INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS*

国際教養学部

ARPH3060

コース情報

担当教員: FRISCHHUT Akiko

単位数: 4

年度: 2024

学期: 春学期

曜限: 火2, 金2

形式: 対面授業

レベル: 300

アクティブラーニング: あり

他学部履修: 可

評価方法

授業参加

レポート

60%

その他

• Debate presentation (20%): • Online Discussion Forum (10%): • Brief overall reflection on the course (5%):

35%

詳細情報

概要

This course is divided into five sections. In the first, we will learn some tools and basics about how to critically evaluate an argument. In the second section we take a closer look at ethical skepticism and the often heard idea that moral values are in some sense ‘subjective’ or ‘relative to a culture’. Section three addresses normative ethics, or the branch of moral theory that seeks to answer what we ought to do to be good persons. Here we encounter questions like the famous trolley problem one: is it better to kill one person if you can save five others? Or, in a more updated version, should your self-driving car sacrifice you, if that saves five others? In section four we seek advice from some ancient Greek and Chinese sages about what makes a life a good life. Finally, in the last section we turn to you. Now you have the chance to apply what we have learned in the previous parts of the course in hands-on practical questions and real ethical dilemmas. Is it morally permissible to assist in someone’s suicide? Does the end (sometimes?always? never?) justify the means? And why act morally at all? What makes life worth living for you? Practicing philosophy will make you a more critical and reflective person. To have an impact in the world, to truly make a change, one needs genuine understanding of the basic ideas and the framework in which we move as human agents. Aiming to acquire such understanding is a noble, foundational activity that is not only meaningful but can also give our lives meaning, depth and creativity.

目標

This course aims to teach students the strengths and weaknesses of a number of normative moral theories, how to critically evaluate philosophical arguments, develop and articulate their own philosophical theses and arguments, and gain a deeper understanding of the theoretical issues underlying our moral thought and practice. The course further aims to improve critical reading, critical thinking, and oral communication skills through the seminar discussion and essay writing processes. Students are not expected to have had any prior exposure to philosophy.

授業外の学習

-Preparation of class materials and reading assignments (60 min) -Work on class assignments (60 min) -Review class lecture and partake in the online discussion forum (70 min)

所要時間: 190 minutes per lecture

スケジュール

Course introduction What this course is about and what it is not, and conceptions of philosophy. What is ethics, what is morality, and what are some of the main positions? Detailed course schedule will be made available on Moodle on the first day of class.
L0 Recognizing and evaluating arguments Ney, p.1-10
T0 “Find a flaw”-assignment: Summarize an argument for a position on an ethical issue that you have encountered outside of class and explain why the reasoning is flawed
L1 Ethical Subjectivism Russ Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals: Ethical Subjectivism p.293-302 Optional: -Mackie, J.L. (1977) Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong, Subjectivism Chapters 1.1., 1,2, p.15-19
T1 Ethical Subjectivism -Russ Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals, p.309 Online Discussion Forum (ODF): Reply to either one of questions 2,5,7 + one question of your own
L2 Cultural Relativism -Russ Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals: Ethical Subjectivism p.302-309 -Jesse Prinz, “Morality is a Culturally Conditioned Response,” Philosophy Now 82 (2011): 6-9 Optional: -Singer, Practical Ethics, p.5-15
T2 Cultural Relativism Mary Midgley ‘Trying Out One’s New Sword’ ODF: Ask one question, reply to another
L3 Consequentialism Russ Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals, p.120-135 Optional: -Mill p. 417-422
T3 Consequentialism Eric Schwitzgebel, “Will your driverless car kill you so others may live?” The Los Angeles Times, December 4, 2015. ODF: Ask one question, reply to another
L4 Consequentialism and its Difficulties Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals: p.139-158
T4 Consequentialism and its Difficulties Ursula LeGuin ‘The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas’ ODF: Ask one question, reply to another
L5 Deontology Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals, p.160-173
T5 Deontology Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals: p173-174 Reply to either one of questions 1,2,3,4 + one question of your own
L6 Virtue Ethics Timmons, “How should I be?” Ch. 8, 232–242 Optional: Hursthouse, “Normative Virtue Ethics”, 645-52. Shafer-Landau, Fundamentals: p.256-274
T6 Virtue Ethics “A Theory of jerks”: https://aeon.co/essays/so-you-re-surrounded-by-idiots-guess-who-the-real-jerk-is ODF: ask one question, reply to another
L7 Aristotle’s golden middle way -Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics ‘What is the human good?’ p. 5-19; Optional -Podcast: https://historyofphilosophy.net/aristotle-ethics (ca 20min)
T7 Aristotle’s golden middle way Podcast: “Aristotle and friendship” https://historyofphilosophy.net/aristotle-friendship (ca 20min) ODF: Ask one question, reply to another
L8 Confucius versus Yang Zhu One for all or everyone for themselves? B.W.Van Norden, Mengzi and Human Nature, p.83-92 Optional: -Selections from Confucius’ Analects (Koller, 409 – 421)
T8 Confucius versus Yang Zhu One for all or everyone for themselves? Rachels, James and Stuart Rachels. “Ethical Egoism.” 64-81. Optional: Joel Fineberg, “Psychological Egoism.” 584-91. ODF: Ask one question, reply to another
L9 Euthanasia and assisted suicide Philippa Foot “Euthanasia” 85-112
T9 Euthanasia and assisted suicide James Rachels “Active and Passive Euthanasia” Class debate
L10 Civil Disobedience, Violence and Terrorism Peter Singer, Chapter 11.
T10 Civil Disobedience, Violence and Terrorism Julian Baggini #58; Divine Command https://www.evphil.com/blog/response-to-thought-experiment-38-divine-command Class debate
L11 Why Act Morally? Peter Singer, Chapter 12.
T11 Why Act Morally? Class debate
L12 Pleasure and Happiness: What makes life worth living? Derek Parfit, “What Makes Someone’s Life Go Best” Optional: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book X: Pleasure: Three views hostile to pleasure and the arguments for them’, p.135-142; -Nicomachean Ethics, Book X: ‘continuation of pleasure, happiness’, p. 183-203
T12 Pleasure and Happiness: What makes life worth living? Robert Nozick, “The Experience Machine” Class debate
Over to you: what is a good life for you? Free class discussion

教科書

All readings will be made available. Main text book: Shafer-Landau, Russ. (2018). The Fundamentals of Ethics (4th ed.), New York: Oxford University Press.

参考書

書籍情報はありません。