MORAL PHILOSOPHY SYLLABUS

DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

Department of Philosophy

COURSE SYLLABUS

COLLEGE: College of Liberal Arts DEPARTMENT: PhilosophyCOURSE CODE: MORPHIL COURSE TITLE: MORAL PHILOSOPHY

CLASS DAYS AND CLASS TIME: __________ ROOM: __________

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course examines the questions of ethics through a critical analysis of different theories of right and wrong found in the works of Western and Eastern Philosophy. It introduces students of philosophy to theories that continuously shape contemporary discussions in the field of ethics. The initiating point of departure is the ethical inquiry exemplified by Plato. The first part develops the ethical problem through critical survey of teleological and deontological theories. These in-clude Egoism, Eudaimonism, Act and Rule utilitarianism, Rational Intuitionism, and Ethics of Self-Determination. The second part is an introduction to meta-ethics.

The text for the course is Great Traditions in Ethics edited by Denise, Peterfreund and White. The text provides the core readings which will be analyzed and discussed during the term. The con-ceptual organization of the topics is patterned after John Deigh’s An Introduction to Ethics.

LEARNING OUTCOMEOn completion of the course, the student is expected to be able to do the following:

ELGA LEARNING OUTCOMECritical and CreativeKnowledge Producer

LO1: Collaborating with other students, presenting and supporting their ideas in pub-lic through class participation.

Socially Responsible and Col-laborative Citizen

LO2: Analytic reasoning about ideas by evaluating content, structure, and strategies of ethical works, and applying concepts and arguments to contemporary issues and their own lives.

Competent Professional LO3: Interpreting texts by accurately and fully describing concepts and arguments.

Diversity-sensitive Communi-cator

LO4: Familiarity with ethical positions and arguments from antiquity to today, and from diverse cultural and social-political contexts.

Morally Principled and Faith-inspired Leader

LO5: Critical reasoning and ethical reflection through considering a variety of moral issues and approaches to ethical questions.

FINAL COURSE OUTPUT

LEARNING OUTCOME

REQUIRED OUTPUT DUE DATE

LO1 Panel discussion

LO2 Case study, critical paper

LO3 Written examination

LO4 Research Paper

LO5 Position paper

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RUBRIC FOR ASSESSMENT OF ESSAY-TYPE REQUIREMENTS

CRITERIA EXEMPLARY4.0

SATISFACTORY3.0 – 3.5

DEVELOPING2.0 – 2.5

BEGINNING1.0 – 1.5

RATING

1. Grammar and Spelling

No spelling and grammatical er-rors

Spelling and grammar is mostly correct

Spelling and gram-matical errors are fre-quent

Spelling and grammatical er-rors are found in almost every sen-tence

2. Exposition of Ideas

Author’s intended meaning is readily and easily under-stood

Author’s intended meaning is generally easy to understand

Author’s intended meaning is difficult to understand

Author’s in-tended meaning is impossible to understand

3. Development of Ideas

Ideas presented are cogently and clearly defended

Ideas presented are satisfactorily de-fended

Ideas presented are weakly and incoher-ently defended

Ideas presented are not defended

4. Organization Sequence of ideas is fluid and easy to follow

Sequence of ideas is generally smooth

Sequence of ideas is jumpy

Sequence of ideas is awkward and confusing

AVERAGE:

OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND ASSESSMENTS• Class participation• Participation in departmental activities

GRADING SYSTEM• Midterm Examination 40%• Final Examination 40%• Recitation 10%

====100%

RATING SYSTEM

POINTS FINAL GRADE

97-100 4.0

93-96 3.5

89-92 3.0

85-88 2.5

80-84 2.0

75-79 1.5

70-74 1.0

Below 70 0.0

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LEARNING PLAN

LEARNING OUTCOME

TOPIC WEEK LEARNING ACTIVITIES

LO1LO3LO4LO5

The Problems of Ethics

Plato, Selections from the Gorgias and the Republic, Books i-ii, iv, vi-vii, and ix

1Lectures, discussions, close reading of texts, film showing, etc.

LO3LO4LO5

Egoism 1: Epicurus on the Pleasant Life

Epicurus, Selections from the letters to Herodotus and To Menoe-ceus, the Principal Doctrines, and the Fragments

“Hobbes, Selections from the Leviathan, Chapters vi, xii-xv, and xxix-xxx, and Philosophical Rudiments, Chapter i


LO1LO3LO4LO5

Egoism 2: The Hobbesian Program and its Derivations

Epicurus, Selections from the letters to Herodotus and To Menoe-ceus, the Principal Doctrines, and the Fragments



LO3LO4LO5

Eudaimonism 1 : Plato on Knowledge and Virtue


John Stuart Mill, “Hedonism,” from Utilitarianism

Aristotle, Selection from Nichomachean Ethics, Books i-ii, vi, and x, Aristotle


LO3LO4LO5

Eudaimonism 2: Aristotle’s Eudaimonia


John Stuart Mill, “Hedonism,” from Utilitarianism

Aristotle, Selection from Nichomachean Ethics, Books i-ii, vi, and x, Aristotle


LO3LO4LO5

Utilitarianism 1: Two Versions of Utilitarianism Mill, Selections from Utilitarianism, Chapters ii-iii


LO3 Utilitarianism 2: Mill’s the Greatest Happiness Principle 7Lectures, discussions, close reading of texts, film

3

LO4LO5

Mill, Selections from Utilitarianism, Chapters ii-iii

showing, etc.

LO1LO3LO4LO5

The Moral Law 1: Divine Command Theory and Rational Intu-itionism


Kant, Selections from Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals First and Second Sections


LO1LO3LO4LO5

The Moral Law 2: Kant’s Formalism




LO2LO3LO4LO5

The Ethics of Self-Determination 1: The Formula of Autonomy and the Kingdom of Ends


Sartre, Selections from Existentialism and Human Emotions


LO3LO5

The Ethics of Self-Determination 2: Personal Autonomy and Ex-istentialist Ethics


Sartre, Selections from Existentialism and Human Emotions


LO3LO4LO5

Metaethics 1: Metaethical Disputes and the Eliminability of Tele-ological Explanations


Hume, Selections from An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals


LO2LO3LO4LO5

Metaethics 2: Hume’s Meta-ethics and Kant’s Practical Reason


Hume, Selections from An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals


METHODS OF INSTRUCTIONSeveral teaching methods shall be employed throughout the course including lectures, activities, student reports, film viewings, and enrichment lectures outside class. A number of exercises in philosophical reasoning will also be done inside the classroom.

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CLASSROOM POLICIES• All guidelines stipulated in the handbook regarding plagiarism, cheating, student disci-

pline, etc. will be implemented.• Students are required to come to class prepared (e.g., has read the scheduled readings

for the day, etc.) and on time. Active participation in class is encouraged, and atten-dance will be checked regularly.▪ A student who exceeds the allowed number of absences, which includes the accu-

mulation of tardiness, will get a final grade of 0.0.• Late submissions are not allowed. Unless specified, requirements must be submitted

during class hours of the specified date. Requirements that will be submitted late shall only be considered for acceptance in extremely extenuating circumstances, which also depends on the discretion of the lecturer.

• There will be no make up for exams and classroom activities.• The lecturer has the discretion to modify the course requirements depending on the per-

formance of students and the class.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Each student is required to submit a 3x5 index card with full contact details and a 2x2 recent ID picture.

SUGGESTED REFERENCE MATERIALS

Aristotle, Selection from Nichomachean Ethics, Books i-ii, vi, and x, Epicurus, Selections from the letters to Herodotus and To Menoeceus, the Principal Doctrines, and the Fragments Hobbes, Selections from the Leviathan, Chapters vi, xii-xv, and xxix-xxx, and Philosophical Rudiments, Chapter iHume, Selections from An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of MoralsJohn Stuart Mill, “Hedonism,” from UtilitarianismKant, Selections from Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals First and Second SectionsMill, Selections from Utilitarianism, Chapters ii-iii Plato, Selections from the Gorgias and the Republic, Books i-ii, iv, vi-vii, and ixSartre, Selections from Existentialism and Human Emotions

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Documents

MORAL PHILOSOPHY SYLLABUS