The Good Life
PHIL 264-02 | CRN#
11719 | TR 10-11:50 | Craig-Lee 050 | Fall 2012
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Aaron Smuts
| asmuts@ric.edu
Description
This class will focus on one of
the most fundamental questions in moral philosophy: What makes a life worth
living? In other words, we are after the nature of The Good Life.
The course begins with the
meaning of life. Here we will ask question such as: Is life meaningless if
there is no God? If death is the end, should we simply pursue as much pleasure
while we can enjoy it? What's the difference between merely feeling fulfilled
and living a meaningful life? In the
next section of the course, we will briefly look at theories of well-being.
These theories tell us what makes a life good for the one who lives it. This is
a subtly different question than what makes a life meaningful. Here we want to
know what makes a life good for me. Is
it pleasure, desire satisfaction, or something else? Finally, we will turn to
the big question at the heart of the class: What makes a life worth living? In
this part of the course, we will examine theories of the good life.
The readings will come from a mix
of classical and contemporary sources.
In addition to philosophy, we will read some psychology, drama, and
literary fiction. Along the way we'll be
thinking about experience machines, deceived business men, bestiality, sadistic
killers of children, ascetic hermits, evil universes, grass counters, strangers
on trains, drug addicts, and James Dean.
http://tinyurl.com/asmuts-goodlife-f12
Texts
There are seven required books for this course:
- Epictetus, The Handbook (Hackett Pub Co)
{ISBN: 978-0915145690} [TH] [buy]
- Tom Hurka, The Best Things in Life (Oxford
University Press, 2010) {ISBN: 978-0195331424} [BTL] [buy]
- Moliere, Don Juan, Trans. Neil Bartlett
(Oberon Classics) {ISBN: 978-1840024395} (*buy this translation) [DJ] [buy]
- Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning (Beacon
Press) {ISBN: 978-0807014271} [MSFM] [buy]
- Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Illyich & Other
Stories, Trans. Pevear & Volokhonsky (Vintage, 2009). {ISBN-13:
978-0307268815} (*buy this translation) [DII] [buy]
- Susan Wolf, Meaning in Life and Why it Matters
(Princeton University Press) {ISBN: 978-0691154503} [MLWM] [buy]
- Albert Camus, The Myth of Sysiphus, Trans. Justin
O'Brien (Vintage) {ISBN: 978-0679733737} (*buy this translation) [MS] [buy]
There are two optional books:
- Andrew Lawrence Roberts. The Thinking Student's Guide to
College: 75 Tips for Getting a Better Education. University Of Chicago
Press, 2010. ISBN-10: 0226721159. [buy]
- E. D. Klemke (Ed.) and Steven M.
Cahn (Ed.), The Meaning of Life: A
Reader (Oxford University Press,
USA; 3 edition, October 11, 2007) {ISBN-10: 0195327306} [ML] [buy]
Most of the readings will come from articles posted on
Blackboard [BB].
Coursework
There will be two different forms
of coursework: (best 20 out of 26) daily quizzes and three take-home examinations. I will give a short quiz at the beginning of
each class that will require one or two sentence answers. The quizzes are closed-book, but
open-note. The bulk of your grade comes
from the take-home exams. All assignments must be completed to pass the course.
Quizzes (10%) + first exam (30%) + late-term exam (30%) +
final exam (30%).
I encourage students who are
doing well to write a term paper in place of the final exam. If you chose this
option, please let me know two weeks before Thanksgiving. I'll help you refine
your topic and develop an outline. You must give me an abstract and a rough
outline one month before the final exam period. I will not accept a term paper
otherwise.
Attendance Policy
Although I record every class
meeting, attendance is required. If you miss 6 or more classes, you will
receive a 0 for your quiz grade. If
you miss 12 or more classes, you will receive an F for the course. (There
are no excused or unexcused absences. But please talk to me if something major
comes up that dramatically affects your attendance.)
Laptop Policy
Laptop use is prohibited. The same
goes for tablet computers. Consider this rehab for Facebook addiction. You
should print the articles posted on Blackboard and bring them to class.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism—claiming someone
else’s ideas or written work as your own—will not be tolerated. The tests are
not collaborative. All sources must be cited. Anyone caught cheating will be
given a failing grade in the course. I am also required to report you to the
Vice President of Academic Affairs. But
I would report you even if it was optional. Plagiarism is a serious offense.
Class Schedule
(There will be a quiz every class on the required reading for that day.)
- Week 1
- C01 (T: 8/28) Introduction and Overview
- Feldman, "The Quest for
the Good Life" [BB, PGL, ch. 1, pp. 1-21]
- {Optional: Sumner, "The
Concept of Welfare" [BB, WHE ch. 1, pp. 1-26]}
- {Optional: Haybron, "What
Do We Want from a Theory of Happiness?" [BB]}
- {Optional: Diener, Wirtz, and
Oishi, "The James Dean Effect" [BB]}
Topic I: The Meaning
of Life
- C02 (R: 8/30) Stoicism
- Epictetus, The Handbook [TH]
- Week 2
- C03 (T: 9/4) Meaning
and Suffering
- Frankl, "Experiences in a
Concentration Camp" [MSFM, pp. 3-96)
- C04 (R: 9/6) Super-meaning
- Frankl, "Logotherapy in a
Nutshell" [MSFM, pp. 97-136]
- Week 3
- C05 (T: 9/11) An Existentialist
Account
- Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, "An Absurd Reasoning" [MS,
pp. 3-65, 119-124]
- {Optional: Smuts, "Five
Tests for What Makes a Life Worth Living" [BB]}
- C06 (R: 9/13) Don Juan
- Molière, Don Juan [DJ, pp.13-78]
- Week 4
- C07 (T: 9/18) The Absurd
- Ecclesiastes [BB]
- Nagel, "The Absurd"
[BB, ML, pp. 143-153]
- C08 (R: 9/20) Subjective Meaning
- Taylor, "The Meaning of
Life" [BB, ML, pp. 134-143]
- Week 5
- C09 (T: 9/25) Meaning and
God
- Craig, "The Absurdity of
Life Without God" [BB]
- CXX (R: 9/27) *NO
CLASS
- Wolf, "Happiness and
Meaning: Two Aspects of the Good Life" [BB]
- Week 6
- C10 (T: 10/02) Meaning and God
- Wielenberg, "God and the
Meaning of Life" [BB]
- C11 (R: 10/04) Hybrid Theories of Meaning
- Wolf, "Meaning in Life"
[MLWM, pp. 1-33]
- Week 7
- C12 (T: 10/09) The Importance of Meaning
- Wolf, "Why It Matters"
[MLWM, pp. 34-63]
- C13 (R: 10/11) Replies to Wolf
- Koethe [MLWM, pp. 67-74]
- Adams [MLWM, pp. 75-84]
- Arpaly [MLWM, pp. 85-91]
- Week 8
- C14 (T: 10/16) Wolf's Response
- Wolf [MLWM pp. 102-132]
- {Optional: Smuts, "The
Good Cause Account of the Meaning of Life" [BB]}
- C15 (R: 10/18) Ivan Ilyich
- Tolstoy, "The Death of
Ivan Ilyich" [DII]
Topic II: Welfare
- Week 9
- C16(T: 10/23) Hedonism
about Welfare
- Mill, "What Utilitarianism
Is" [BB, pp. 121-133]
- Homer, "Circe's Pigs"
(from bk. 10 of the Odyssey)
[BB]
- C17(R: 10/25) Objective
List Theories of Welfare
- Week 10
- C18(T: 10/30) Hybrid
Objective List Theories of Welfare
- Parfit, "What Makes
Someone's Life Go Best" [BB]
- Brave New World (excerpt) [BB]
- {Optional: Sumner,
"Objective Theories" (BB, WHE, ch. 3, pp. 45-81) [BB]}
- C19 (R: 11/01) The Limits of Well-being
- Kagan, "Me and My
Life" [BB]
- {Optional: Kagan, "The
Limits of Well-being" [BB]}
Topic III: A Life
Worth Living
- Week 11
- CXX (T: 11/06) *NO
CLASS – ELECTION DAY
- Smuts, "A Life Worth
Living" [BB]"
- C20 (R: 11/08) Francis
Macomber
- Hemingway, "The Short
Happy Life of Francis Macomber" [BB]
- Week 12
- C21 (T: 11/13) A Life Worth Living
- Hurka, "Introduction"
and Ch.1 "Feeling Good" [BTL, pp.1-30]
- C22 (R: 11/15) Happiness
- Hurka, Ch.2 "Finding that
Feeling" and Ch.3 "The Place of Pleasure" [BTL, pp.31-73]
- Week 13
- C23 (T: 11/20) Knowledge
- Hurka, Ch.4 "Knowing
What's What" [BTL, pp.75-96]
- CXX (R:11/22) *NO
CLASS – THANKSGIVING
- Week 14
- C24 (T: 11/27) Achievement
- Hurka, Ch.5 "Making Things
Happen" [BTL, pp.97-118]
- C25 (R: 11/29) Virtue
- Hurka, Ch.6 "Being
Good" [BTL, pp.119-139]
- Week 15
- C26 (T: 12/04) Love and Friendship
- Hurka, Ch.7 "Love and
Friendship" [BTL, pp.141-161]
- C27 (R: 12/06) The Good Life
- Hurka, Ch.8 "Putting It
Together" [BTL, pp.163-187]
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 Updating... Ċ Aaron Smuts, Aug 18, 2012, 10:49 AM
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