Dr. Julie A. Allen
allenj@yorku.ca

Office Location:  South 445 Ross Building
Phone number:  (416) 736-2100 ext. 77541

This course is designed as an introduction to moral philosophy from an historical and critical point of view.  The philosophers we'll study investigate central questions concerning human conduct and character.  This course explores some of the most important and influential ethical theories developed in the tradition of  Western philosophy.  We will carefully study a selection of canonical texts, including works by Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Kant, and Mill.  We will consider issues arising from these texts which are relevant to both normative and meta-ethics.  Although the course focuses on historical works and a comparison of the moral doctrines therein expressed, we will undertake this study with an eye to their recurrent influence within contemporary moral philosophy.

There are six  required books for this course.

Plato. Protagoras. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Hackett, 1992.   ISBN: 0-87220-094-9

Plato. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, (Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo.) Trans.Stanley Lombardo & Karen Bell, Hackett, 1981.  N.B.  Only the Euthyphro will be read in this course. ISBN: 0-87220-633-5

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. David Ross.  O.U.P. 1980.  ISBN: 0–19-283408-x

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan. Ed. John Gaskin.  Oxford University Press, 1998. (Selections)

ISBN: 0–19-2834883

Immanuel Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals.  Trans. James W. Ellingson.  Hackett, 1993.

John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism. Ed. George Sher.  Hackett, 1979.

Short analysis & summary assignment   10%

Two  short essays  (20% each)                 40%

Lecture & Tutorial  Participation               15%

Final Exam                                                   35%

The class will meet Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:30-12:30 for lectures.  Since this is a condensed six week course, the course is fast paced and the workload (readings) are demanding.  Also note well that you are required to attend tutorials.   Your tutorials  are an integral part of the course and should not be regarded as optional.   You will be graded (up to 10%) not merely for attendance but also for active engagement and participation.  Your tutor will explain more about tutorial participation during the first week.  There will also be two short participation exercises (5%) to be announced

Students will learn canonical answers to the following questions:

What is "ethics"?  Is there a difference between "ethics" and "morality"?

What do we mean by the terms `good', ‘valued’ or ‘pious’ or ‘holy’?  Is something good because it is desirable or desirable because it is good?

What relation, if any, is there between morality and various accounts of "human nature"?

Is there something which is the good for human beings? How does the good relate to happiness or eudaimonia?

Are we humans psychologically egoistic or hedonistic?

Is pleasure the ultimate goal of human activity.  If so, is it my pleasure alone that matters or is it the happiness of everyone that matters?

What do consequentialists mean by the concept of “utility”?

Additionally, students will be provided with the tools to develop their ability to analyse a text and provide a critical summary of central arguments.