Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Spring 2016
SYLLABUS
Course Title:

PHIL 297: Ethics

Meeting Times:

TTh 12:30-1:45PM in TBD

Instructor:

Dr. Scharding
Email: tschardi@bloomu.edu
Office Location: BCH 217A
Office Hours: T 9:30-12:30; W 3:30-4:30; Th 9:30-10:30.

Course Description:
Ethics offers ways to answer the questions: What is the right thing to do? and
What kind of person should I be? We begin by investigating the nature of ethical
knowledge, including how people answer these questions in the first place. Is there
a science of ethics or can people answer the questions however they like? What
entitles people to think that their answers to the questions are correct? Next, we
examine how six ethical theories answer the questions: utilitarian ethics, Kantian
ethics, virtue ethics, contract theory, feminist ethics, and particularism. Finally, in
the process of studying these theories, we develop six analytical skills: explaining a
philosophical claim, raising an objection to a philosophical claim, responding to an
objection, using a concrete example to support a philosophical claim, using a
counterexample to challenge a philosophical claim, and drawing an inference from a
philosophical claim.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Answer questions about the basis of ethical knowledge and what entitles
people to think that their answers to ethical questions are correct;
2. Explain in detail how six ethical theories address the questions: What is
the right thing to do? and What kind of person should I be?;
3. Use six analytic tools to construct philosophical arguments; and
4. Answer the questions: What is the right thing to do? and What kind of
person should I be?
Course Prerequisites: None. This course is suitable as a first course in
philosophy.
Course Organization:
We meet for 75 minutes, twice a week, for 15 weeks. Tuesday classes are lecture.
Thursday classes focus on group exercises or testing. Except when there is a test,
there will be a quiz on the weeks readings each Thursday.
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Evaluation Criteria:
Three mid-term examinations: 2/11, 3/17, and 4/14;
Six group exercises: 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/25, 3/3, and 4/28;
Ten quizzes: 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/18, 2/25, 3/3, 3/24, 4/7, 4/21, 4/28; and
A final examination: 5/3, 10:15AM-12:15PM.
There are 1,000 total points available. Each mid-term examination is 100 points, or
10% of the final grade (all three are 30% of the final grade). The group exercises
are 50 points each (30% of the final grade for all six). The final is 300 points (30%
of the final grade). The quizzes total 100 points (10% of the final grade).
Evaluation of Mid-term Examinations:
The mid-term examinations test your knowledge of the main topics covered in the
course. Each examination has 25 multiple-choice questions (worth 4 points each)
on material taken from the assigned readings and/or the instructors presentations.
The mid-term examinations are closed book, closed notebook.
Evaluation of Group Exercises:
The group exercises test your ability to use particular philosophical skills. They are
completed in groups of 3-5 students. Students are assigned randomly to a group
on the day of the exercise. All group members receive the same grade for the
short exercise.
Evaluation of Quizzes:
The quizzes test whether you have completed the assigned reading. They have five
multiple choice, true/false, and/or short answer questions (worth two points each).
MAKE-UP EXAMINATIONS, EXERCISES, AND QUIZZES WILL BE GIVEN ONLY
IN THE CASE OF A DOCUMENTED MEDICAL OR FAMILY EMERGENCY.
DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PRESENTED, AND THE MAKE UP SCHEDULED,
WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THE STUDENTS RETURN TO CLASS.
Evaluation of Final Examination:
The final examination consists of three essay questions. Students will receive the
essay questions in advance. The final is open book, open notebook.
Extra Credit
There is one opportunity for extra credit. Students may write a five-page paper
(due: 4/25) about feminist ethics or particularism to replace the lowest grade they
earned on a mid-term examination. Students who are interested in writing the
paper must notify the instructor (via email) by 4/15. Students may give an inclass presentation (on 4/28) about feminist ethics or particularism to replace the
lowest grade earned on a group exercise. Students who want to do the
presentation must notify the instructor (via email) by 4/15.

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Grading System:

Grade

Points

Grade

Points

Grade

Points

Grade

Points

A+

98-100%

B+

87-89%

C+

77-79%

D+

67-69%

93-97%

83-86%

73-76%

63-66%

A-

90-92%

B-

80-82%

C-

70-72%

D-

60-62%

A+ A, A- are awarded to excellent work; B+, B, B- to good work; C+, C, C- to fair

work; D+, D, D- to poor work, as determined according to the evaluation standards
set forth above (pp. 2-3). There are 1000 total points possible for the course: for
an A+, you need 980 points, 930 for an A, 900 for an A-, 870 for B+, 830 for B,
800 for B-, 770 for C+, 730 for C, 700 for C-, 670 for D+, 630 for D, 600 for D-.
Anyone who earns fewer than 600 points receives an F.
Academic Honesty:
Students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic work. In all
of your assignments, you may use words or ideas written by other people only with
proper attribution. This includes the assigned readings, any supplemental
readings that students employ, and the instructors presentations. Proper
attribution means that you fully identify the original source, including the authors
name and page number.
Any questions about permissible academic conduct should be directed to the
instructor. Plagiarism or cheating may result in an F for the assignment.
Required Coursebook:
AVAILABLE AT THE BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE:

Russ Shafer-Landau, ed., Ethical Theory: An Anthology, Second Edition

(ISBN-13: 978-0470671603, ISBN-10: 0470671602).

Course Schedule:

Part I:

Foundations of Ethics.
A. What is Ethics?

1/19/16

Plato, Euthyphro (ET pp. 218-220).

Moore, The Subject Matter of Ethics (ET pp. 48-54).
Ross, What Things Are Good? (ET pp. 299-303)

1/21/16

Quiz 1: Euthyphro
Discussion 1: Apply one of Socrates argumentative strategies in the
Euthyphro to Rosss argument.
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B. How Do People Learn What Is Ethical?

1/26/16

Hume, Of the Influencing Motives of the Will and Moral Distinctions

Not Derived from Reason (ET pp. 7-16).
Mackie, The Subjectivity of Values (ET pp. 22-31).
Harman, Moral Relativism Defended (ET pp. 35-44).

1/28/16

Quiz 2: Hume
Discussion 2: Explain one of Humes claims. Object to the claim from
Mackies perspective. Explain another one of Humes claims. Object to
the claim from Harmans perspective.
C. Why Be Ethical?

2/2/16

Plato, The Immoralists Challenge (ET pp. 132-138).

Shafer-Landau, Moral Rationalism (ET pp. 159-167).
Feinberg, Psychological Egoism (ET pp. 167-178).

2/4/16

Quiz 3: The Immoralists Challenge

Discussion 3: Explain one of Plato's claims. Object to the claim from
either Shafer-Landaus or Feinbergs perspective. Then, try to formulate
Platos response to the objection.

Part II. Ethical Theories

A. Utilitarian Ethics
2/9/16

John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism (ET pp. 417-423).

Smart, Extreme and Restricted Utilitarianism (ET pp. 423-428).
Hooker, Rule Consequentialism (ET pp. 428-441).

2/11/16

Exam 1: Foundations of Ethics.

2/16/16

Nozick, The Experience Machine (ET pp. 254-266).

Singer, Famine, Affluence, and Morality (ET pp. 466-474).
Wolf, Moral Saints (ET pp. 200-213).

2/18/16

Quiz 4: Mill
Discussion of Exam 1.
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B. Kantian Ethics
2/23/16

Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (ET pp. 485-499).

Korsgaard, Kants Formula of Universal Law (ET pp. 499-510).
Scharding, Crafting Maxims (BOLT).

2/25/15

Quiz 5: Kant
Discussion 4: Explain one of Kants claims. Then, discuss a concrete
example (other than those that Kant discusses) that supports the claim.

3/1/16

Foot, Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives (ET pp.

138-144).
Nagel, Moral Luck (pp. 322-330).
Thomson, Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem (pp. 543-553).

3/3/16

Quiz 6: Foot
Discussion 5: Explain one of Foots, Nagels, or Thomsons claims.
Then, discuss a concrete example that challenges the claim. How
would the philosopher respond?

3/8/16

Spring Break: class does not meet.

3/10/16

Spring Break: class does not meet.

C. Virtue Ethics

3/15/16

Aristotle, The Nature of Virtue (ET pp. 615-630).

Nussbaum, Non-relative Virtues: An Aristotelian Approach (ET pp.
630-645).
Hursthouse, Normative Virtue Ethics, (ET pp. 645-653).

3/17/16

Second in-class examination: Utilitarianism and Kant.

3/22/16

Swanton, A Virtue Ethical Account of Right Action (ET pp. 664-676).

Annas, Being Virtuous and Doing the Right Thing (ET pp. 676-687).
Slote, Agent-Based Virtue Ethics (ET pp. 653-664).

3/24/16

Quiz 7: Aristotle
Discussion of second test and second graded assignment.
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D. Contract Theory.
3/29/16

Hobbes, Leviathan (ET pp. 558-571).

Rawls, A Theory of Justice (ET pp. 581-593

3/31/15

Liberal arts event: class does not meet.

4/5/16

Gauthier, Why Contractarianism? (ET pp. 571-581).

Scanlon, Contractualism and Utilitarianism (ET pp. 593-609).

4/7/16

Quiz 8: Hobbes
Discussion 6: Choose one of Hobbess or Rawlss claims and explain
the claim. Then, draw an inference from the claim. Does the inference
make you more or less likely to support the claim? Explain why.
E. Feminist Ethics.

4/12/16

Gilligan, In a Different Voice (ET pp. 692-699).

Calhoun, Justice, Care, and Gender Bias (ET pp. 713-721).
Frye, Sexism (pp. 729-735).

4/14/16

Third in-class examination: Virtue Ethics and Contract Theory.

4/19/16

Baier, The Need for More than Justice (ET pp. 721-729).
Walker, Feminist Skepticism, Authority, and Transparency (ET pp.
735-751).

4/21/16

Quiz 9: Feminist Ethics.

Discussion of third test, discussion of final examination.
F. Particularism

4/26/16

McNaughton, An Unconnected Heap of Duties? (ET pp. 763-772).

Dancy, An Unprincipled Morality (ET pp. 772-776).
Dworkin, Unprincipled Ethics (ET pp. 785)

4/28/16

Quiz 10: Particularism.

Student presentations.

FINAL EXAM: TUESDAY MAY 3, 2015: 10:15AM-12:15PM

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