AS 150.

191: Freshman Seminar in Evil Fall 2010: T, Th 10:30-11:45 Maryland, 114

In this course we will confront questions related to the phenomenon of evil. What do we mean when we say that some person or act is evil? What distinguishes evil from the merely bad? What are the psychological and social mechanisms behind evil? Does the existence of evil show that God does not exist, and can we criticize evil unless we rely on the concept of God? We will rely on philosophical sources to help address these questions, though occasionally we will also turn to literature, history, and the social sciences. Instructor: Laura Papish (LPapish1@jhu.edu) Office Hours: Thursdays, 1-3 in Gilman 280. Also available by appointment for any student who cannot make it during this time. Office number: 410-516-5570 Cell number: 509-995-5074 Required course texts: - Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem (Penguin Classics Edition) - Adam Morton, On Evil - Herman Melville, Billy Budd, Sailor (The Definitive Text, edited and annotated by Hayford and Sealts, Jr., University of Chicago press) - Numerous e-reserve readings* can be found at: http://proxy.library.jhu.edu/login?url=http://reserves.library.jhu.edu/ access/reserves/findit/articles/index.php (Password: PAP191) *Without exception, all reserve readings must be printed out before class.

Expectations: Our roles: While I will act as a facilitator, the course will be driven by your concerns, questions, and powers of philosophical reflection. As such, respectful discussion and diligent preparation constitute the lifeblood of this class. It is imperative that you come to class with the material read, a willingness to speak your mind and listen to your classmates, and, of course, a strong work ethic. Technology: Laptops, cell phones, ipods, ipads and any other electronic device that I do not fully understand how to use will not be allowed in class unless we explicitly discuss both why you need it and the appropriate conditions of its use. I have zero tolerance for ringing, buzzing, clickety-clack noises and sneaky texting, and students who cannot respect these rules will be asked to leave our classroom for the day. Academic Honesty: You are expected to do your own work and adhere to JHUs academic integrity standards. I will happily answer any questions whatsoever about citing sources, and I will relentlessly and vigorously push for the strongest punishment available in cases of plagiarism or academic dishonesty. 1

Evaluation: The deadlines listed for the paper assignments and debates are tentative to the extent that we might, if we spend longer than anticipated on certain topics, make these dates later. The dates will not be made earlier, regardless of how our schedule runs. 1. Weekly difficulty papers: Each week, you must submit a typewritten paper of at least 350 words that explains some difficulty you are having with the course or our readings. You may submit the paper either during Tuesdays class or Thursdays class, but a week of class cannot go by without you submitting a paper. The difficulty you discuss will more often than not be left up to you: you might discuss a particular question you have about something that was said in class, you might tackle something in that weeks readings, or your difficulty might be related to the teaching or learning of the material. Whatever the difficulty is, try to explain it and work through it in the paper. Please bear in mind that occasionally I will ask you to address some particular reading or issue in your difficulty paper. Also bear in mind that these papers are required even when another assignment is due in a given week. 25% of your final grade. 2. General class participation: In short, you are expected to talk a lot. Your weekly difficulty papers should help prepare you, and if/when discussion is slow, we will rely on these papers to get things going. 20% of your final grade. - The shyness provision: I understand that some people are shy, but I dont have a natural ability to distinguish between shyness and apathy. If you fall into the former category, you must come see me so that we can talk about alternative ways you can participate. Perhaps you could write a blog, arrange informal meetings with other students, and/or gradually work on overcoming your shyness throughout the term. 3. Debate participation: There will be two debates in this course, one that tackles feminist concerns about evil and one that covers the issue of forgiveness. Each student will participate in one debate. These will be very informal debates, and you would do well to think of them simply as student-run discussions, the only differences being that you will have to take a side and that you will be a little more on the spot than normal. We will discuss the logistics in class. 5% of your final grade. 4. First paper (approx. 5-6 pages): For your first formal paper assignment, I will give you a list of possible topics/prompts. A complete draft of the paper must be emailed to a fellow student (and CCed to me) no later than 11:59pm on Saturday, October 9th. You will bring extensive written comments on your classmates paper to our class on Thursday October 14th, and you should continue to work on your own paper during this time as well. You will meet with your classmate during our October 14th class and go over each others comments. On Tuesday October 19th your final draft is due in class, and with it you must also give me your first draft, any intermediary drafts, and the comments you gave your classmate. (If you handwrite your comments, make sure to keep a photocopy for yourself). I will hold extra office hours in between the 14th and 19th in case you need any help at all. 20% of your final grade. 5. Second paper (approx. 8-10 pages): I will again give you a list of possible topics/prompts, but you are welcome (and encouraged) to reject these and develop your own topic, under the condition that you discuss it with me in advance. The paper is due via email only Wednesday, December 15th by 11:59pm, and I will send a confirmation email letting you know I have your paper (though I also suggest you send it return receipt). I will make myself abundantly available during both reading week and finals week, and while a draft is not required, I very much hope you will submit one anyway. 30% of your final grade. 2

Important policies: 1. Late work: Your first paper is due at the start of class on Tuesday October 19th. If you arrive and submit your paper toward the end of class, it will be given a deduction of a third of a letter grade. After the class is over, the deduction will become a full letter grade, and an additional full letter grade will then be deducted every 24 hours that I do not have your paper. If your second paper is more than one hour late, it too will receive a deduction of a full letter grade. Given the short turn-around time for grades, you will get a failing grade on that paper if it is more than 24 hours late. 2. Attendance: You are allowed one unexcused absence, so use it very, very wisely. For an absence to be excused, you must present either a letter from the health center or from the Dean of your school. For each unexcused absence beyond the first, I will shave 1% off your total grade. Failure to bring hard copies of all readings we are working on to class will constitute an unexcused absence. (I am not a complete maniac, and understand that people forget their readings from time to time. But if you make a habit of being unprepared, I will start to make these deductions.) 3. Extensions: I will not under any circumstance grant an extension after the fact. If you cannot be in class, or cannot turn in an assignment for a valid but completely unforeseeable reason (e.g. sudden and grave illness, a death in the family), then call my cell/office immediately and leave a message if you cannot reach me. The important thing is to tell me the situation in advance, and we will handle issues concerning the documentation of the absence later. Learning Objectives: 1) Given the ubiquity of evil - which can transpire on an epic scale, as with genocide, or more locally, such as in your relationships and professional life we must figure out how to understand and respond to the phenomenon. To help you do so is the chief goal of this course. 2) Beyond this, I also hope you will see philosophy as indispensable in helping us think through something as complicated and emotionally charged as evil. Philosophy is about reasoning critically, slowly, and in dialogue with others. We desperately need these skills in order to begin to explain why evil happens, how evil affects our understanding of God and human nature, and whether evil can be forgiven. 3) Philosophical texts are among the most difficult you will encounter in your academic career. To do well in this class, and to sharpen your minds most generally, you will need to learn how to reconstruct an authors argument faithfully and charitably. Only once you do this can you critique anothers view and start to develop your thoughts on an issue. 4) Philosophy is a living, social discipline, and a seminar class highlights these virtues. Over the course of the class, I hope you will become increasingly comfortable sharing your views with others and articulating arguments off-the-cuff. I also hope that you will find yourself becoming an increasingly charitable discussant who can help fellow students develop their own positions and supporting arguments, as well as offer constructivism criticism where needed.

Tentative schedule: Any changes will be announced, and you should absolutely expect changes to be made. We will discuss readings and topics for however long you want and need. This may require eliminating some readings, adding others if people simply adore some topic, moving things forward or back in the schedule. If you are at any point not sure what the reading is, email or call me immediately. Basics: Week 1 (8/31-9/2) - Syllabus, introductions to the course and to each other, starting to think about evil - Morton, On Evil, pp. 9-18 Models of Evil and the Questions they Raise: Weeks 2-3 (9/7-9/16): - Melville, Billy Budd, Sailor - Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem, Ch.2-3, Ch. 6, Ch. 8, Ch. 14 pp. 230-33, Ch. 15 pp. 244-52. - Zimbardo, The Lucifer Effect, Ch. 12-13 (e-reserve) Philosophical Help: Weeks 4-5 (9/21-9/30): - McGinn, The Evil Character (e-reserve) - Morton, On Evil, Ch. 1-3 Evil and Feminist Concerns: Week 6 (10/5-10/7): - Card, The Atrocity Paradigm (e-reserve) - Dworkin, Intercourse (e-reserve) - Debate on 10/5; Paper drafts due via email 11:59pm on 10/9 Week 7 (10/14): In-class essay exchange Complications: Weeks 8-9 (10/19-28): - Paper due in class on 10/19 - Victims as Perpetrators: Levi, The Gray Zone (e-reserve) - Dirty Hands: Schlesinger, The Necessary Amorality of Foreign Affairs (e-reserve) Walzer, Political Action: The Problem of Dirty Hands (e-reserve) - Responsibility: Strawson, The Impossibility of Moral Responsibility (e-reserve) God and Evil: Weeks 10-12 (11/2-11/18): - God and The Problem of Evil: Augustine, God and Evil (e-reserve) Hume, Evil and a Finite God (e-reserve) Mackie, Evil and Omnipotence (e-reserve) Hick, The Value of Soul-Making (e-reserve) - Is Religion Evil?: Rachels, God and Human Attitudes (e-reserve) Hitchens, God is Not Great (e-reserve) - Evil After the Death of God: Nietzsche, The Gay Science (e-reserve) Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality (e-reserve) Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism (e-reserve) Should Evil be Forgiven?: Weeks 13-14 (11/23-12/2): - Reading on forgiveness TBA (cheap additional book purchase may be necessary) - Debate on 11/23 - Morton, On Evil, Ch. 4 4