Required Texts [available through Shaman Drum Bookshop, 313 S. State Street]

Stephen Darwall, Philosophical Ethics (PE)
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism and Other Essays (U)
Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (G)
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals (GM)
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (NE)
Carol Gilligan, In A Different Voice (DV)

ELECTRONIC RESERVES (ER) [required reading, not supplemental]; available from electronic syllabus on the "Course Materials" page (linked to the Course Web Page, see below).

Course Web Page: www.umich.edu/~sdarwall/Phil361.html
(linked to my home page): www.umich.edu/~sdarwall

Tentative Schedule of Lectures and Readings (‘rec’= recommended)

September 3 Fundamental philosophical issues in ethics (PE:3-14)

                 8 Mill I (Utilitarianism, ch. 1 (U:); rec: PE:109-113)
 
                10 Mill II (Utilitarianism, first 12 paragraphs of ch. 2, and ch. 4 (U:); Bentham, Principles of Morals, chs. 2,4 (U:); rec: PE:113-122)

                15 Mill III (Reread Mill II)

                17 Mill IV (Utilitarianism, rest of ch. 2(U:); rec: PE:123-132)

                22 Mill V (Utilitarianism, chs. 3,5(U:); Rawls, "Two Concepts of Rules," ER; rec: PE:132-138; On Liberty, ch. 4)

                24 Metaethics: the Basic Questions (Harman, "Ethics and Observation," ER; PE:17-26)

                29 Naturalism (PE: 27-38)

October   1 Theological Voluntarism (PE:39-47; excerpt from Ralph Cudworth, pp. 248-252 ER)
                    FIRST PAPERS DUE

                6 Ideal Judgment Theories (PE:55-61; Firth, "Ethical Absolutism and the Ideal Observer," ER;
                    Rawls, "An Outline of a Decision Procedure for Ethics," ER)

                8 Relativism (PE:63-70; Lyons, "Ethical Relativism and the Problem of Incoherence," ER)

             15 Noncognitivism (PE:71-79; Ayer, "Critique of Ethics," ER)

             20 Kant I (G, Preface; rec: PE:139-147)

             22 Kant II (G, ch. 1; rec: PE:147-152)

             27 Kant III (G, reread ch. 1, first half of ch. 2 (to Ak. 428); rec: PE:152-163)

             29 Kant IV (G, remainder of ch. 2; rec: PE:163-166)

November 3 Kant V (G, reread ch. 2; excerpts from Rawls, A Theory of Justice, ER)

              5  Kant VI (G, ch. 3; rec: PE:169-173)

            10 Nietzsche I (GM, Preface and First Essay; rec: PE:177-186)

            12 Nietzsche II (GM, Second Essay; rec: PE:186-190)

            17 Aristotle I (NE, bk. 1; rec: PE:191-201)

            19 Aristotle II (NE, reread bk. 1; bk. 2; rec: PE:203-208)

            24 Aristotle III (NE, reread. bk. 2; bk. 3 and ch. 3-9 of bk. 4; rec: PE:208-210)
                SECOND PAPERS DUE

            26 Aristotle IV (NE, bk. 6; rec: PE:210-216)

December 1 Aristotle V (NE, bks. 8 and 9)

             3 Aristotle VI (NE, bk. 7, ch. 11-14, bk. 10, ch. 1-6)

             8 A Critique of traditional moral philosophy: relationships and particularity (DV:1-63; rec: PE:217-221)

           10 Self, other, and morality (DV:64-105,128-150; rec: PE:221-228)

Course Requirements: two essays (one, 4-6 pages, and the other, 8-10 pages), the Critical Reading Project (including one 2-page paper), a final exam, and attendance and active participation in lectures and discussion section, weighted in the following percentages:  1st paper, 15%; Critical Reading Project 15%; 2nd paper, 30%; final exam, 30%; attendance and participation in lecture and discussion section, 10%.  The final exam will be given December 17, from 4 to 6 pm in the lecture hall.  AGAIN, PLEASE NOTE WHAT THIS SAYS.  REGULAR ATTENDANCE AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN BOTH LECTURES AND DISCUSSION SECTIONS IS BOTH A REQUIREMENT OF THE COURSE AND WEIGHTED IN GRADING.  YOU CANNOT RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE WITHOUT FULFILLING ALL COURSE REQUIREMENTS.

My office hours will be Wednesday, 2-4 p.m, at 2227 Angell Hall, and also by appointment.  Soraya Gollop, who will also lead sections, will hold office hours as well, which they will announce.  We encourage you to come in to talk to us about the course.   I can also be reached by email (sdarwall@umich.edu) or phone (763-3493 (office), 996-3964 (home)).  E-mail is an especially good way to communicate, as I check my messages regularly.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:  The College's policy on academic integrity and plagiarism can be found here.  If nothing else, please bear in mind that this is an ethics course.