The
materials that you'll need for Ethics I will all be found here. You can
find links to readings and notes below. The notes are a supplement
only. You must still attend lectures, discussion sections with GTAs, and
read the assigned readings. My advice would be to turn to the notes
only after you've met with your GTAs and always do the reading prior to
lecture. You should reach each of the writings linked in preparation
for the lecture at least once.
Syllabus
Week 1 – Death
Epicurus and Lucretius, Selections
Kamm, The Asymmetry Problem
Week 2 – Well-Being
For Mill, focus on Chapters 2 and 4
For Mill, focus on Chapters 2 and 4
Mill, Utilitarianism
Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia
Parfit, Reasons and Persons
Week 3 – Consequentialism
Mill, Utilitarianism [The Mill reading is long, just focus on Chapters 2 and 4.]
Week 4 – Consequentialism (II)
Rawls, A Theory of Justice
Week 5 – Virtue Ethics
Driver, “Virtue Theory”
Week 6 – Kantian Ethics
Notes
Week 7 – Animals
Singer, All Animals are Equal [A classic, but the essential argument is the marginal cases argument discussed in Norcross.]
Kant, Lectures on Ethics
Korsgaard, Fellow Creatures
Norcross, Puppies, Pigs, and People
Notes
ENJOY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jruaU0f4UVQ
[The first three readings are on more theoretical questions about the moral status of animals and the last contains a series of arguments about the duties we have concerning animals.]
Week 7 – Animals
Singer, All Animals are Equal [A classic, but the essential argument is the marginal cases argument discussed in Norcross.]
Kant, Lectures on Ethics
Korsgaard, Fellow Creatures
Norcross, Puppies, Pigs, and People
Notes
ENJOY! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jruaU0f4UVQ
[The first three readings are on more theoretical questions about the moral status of animals and the last contains a series of arguments about the duties we have concerning animals.]
Week 8 – Pluralism & Particularism
Ross, The Right and the Good
McNaughton, “An Unconnected Heap of Duties?”
Dancy, “Ethical Particularlism and Morally Relevant Properties”
Notes
Dancy, “Ethical Particularlism and Morally Relevant Properties”
Notes
Week 9 – Freedom & Moral Responsibility
Frankfurt, Alternative Possibilities and Moral Responsibility
Alvarez, Actions, Thought-Experiments, and 'The Principle of Alternate Possibilities'
Notes
Week 10 – Moral Scepticism
Mackie, The Invention of Right and Wrong
McDowell, “Values and Secondary Qualities”
