| Week / Day |
Activity / Assignment |
| WEEK 01 8/27 |
|
| A |
Welcome — Syllabus — House of Life — TRACS |
| |
http://getsyllab.us/ |
| B |
Workshop: What counts as an ethical problem? “Ethics training is most effective when it asks questions that help people think through their dilemmas. Lecturing, sermonizing, telling, or reading about moral dilemmas have little impact — and would likely put my attendees to sleep. Likewise, casting shame and assigning blame on someone at the point his hand is in the cookie jar, so to speak, yields very ineffective results. It’s not until people actually address and discuss relevant moral and ethical dilemmas that they care about — with people they care about (their coworkers) — that change occurs (DeMars 57).” — Nan DeMars, You’ve Got to Be Kidding!: How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Integrity (Wiley, 2011) |
| C |
Surveying Contract Theories: What do they have in common, what is different? What differences do the differences make? |
|
Hobbes Leviathan, Ch XIII |
|
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/hobbes/leviathan-c.html |
|
Locke Two Treatises, Bk 2, Ch 8 |
|
http://www.lonang.com/exlibris/locke/loc-208.htm |
|
Rawls Theory of Justice |
|
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/original-position/ |
|
Pateman Sexual Contract |
|
http://books.google.com/books?id=jH2KPvZF1L0C |
|
Mills Racial Contract |
|
http://www.uic.edu/classes/phil/phil104/the_racial_contract_ii.htm |
| WEEK 02 9/3 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Social Contract Theories. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a contemporary policy debate, (2) present one of the social contract theories using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the contract theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the contemporary policy debate in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the assessment in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Emerson on “The Oversoul” (1841) with references to Transcendental traditions in Hinduism, Confucianism, and Kant |
|
http://moonchalice.com/emerson_oversoul.htm |
| C |
Thoreau on “Civil Disobedience” (1849) |
| |
http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil.html |
| WEEK 03 9/10 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using American Transcendentalists. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a contemporary policy debate, (2) present one of the Transcendentalist philosophies using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the the philosophy in the second paragraph to evaluate the contemporary policy debate in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the Ethics in Society in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Hegel’s “Lordship and Bondage” |
|
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/ph/phba.htm |
| C |
Marx’s “History: Fundamental Conditions” (1846) |
|
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/german-ideology/ch01a.htm#p41 |
| WEEK 04 9/17 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Hegel and Marx. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a current event, (2) present Hegel or Marx using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the current event in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the Ethics in Society in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Kierkegaard on History: “Interlude” from “Philosophical Fragments” (1844) |
|
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=2512&C=2383 |
| C |
Kierkegaard’s “What Then Must I Do? Live as an ‘Individual’” (1846) |
|
http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=2523&C=2399 |
| WEEK 05 9/24 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Kierkegaard. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a crossroads of profound life choice, (2) present Kierkegaard using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the life choice in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the Ethics in Society in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Mill ‘On Liberty’ (1869) with some background in Utilitarianism |
|
http://www.bartleby.com/130/ |
| C |
Interlude discussion on models of ethical assessment, their forms and uses. |
| WEEK 06 10/1 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Mill. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a contemporary controversy in which the question of tolerance has become an issue (because parties argue either that tolerance is needed or because tolerance has gone too far), (2) present Mill using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the issue of tolerance in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the Ethics in Society in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Peirce on ‘Fixation of Belief’ (1877) and ‘How to Make our Ideas Clear’ (1878) with background on the logic of evolution. |
|
http://www.peirce.org/writings.html |
| C |
James on ‘The Will to Believe’ (1896) |
|
http://des.emory.edu/mfp/james.html#will |
| WEEK 07 10/8 |
|
|
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using American Pragmatism. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a contemporary situation that is ethically challenging and where an imminent choice is required, (2) present a Pragmatist philosophy using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the issue in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the ethical assessment in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Jane Addams on “Charitable Effort” in “Democracy and Social Ethics” (1902) |
| |
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15487/15487-h/15487-h.htm#page_013 |
| C |
“The Thirst for Righteousness” from Jane Addams’ “The Spirit of Youth and the City Streets” (1909) |
| |
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16221/16221-h/16221-h.htm#CHAPTER_VI |
| WEEK 08 10/15 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Addams. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a contemporary ethical issue involving youth, (2) present Addams using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the youth issue in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the Ethics in Society in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Martin Buber’s “I and Thou” (1923) |
|
http://www.archive.org/details/IAndThou_572 |
| C |
Buber continued |
| WEEK 09 10/22 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Buber. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe an interpersonal situation involving an ethically difficult choice, (2) present Buber using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to resolve the difficult choice in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the Ethics in Society in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Alain Locke’s “Values and Imperatives” (1935) |
|
http://books.google.com/books?id=8p0UmbBg78IC |
| C |
Alain Locke “Cultural Relativism and Ideological Peace” (1944) |
| WEEK 10 10/29 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using Locke. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) presents a contemporary controversy that highlights contrasting cultural practices, (2) present Locke using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the controversy of the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the analysis in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Gandhi’s “Hind Swaraj” (1938) |
|
http://www.mkgandhi.org/swarajya/coverpage.htm |
| C |
Gandhi’s “Gita” (1929) |
|
http://www.wikilivres.info/wiki/The_Gita_According_to_Gandhi |
| WEEK 11 11/5 |
|
|
Distance Learning Exercises; No Class Meeting: Of course, it is natural to argue that nonviolence cannot replace violence; however, for the sake of this exercise, please access discussion boards for this class and (1) present an area of human injustice where it would appear that violence is necessary for redress, then (2) “reply” to the situation with a Ghandian response that would nevertheless show the moral worthiness and practicality of a nonviolent approach, “using quotes” (and citations). Up to 50 points for effectively presenting a credible nonviolent alternative where it would otherwise be widely discounted. |
|
Extracurricular Report: The Concerned Philosophers for Peace will be meeting at ACC Riverside Nov. 4-5. Attend a session and submit a 2-page writeup. If this activity is not convenient for you, please look for opportunities to attend ethically significant events and submit 2-page reports. |
| WEEK 12 11/12 |
|
| A |
Reviewing our Gandhian proposals for nonviolence. |
| B |
An Existentialist approach to “Personal Freedom and Others” by Simone De Beauvoir (1948) |
|
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/existentialism/debeauvoir/ambiguity-2.html |
| C |
“Conclusion” to “The Second Sex” (1949) |
|
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/ethics/de-beauvoir/2nd-sex/ch04.htm |
| WEEK 13 11/19 |
|
| A |
Workshop: Experimenting with Ethics in Society using De Beauvoir. Due in class: 4 paragraphs that (1) describe a local and contemporary issue of human liberation, (2) present De Beauvoir using “quotes” and (cites), (3) use the theory in the second paragraph to evaluate the liberation issue in the first paragraph, and (4) discuss how the ethical assessment in the third paragraph would differ from your own? (10 points per paragraph, 10 points for the sum of the parts) |
| B |
Rand on “Man’s Rights” (1963) |
|
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ari_ayn_rand_man_rights |
| C |
Marcuse on “Liberation from the Affluent Society” (1967) (revised syllabus: also Buddhism see below) |
|
http://www.marcuse.org/herbert/pubs/60spubs/67dialecticlib/67LibFromAfflSociety.htm |
| WEEK 14 11/26 |
|
| A |
Thanksgiving Weekend Distance Learning: Contribute a position and a response to our online discussion boards regarding the Rand v Marcuse debate. And read the following materials: (revised syllabus: bring exercise on Marcuse, Rand, or Buddhism next time) |
| B |
Buddhism of “The Noble Eightfold Path” by Bhikkhu Bodhi (1984) |
| |
http://www.vipassana.com/resources/8fp0.php |
| C |
and “The 14 Precepts of Engaged Buddhism” by Thich Nhat Hanh (1987) |
|
http://www.plumvillage.org/mindfulness-trainings.html |
| WEEK 15 12/3 |
|
| A |
(revised syllabus: first we will have workshops on the Marcuse, Rand, or Buddhism papers. After the break we will work on our draft plans for the final paper.) Preparing our Final Papers: Beginning with a Difficult Situation that Requires an Imminent Choice of Action. 20 points for a 1-page (revised syllabus: 1-paragraph) draft in class. |
| B |
Preparing our Final Papers: Selecting Criteria of Ethics in Society. Two scholarly presentations of material. One critical presentation of your own. 20 points for a 1-page outline (revised syllabus: one key criteria per section–key quote from first source, key quote from second source, your own key criterion) in class. |
| C |
Preparing our Final Papers: Using Ethics in Society to deliberate an imminent choice in an ethically challenging situation by way of carefully selected criteria. 20 points for a one page outline in class (revised syllabus: your tentative concluding thesis). |
| WEEK 16 12/10 |
|
|
Final Workshop. We will gather for small-group roundtables to present and consider each other’s final work. Double penalty for absence. |
|
Six-page final paper: Present (in about one page) an ethically challenging situation that requires imminent choice. Present (in about three pages) three carefully considered criteria (two from materials, one as you wish). Deliberate (in about two pages) to a resolved choice via careful consideration of the situation and criteria. 25 points per page. 25 points for sum of parts. |
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