moral Intuitions,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 7)
 J. Haidt, ‘The emotional dog and its rational tail: a social intuitionist approach to moral judgment,’
Psychological Review, 108, 814-834.
Week 9. Moral Reasoning
 G. Harman, K. Mason, W. Sinnott-Armstrong, ‘Moral Reasoning,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 6)
 J. Greene, ‘The Secret Joke of Kant’s Soul,’ Moral Psychology: Vol.3, Ed. W. Sinnott-Armstrong
 S. Nichols, R. Mallon, ‘Moral Dilemmas and Moral Rules,’ Cognition, 100(3), 530-542
MORAL AND IMMORAL BEHAVIORS
Week 10. Altruism and Egoism
 S. Stich, J. Doris, E. Roedder, ‘Altruism,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 5)

C. Daniel Batson, ‘How Social an Animal: the Human Capacity for Caring,’ American Psychologist, 45,
3, 339-346.
 E. Sober, D. S. Wilson, ‘Summary of Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior,’
Journal of Consciousness Studies, 185-189.
Week 11. Agency, Responsibility and Free Will
 D.M. Wegner, ‘The mind’s best trick: How we experience conscious will,’ Trends in Cognitive Science, 7,
65-69.
 E. Nahmias, ‘Agency, Authorship, and Illusion,’ Consciousness and Cognition, 14, 771-785.
 A. R. Mele, ‘Scientific Skepticism About Free Will,’ Moral Psychology: Historical and Contemporary
Readings, Eds. T. Nadelhofer, E. Nahmias, S. Nichols, 295-305.
Week 12. Race and Racial Recognition
 M. Merritt, J. Doris, G. Haman, ‘Race and Recognition,’ Moral Psychology Handbook (Ch. 13)
 A. Greenwald, D. McGhee, J. Schwartz, ‘Measuring Individual Differences in Implicit Cognition:
The Implicit Association Test,’ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(6), 1464-1480.
 M. Bertrand and S. Mullainathan, ‘Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal?:
A Field Experiment on Labor Market and Discrimination,’ Poverty Action Lab Paper No. 3
Week 13. Feminist Moral Psychology
 C. Wilson, ‘The Preferences of Women,’ Moral Psychology: Feminist Ethics and Social Theory, 99-119
 P. DesAutels, ‘Moral Mindfulness,’ Moral Psychology: Feminist Ethics and Social Theory, 69-81
 O. Flanagan, K. Jackson, ‘Justice, Care, and Gender: The Kohlberg-Gilligan Debate Revisited,’ Ethics,
97(3), 622–637.
Evaluation
Grades for this course will be determined by attendance and participation, homework assignments, quizzes,
problem sets, and a final exam.
I. Attendance and participation: 9%
II. In-class quizzes (9): 16%
There will be nine in-class quizzes over the course of the semester. Each quiz will be worth 2%, and your
lowest quiz score will be dropped. They will be designed to evaluate your critical reading skills. They will not
be worth very much in your final grade, but they will serve as essential indicators of how well you are grasping
particular concepts and help you stay on track for the final exam.
II. Short Essay Writing Assignments (3): 30%
There will be three short (3-4page) writing assignments designed to help you integrate the course material and
prepare you for the final paper assignment. I will distribute further guidelines, and a portion of one class
session will be devoted to paper writing so we can discuss the process in more detail.
Each assignment will be due by 9 pm on the night prior to the class for which the reading is assigned and
must be submitted via Blackboard.
III. Final paper (10-12 pages): 25%
You will also write one longer (10-12 page) research paper on a topic of your choice. I will distribute further
guidelines, and a portion of one class session will be devoted to writing the final paper.
i)
Prospectus – A short (500-750 word) outline clearly describing your proposed argument and
including your preliminary sources of evidence. The prospectus will be due March X, 2014 at
5pm and must be submitted via Blackboard.
ii)
Optional Draft – You may choose to submit a draft of your paper on March X 2014. It will be
returned to you on April X, 2014.
iii)
Final Paper – The final draft of your paper will be due on April X, 2014 at 5pm and must be
submitted via Blackboard.
IV. Final Exam: 20%
The final exam will be cumulative. It is scheduled for May Xx, 2014, from x-xpm.
Policies
Late Work
All work is due at the date and time listed. Late work will be penalized by one grade per day (eg. from an A to
an A-).
Letter Grades
A 100-94%
B+ 89-87%
C+ 79-77%
D+ 69-67%
F <60%
A- 93-90%
B 86-84%
C 76-74%
D 66-60%
B- 83-80%
C- 73-70%
Academic Integrity
You are expected to follow the Emory College Honor Code. For more information, please visit
http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/policy/honor_code.html
Disability and Access
If you require any special accommodations, please contact me in person or via email. I will more than happy
to work with you and help coordinate any arrangements that may be of assistance. You are also encouraged
to contact and register with the Office of Disability Services, Administration Building, Suite 110 and at (404)
727-9877.
Revisions to Syllabus
Please note: this syllabus is subject to change at any time during the semester. Any changes will be announced
in class and noted on a revised syllabus posted to the Blackboard site for the course.