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Introduction
to Moral
Philosophy

130-B


     
 

Day  

Topic
 

Handouts
and
Class Notes


Readings

Assignments
8/23 (Tu)
Introduction to Class
Syllabus

Participation Rubric

No Readings


 
8/25 (Th) Friends and Family Worksheet on Writing in a Clear and Precise Manner "Personal Relationships" by Lawrence Blum

Reading Questions

8/30 (Tu)
Worksheet on Interpreting an Author "What Do Grown Children Owe Their Parents?" by Jane English

Reading Questions

9/1 (Th)
Sample Quiz "Can Parents and Children be Friends?" by Joseph Kupfer

Reading Questions
Paperling 1

Student Sample 1
Student Sample 2

Sample We Constructed in Class
9/6 (Tu)
Intro to Moral Theory Worksheet on Reconstructing Arguments

Class Notes
"Consequentialism" by Julian Baggini and Peter S. Fosl

"Deontological Ethics" by Julian Baggini and Peter S. Fosl

"Virtue Ethics" by Julian Baggini and Peter S. Fosl

No
te: You only have to read one of these; check the reading questions for details!

Reading Questions

9/8 (Th)

"Who's to Judge?" by Louis Pojman

Reading Questions
Paperling 2

Student Sample 1
Student Sample 2

Sample We Constructed in Class

9/13 (Tu) Rights to Children Worksheet on Objections and Counter-Arguments "Licensing Parents" by Hugh LaFollette

Reading Questions

9/15 (Th)

"On Licentious Licensing: A Reply to Hugh LaFollette" by Lawrence E. Frisch

Reading Questions
Paperling 3

Student Sample 1
Student Sample 2

Sample We Constructed in Class

9/20 (Tu) Fulfillment, Well-Being, Quality of Life Worksheet on Writing Concisely "Happiness, Well-Being and the Good Life: A Primer" by Daniel Haybron

Reading Questions

9/22 (Th)

"The Case Against Kids" by Elizabeth Kolbert

Better Never to Have Been (excerpts) by David Benatar

Reading Questions
Paperling 4

Student Sample 1
Student Sample 2

Sample We Constructed in Class


9/27 (Tu) Beauty
Excerpts on Beauty

Reading Questions

9/29 (Th)

Note: No readings today!

Questions
Paperling 5

Student Sample 1
Student Sample 2

Sample We Constructed in Class
10/4 (Tu) Meaning of Life
"Religion Gives Meaning to Life" by Lois Hope Walker"

"Existentialism as a Humanism" by Jean-Paul Sartre

Reading Questions

10/6 (Th)

Selections from Meaning in Life and Why It Matters by Stephen Macedo and Susan Wolf

Selections from Buddhism by Damien Keown

Reading Questions
Paperling 6
10/11 (Tu) Torture
"Can Torture Ever by Moral" with Gary Gutting and Jeff McMahan

Reading Questions

10/13 (Th)
Group 1 Handout
Group 2 Handout
Group 3 Handout
Group 4 Handout
Note: no readings today -- we're doing an in-class activity.
10/18 (Tu) War
"Just War" by Jeff McMahan

"Straightforward Answers to Basic Questions about Syria's War" by Max Fisher

"In Fight for Aleppo, Tangled Alliances in Syria Add to Chaos" by Ann Bernard

Reading Questions

10/20 (Th)

Interview with Cécile Fabre on Remembrance

Listening Questions
Prospectus
10/25 (Tu) Prospectus Discussion
Link to Prospectuses

Reading Questions

10/27 (Th) Capital Punishment
A Defense of the Death Penalty" by Louis P. Pojman

Reading Questions

11/1 (Tu)

“Why We Should Put the Death Penalty to Rest” by Stephen Nathanson

Reading Questions

11/3 (Th) Assisted Suicide
"Active and Passive Euthanasia" by James Rachels

Reading Questions

11/8 (Tu)

Interview on Life and Death Decision-Making with Peter Singer

Optional Readings:

Case 1
Case 2
Case 3
Case 4

Reading Questions

11/10 (Th)

Note: no readings today -- we're doing an in-class activity. Rough Draft
11/15 (Tu) Rough Draft Discussion

Link to rough drafts

Reading Questions

11/17 (Th) Prostitution
"Is Prostitution Harmful" by Ole Martin Moen

Reading Questions

11/29 (Tu)

"Is Prostitution Harmful" by Ole Martin Moen

"Comment on 'Is Prostitution Harmful' " by Scott A Anderson

"Intrinsic Versus Contingent Claims About the Harmfulness of Prostitution" by Rosalind J McDougall

"Prostitution and Harm: A Reply to Anderson and McDougall" by Ole Martin Moen

Reading Questions

12/1 (Th) Should we have the freedom to do whatever we want, so long as it doesn't harm anyone?
"Liberty, Coercion, and the Limits of the State" by Alan Wertheimer

Reading Questions

12/6 (Tu)

"Liberty, Coercion, and the Limits of the State" by Alan Wertheimer

Reading Questions

12/8 (Th) Concluding Discussion
No Readings
12/12 (M) Note: Not a Class Day Final Paper