Moral Psychology
Spring 2014
PHIL 385/ PSYC 385
TTH 4:00 – 5:15pm
PAIS 230
Instructor: Julia Haas
Contact: jshaas@emory.edu
Office Hours: T 1:00-2:00pm, F 2:00-3:00pm
Office: Bowden 109
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 emotions,
moral intuitions and judgments, moral motivation, 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 essay assignments
Required Texts
Hume, David: Enquiries Concerning the Principles of Morals
ISBN: 978-0915145454
Kant, Immanuel: Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals
ISBN: 978-0872201668
Mill, John Stuart: Utilitarianism
ISBN: 978-0872206052
Doris, John M.: The Moral Psychology Handbook
ISBN: 978-0199582143
*Additional materials will be made available on Blackboard under ‘Readings’
Course Outline and Readings
Date
January 14, 2014
Topic
Reading
INTRODUCTION
Introduction: What is J. Doris and S. Stich,
moral psychology, and ‘Moral Psychology:
why is it important for Empirical Approaches
us?
(Selection)’ from
Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy
Assignment(s) and
Events
January 16, 2014
January 21, 2014
January 23, 2014
February 4, 2014
February 6, 2014
February 11, 2014
February 13, 2014
February 18, 2014
February 20, 2014
Empirical approaches
to ethics, continued
Flanagan, O.,
Sarkissian, H., Wong,
D., “Naturalizing
Ethics,” in Moral
Psychology Vol. 1:
Adaptations and
Innateness, 1-26.
HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
Hume and
Hume, D., Enquiries
Sentimentalism
Concerning the Principles
of Morals
Hume and
Hume, D., Enquiries
Sentimentalism
Concerning the Principles
of Morals
RA
RA
RA
Owen Flanagan at Agnes
Scott College at 7:30 p.m.
The title of his talk is
“What Does
Neuroscience Have To
Do With Ethics?”
January 28-30, 2014: No Class
Kant and Rationalism Kant, I., Groundwork for RA
the Metaphysics of Morals
Preface - Section II,
until end 4:423
Kant and Rationalism Kant, I., Groundwork for RA
the Metaphysics of Morals
Section II, 4:424 – end
Mill and Utilitarianism Mill, J.S., Utilitarianism RA
Chapters 1-3
Mill and Utilitarianism Mill, J.S., Utilitarianism RA
Chapters 4-5
BASIC CONCEPTS IN MORAL PSYCHOLOGY
Morality and
S.F. Brosnan and F. de RA
Evolution
Waal, ‘Monkeys reject Sarah Brosnan Guest
unequal pay,’ Nature,
Lecture
425, 297
(Sripada, C. and Stich,
S, “A Framework for
the Psychology of
Norms, in The Innate
Mind: Culture and
Cognition, 280-301 
depending on
schedule)
Morality and
Evolution
Machery, E. and
Mallon, R., ‘Evolution
RA
of Morality,’ Moral
Psychology Handbook
(Ch. 1)
A. Baird, ‘Adolescent
Moral Reasoning: The
Integration of
Emotion and
Cognition,’ Moral
Psychology Vol.3: The
Neuroscience of Morality
– Emotions, Brain
Disorders, and
Development
J. Prinz, S. Nichols,
‘Moral Emotions,’
Moral Psychology
Handbook (Ch. 4)
February 25, 2014
Moral Emotions
February 27, 2014
Moral Emotions
March 4, 2014
Moral Intuitions
W. SinnottArmstrong, L. Young,
F. Cushman, ‘Moral
Intuitions,’ Moral
Psychology Handbook
(Ch. 7)
March 6, 2014
Moral Intuitions
F. Cushman, L. Young, RA
J. Greene, ‘Multisystem Moral
Psychology,’ Moral
Psychology Handbook (Ch.
2)
March 18, 2014
March 20, 2014
SPRING BREAK
Moral Reasoning
Sinnott-Armstrong,
W., Mallon R.,
McCoy, T., Hull, J.,
‘Intention, Temporal
Order, and Moral
Judgments,” Mind &
Language, 90-106.
Moral Reasoning
G. Harman, K.
Mason, W. SinnottArmstrong, ‘Moral
Reasoning,’ Moral
Psychology Handbook
(Ch. 6)
RA
RA
Short Paper Due
RA
RA
RA
March 25, 2014
Moral Motivation
March 27, 2014
Moral Motivation
April 1, 2014
April 3, 2014
April 8, 2014
Blair, R., ‘A Cognitive
Developmental
Approach to Morality:
Investigating the
Psychopath,’ Cognition,
5676, 1-29.
RA
T. Schroeder, A.
Roskies, S. Nichols,
‘Moral Motivation,’
Moral Psychology
Handbook (Ch. 3)
MORAL AND IMMORAL BEHAVIORS
Race and Racial
M. Bertrand and S.
Recognition
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
A. Greenwald, D.
McGhee, J. Schwartz,
‘Measuring Individual
Differences in Implicit
Cognition: The
Implicit Association
Test,’ Journal of
Personality and Social
Psychology, 74(6), 14641480.
Race and Racial
M. Merritt, J. Doris,
Recognition
G. Haman, ‘Race and
Recognition,’ Moral
Psychology Handbook
(Ch. 13)
Feminist Moral
C. Wilson, ‘The
Psychology
Preferences of
Women,’ Moral
Psychology: Feminist
Ethics and Social Theory,
99-119
P. DesAutels, ‘Moral
Mindfulness,’ Moral
RA
RA
RA
RA
April 10, 2014
April 15, 2014
April 17, 2014
April 22, 2014
April 24, 2014
Psychology: Feminist
Ethics and Social Theory,
69-81
Feminist Moral
O. Flanagan, K.
Psychology
Jackson, ‘Justice, Care,
and Gender: The
Kohlberg-Gilligan
Debate Revisited,’
Ethics, 97(3), 622–637.
Agency,
D.M. Wegner, ‘The
Responsibility, and
mind’s best trick: How
Free Will
we experience
conscious will,’ Trends
in Cognitive Science, 7,
65-69.
E. Nahmias, ‘Agency,
Authorship, and
Illusion,’ Consciousness
and Cognition, 14, 771785.
Agency,
A. R. Mele, ‘Scientific
Responsibility, and
Skepticism About Free
Free Will
Will,’ Moral Psychology:
Historical and
Contemporary Readings,
Eds. T. Nadelhofer, E.
Nahmias, S. Nichols,
295-305
Altruism and Egoism
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.
Altruism and Egoism
S. Stich, J. Doris, E.
Roedder, ‘Altruism,’
Moral Psychology
Handbook (Ch. 5)
Final Paper Due May 1, 2014
RA
RA
Eddy Nahmias Guest
Lecture
RA
RA
RA
Evaluation
Grades for this course will be determined by attendance and participation, reading assignments, a
presentation, and two essays.
I. Attendance and participation: 10%
Attendance is mandatory.
II. Reading Assignments: 10%
The readings form the foundation for your learning and development in this course. Reading the
text carefully and critically is the assignment, but you’ve got to show me that you’ve done it. You can
do this is in a couple of ways:
1.
2.
3.
Take handwritten notes as you read
Take notes on your computer as you read
Prepare a typed, 200-word summary of the assigned reading.
You must come to class having read the assigned text and having completed (and if applicable,
printed) the accompanying homework assignment. I will collect your assignments at the beginning
of each class. These assignments will be graded based on participation, but a repeated failure to
complete them ‘in good faith’ will be reflected in your final grade.
III. Presentation: 20%
One key component of this course is to help you develop your speaking and presentation skills. To
this end, you will be asked to prepare a short (7-10 min) presentation. You can structure your talk in
a couple of ways:
1. (LI) Lead in: situate the topic of the day, explain why the issue is important, and evaluate
how well the associated reading assignment tackles it
2. (CC) Compare and contrast: situate the week’s readings, discuss how they are similar or
different, and evaluate how they stack up
3. (TA) Take-away: review the essential points of the day’s reading, evaluate the text, and
explain its implications and future directions
Regardless of which format you choose, the emphasis will be on analysis rather that on summarizing
the text or texts. Ask yourself, ‘why is this text important/interesting/dissatisfying,’ and then
provide robust reasons and/or empirical evidence to defend your position.
IV. Short Essay: 20%
There will be one short (8-10 page) essay assignment designed to help you integrate the course
material. 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.
V. Long Essay (12-14 pages): 30%
You will also write one longer (12-14 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.
Policies
Computers in class
Laptop use in the classroom is negatively related to student learning ((Fried 2006) – available on
Blackboard under ‘Readings’). Hence, no laptops.
NB. If you have a specific reason for using a laptop in class, however, please don’t hesitate to speak
with me.
Late Work
All work is due at the date and time listed. Daily readings do not count after the material has been
discussed in class. Longer assignments will be penalized by one grade per day (eg. from an A to an
A-). Seriously.
Letter Grades
A 100-93%
B+ 89-87%
C+ 79-77%
D+ 69-67%
F <60%
A- 92-90%
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 during the semester. Any changes will be announced in
class and noted on a revised syllabus posted to the Blackboard site for the course.