Professor Schiavone

ETHICS

Professor Christopher Schiavone

PHL 103-01

Wednesdays, 11:30 AM - 12:45 (plus independent work to be completed weekly online)

Charlestown Campus - Room B113

Email the professor

To text or call: 508-250-0223

Office hours by appointment on campus or by Zoom

Before class, November 4:

Complete Independent Study #4
Readings:

Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics…, 165-174

Kant, Critique of Practical Reason, 521-522

Korsgaard, Kant on Dealing with Evil, 523-530

independent study links

Independent Study #1

Independent Study #2

Independent Study #3

PHILOSOPHY IN THE NEWS

Periodically, when I see articles or essays in the publications I routinely read, I may share them here if I think they're relevant to the course.

One essay is from The Atlantic--a somewhat surprising, but fairly interesting critique of empathy as an ethical consideration. In a few weeks, when we're discussing Sentimentalism, we'll want to see how the arguments against empathy hold up.

The other is a book review talking about the the subject of evil. If Ethics has something to do with the principles by which we determine what is morally good and desirable in a human life, and what is morally bad and undesirable in a human life, what does it mean to say that an action is "evil," or that "evil exists in the world?"

Why ‘Suicidal Empathy’ Has Caught On - The Atlantic.pdf

This Philosopher Thinks It’s Time We Call Out Evil in Our WorldIn a new book, Susan Neiman argues that by defining evil in terms of individual monstrousness we fail to perceive its widespread hold on our culture.

Are You a Platonist or an Aristotelian?Your answer may determine how happy you can be.

Opinion | The Democrats Are in Trouble. This Man Can Save Them.The theories of the 20th-century philosopher John Rawls can inspire a new way for Democrats to find relevance.

What John Stuart Mill Knew About HappinessThe great philosopher of liberty and liberalism had the ultimate advice for how to approach your “hoped-for heaven” in this earthly life.

Opinion | Should We Cancel Aristotle?He defended slavery and opposed the notion of human equality. But he is not our enemy.

Column: A thank you to the undocumented on the eve of Trump's deportation storm I’ve spent my career trying to sway skeptics that people here illegally are no different from native-born citizens. That nearly all embody the immigrant spirit.

If you hit a pay wall linking to the article above, you can use this link to download a PDF of it. It's definitely worth reading in light of our class discussion about the so-called fairness argument against permitting undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S.

Thou shalt not commit logical fallaciesA logical fallacy is a flaw in reasoning. Logical fallacies are like tricks or illusions of thought, and they're often very sneakily used by politicians and the media to fool people. Don't be fooled! This website has been designed to help you identify and call out dodgy logic wherever it may raise its ugly, incoherent head.

Altruism vs Egoism

Elon Musk Is Finding Out That Free Speech Isn’t Rocket ScienceIt’s harder.

Opinion | Marie Yovanovitch’s Moral CourageIt took a woman to break the spell of ‘sovereign masculinity’ that appeared to put the president above the law.

Opinion | The Most Important Thing I Teach My Students Isn’t on the SyllabusHumility can be a bulwark against arrogance, absolutism, purity and zeal, and an antidote in our age of grievance.

Opinion | The Next Frontier? Philosophy in Space.STEM can’t solve all our problems.

The Story Behind DeSantis’s Migrant Flights to Martha’s VineyardAsylum seekers in Texas were recruited for the flights by a woman who appeared to be a former Army counterintelligence agent. “We were tricked,” one migrant said.

The Founders Were Wrong About DemocracyThe authors of the Constitution feared mass participation would unsettle government, but it’s the privileged minority that has proved destabilizing.

Living with Our Pandemic Trade-OffsAfter two and a half years of COVID, we seem to have arrived at another judgment: the value of normalcy exceeds that of caution.

What Lil Nas X's 'Montero' says about Black queernessRapper Lil Nas X is no stranger to commanding the spotlight. But his controversial new music video and marketing campaign are drawing the ire of conservatives and right-wing media, who are criticizing the depictions and allusions to Satan. The reactions reveal deeper truths about the struggle of Black, queer artists. Sirius XM's Clay Cane joins Yamiche Alcindor to discuss the video and queer art.

Opinion | Howard University’s removal of classics is a spiritual catastropheOne of America's greatest Black universities is diminishing the light and wisdom that inspired Frederick Douglass, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and countless other freedom fighters.

PHILOSOPHY and culture

Michael Schur’s Unending Quest to Be PerfectThe comedy writer, known for shows like “Parks and Recreation” and “The Good Place,” has a surprising new project: a book about moral philosophy that explores how to be a good person.

Opinion | Art Is How We Justify Our ExistenceOur technologies are tools. But our creative works carry the wisdom of the world.

Linda McAlister, Philosopher and Founder of Feminist Journal, Dies at 82She was among a collective of philosophy professors who started Hypatia, the first major scholarly publication to view the discipline from a feminist lens.

Why Is It So Hard to Be Rational?The real challenge isn’t being right but knowing how wrong you might be.

The Philosopher Who Took Happiness SeriouslyIn her writings, Simone de Beauvoir repeatedly returned to a childhood friendship that deeply influenced her views on freedom and human desire.

Philippa Foot, Renowned Philosopher, Dies at 90 (Published 2010)Ms. Foot argued that moral judgments have a rational basis, and introduced the renowned ethical thought experiment known as the Trolley Problem.

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