SPRING 2012 – PHI 119-01: INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
MWF 0900-0950 SOEB 226
Bas van der Vossen
Email: b_vande2@uncg.edu
Office hours: MF 11am‐12noon, Curry 243
Course Materials: We will be using James Rachels & Stuart Rachels, The Elements of
Moral Philosophy, 6th edition, or newer (McGraw-Hill). Other readings listed will be
provided on Blackboard.
Aim of the Course: An important objective of this course is to make you familiar with
the discipline of ethics. We will not as questions as: is killing wrong? Or: is it ever
permissible to torture someone? Instead, we will ask questions that are prior to this,
like: is there such a thing as right or wrong? If so, why are some things wrong and other
right? The course will first look at some views about the nature of ethics and then
inspects different moral theories, such as Divine Command theory, Kant and Aristotle’s
moral theories and utilitarianism. Another important objective of this course is to
become familiar with, and able to evaluate, philosophical reasoning about moral issues.
This will be the main focus of lectures, as well as the direct topic of weeks 1 & 2 and the
first quiz.
Assessment: Your final grade will consist of the following four elements. On Monday of
week 3 there will be a quiz focusing on your critical thinking skills. On Friday of week 7
there will be an in-class quiz focusing on the readings and what has been discussed in
class in weeks 3-7. On Monday of week 13 there will be a quiz focusing on the readings
and what has been discussed in class in weeks 8-12. The final exam will be slightly longer.
It will ask questions about the entire term, with additional focus on the material
discussed from week 8 on.
The three quizzes during term will each make up for 20% of your final grade, the final for
the remaining 40%. (Note: I will post the results of your quizzes on blackboard as soon
as I have finished grading them. Any emails inquiring into the nature of your grade
before I have handed back your quiz in class will remain unanswered.)
I will not be taking attendance. Do not come for me, come for yourself. If you do not
find this class worthy of your time, I hope you will spend your time better. And if you
feel the class can be improved, please do let me know.
Missed Quizzes/Exams: Only under extraordinary circumstances (i.e. severe medical
emergencies) will you be allowed to make up a quiz if you are a no‐show. Otherwise you
will receive a zero on that quiz.
My Expectations: This class does not require any prior philosophical training. I will come
to each class with a prepared lecture but also expect you to participate. Ask questions,
even if you believe yours may not be a good one. If you’ve thought about it, probably
someone else has too. Class is not an exam. Moreover, if you ask a question, do not
hesitate to take your time. This course is a success if you find yourself thinking about
these topics. Respectful discussion is an absolute requirement. I will never hold against
you what you say in class, I will hold against you how you say it.
Academic Integrity: As a student of the University of North Carolina you are required to
know and abide by all of the university policies concerning academic integrity and
academic honesty. Familiarizing yourself with these policies is your responsibility. Any
act of cheating will result not only in you failing the class, but also in a recommendation
of suspension. If you are in any way uncertain about what constitutes cheating you are
encouraged to see me in advance for clarification rather than to plead ignorance after
the fact.
Academic Freedom: Speak your mind. Academic freedom is for us one of the highest
goods. The objective of this class is not to agree – nor is it to disagree – with anything
the authors or I think. It is to come to formulate ideas of your own. Whatever they are,
all I will ask of you is that you can support them with coherent arguments and that you
discuss with each other and with me in a respectful manner.
Accommodations: If you have a disability and need any form of academic
accommodation, please contact me as soon as possible. I will do my very best to try and
have such accommodations provided.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: Critical Thinking
1/14 Schmidtz & Brennan, “Psychological Freedom” (available on blackboard)
1/16 Abel, “Essentials of Logic and Argumentation” (available on blackboard)
1/18 Abel, “Essentials of Logic and Argumentation” (available on blackboard)
Unit 2: Critical Thinking – Reading on Blackboard
1/21 Dr. Martin Luther King Day
1/23 Abel, “Essentials of Logic and Argumentation” (available on blackboard)
1/25 Abel, “Essentials of Logic and Argumentation” (available on blackboard)
Unit 3: What is Morality?
1/28 Abel, “Essentials of Logic and Argumentation” (available on blackboard)
1/30 Quiz #1
2/1
Rachels, ch. 1
2/4
Rachels, ch. 1
Unit 4: The Challenge of Cultural Relativism
2/6
Geertz, The Religion of Java (available on blackboard)
2/8
Rachels, ch. 2
2/11 Rachels, ch. 2
Unit 5: Subjectivism in Ethics
2/13 Hume, “Morality as Based on Sentiment” (available on blackboard)
2/15 Rachels, ch. 3
2/18 Rachels, ch. 3
Unit 6: Does Morality Depend on Religion?
2/20 Rachels, ch. 4
2/22 Rachels, ch. 4
2/25 Rachels, ch. 4
Unit 7: Ethical Egoism
2/27 Rachels, ch. 5
3/1
Rachels, ch. 5
3/4
Quiz #2
Unit 8: The Idea of a Social Contract
3/6
Hobbes, Leviathan (available on blackboard)
3/8
Rachels, ch. 6
Spring Break
3/18 Rachels, ch. 6
3/20 Rachels, ch. 6
Unit 9: The Utilitarian Approach
3/22 Rachels, ch. 7
3/25 Rachels, ch. 7
Unit 10: The Debate over Utilitarianism
3/27 Mill, Utilitarianism (available on blackboard)
3/29 Spring holiday – no class
4/1
Rachels, ch. 8
4/3
Rachels, ch. 8
Unit 11: Are There Absolute Moral Rules?
4/5
Rachels, ch. 9
4/8
Rachels, ch. 9
Unit 12: Kant and Respect for Persons
4/10 Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (available on blackboard)
4/12 Rachels, ch. 10
4/15 Rachels, ch. 10
4/17 Quiz #3
Unit 13: The Ethics of Virtue
4/19 Rachels, ch. 12
4/22 Rachels, ch. 12
4/24 Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (available on blackboard)
Unit 14: Feminism and the Ethics of Care
4/26 Rachels, ch. 11
4/29 Rachels, ch. 11
Unit 15: What Would a Satisfactory Moral Theory Be Like? & Recap
4/30 Rachels, ch. 13
5/6
Final exam (08:00AM – 11:00AM)