Spring 2013
Philosophical Ethics
Course Number: PHIL 320
MWF 09 – 10:00 – 10:50 a.m.
MWF 11 – 11:00 – 11:50 a.m.
Instructor: David Zinn
Section Times:
Course Description
Philosophical ethics seeks basic principles for living a good and just life on many levels:
individually, communally, politically, and universally. It raises questions about happiness and
unhappiness, justice and injustice, desire and duty, freedom and responsibility. We aim to
heighten our awareness and sensitivity to the great challenges that human existence poses. We
seek to acquire the language skills, ideas, discernment, engagement, and willingness which will
allow us to enter the cultured discussion as educated and sympathetic participants. Ultimately we
aim for the wisdom in our judgments, the prudence in our choices, the fidelity in our character, by
which to form a world consistent with human dignity. We will read a number classical and
contemporary works in philosophy in the hope of reaching up to the minds and hearts of those
who have reflected deeply on the human condition.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. To acquire skills and knowledge by which to be able to take up an educated and just
stance to the world
2. To learn to read and write in an evaluative and critical manner; in other words, to learn to
discern, express, and take a stance toward foundational values as they appear in written
works and in lived practices
3. To become acquainted through primary sources with major philosophical ideas
4. To learn to converse with texts and with each other, first to listen actively and allow
ourselves to be addressed by voices other than our own, and then (but only then) to
respond with critical questions and observations of our own.
Required Texts:
1. Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by Martin Oswald. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall, 1999.
2. Singer, Peter. Writings on an Ethical Life. New York: Harper Perennial, 2001.
3. Sandel, Michael J. Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? Farrar, Straus and Giroux:
New York, 2009.
4. TBA
Prerequisites/Recommended Background
Philosophy Ethics satisfies a core course requirement. There are no prerequisites.
Course Work/Expectations
1. Assignments and grading breakdown to be determined
2. Departmental and class policies will be announced