Kansas State University
Meeting Times:
1:05-2:20 Tuesday and Thursday, Waters 329
Instructor Details:
Jack Himelright
jhimelri [at] ksu [dot] edu
Office Hours and Location: 1-3 Wednesday by Zoom, and by appointment.
Course Description:
This class is a majors course on ethics, the area of philosophy concerning how one ought to live: right and wrong, good and bad, virtue and vice, obligation and permission, etc. Our study of ethics will be divided into several major sections:
The first section concerns the objectivity of morality. We will study whether or not there is an objective answer to the question of how one ought to live, what follows from there being an objective answer, and what follows from there not being an objective answer.
The second section concerns well-being and reasons for action. What is it for someone's life to be going well? Is it a matter of having positive states of mind, or is there an objective component? And is there is any non-prudential reason to be moral? Does someone, if they don’t care about morality on an emotional level, still have a reason to do the right thing?
The third and largest section concerns theories about the basic principles of morality: what the basic principles are, and what criteria can be offered for determining which actions are right and which are wrong. We will look at consequentialist, deontological, and virtue-ethical approaches.
Goals:
My goals for this course are as follows:
(1) I want you to have reflected on how one ought to live at a general, abstract level. All of us have to make moral decisions, and it useful to be able to see how those decisions are placed within a larger ethical frameworks.
(2) I want you to develop your ability to critically evaluate lines of reasoning. This skill is useful in philosophy, but it is useful in life generally, from deciding what to make of op-eds to whether it’s a good time to seek a promotion. A little bit of critical reasoning goes a long way.
Texts:
All readings will be posted on Canvas. I reserve the right to change the reading list. Any changes will be made in advance and put on the syllabus.
Assignments and Grading:
Course Assignments and Grade Percentages
Quizzes – 20%
First Paper – 30%
Second Paper -- 30%
Final Exam – 20%
Assignment Details
Quizzes
Quizzes will be weekly, open book, and on Canvas. They will be available from Friday morning to Sunday night. They will also be based on the reading materials and lectures from the past week. Each will have 10 questions.
The lowest 2 quiz grades of the semester will be dropped.
Papers
Your papers will be 5-6 pages long (double-spaced). The details will be specified in the prompts for each.
Exams
The final will be cumulative and designed to test for content knowledge and broad comprehension.
Grade Scale
The following is the grade scale for your assignments. Your total grade will be calculated from the above percentages, and then assigned on the basis of this grade scale as well.
A: 90-100 points
B: 80-89 points
C: 70-79 points
D: 60-69 points
F: <60 points
Late Policy
Late quizzes will not be accepted. Make-up exams will only be allowed with official university-excused absences.
Late papers will be accepted, but with a -5 point penalty for each day it is late. The only exception is if an extension was granted before the due date. A -5 point penalty will be applied for each day the assignment is late after the extension.
Schedule:
1/17: Introduction
Emotivism, Error Theory, and Relativism
1/19: A.J. Ayer, “A Critique of Ethics”
1/24: J.L. Mackie, “The Subjectivity of Values”
1/26: Gilbert Harman, “Moral Relativism Defended”
1/31: Sharon Street, “A Darwinian Dilemma for Realist Theories of Value”, Sections 1-6
Defenses of Realism
2/2: Street, continued; Harry Gensler, "Cultural Relativism" [optional reading]
2/7: David Brink, “Moral Realism and the Sceptical Argument from Disagreement and Queerness”
2/9: Michael Smith, “Realism”
God and Morality
2/14: Philip L. Quinn, “God and Morality”
2/16: NO CLASS due to weather
2/21: Kai Neilson, “Ethics without God”
2/23: NO CLASS -- listen to Shelley Kagan & William Lane Craig debate, "Is God Necessary for Morality?" (link in Assignments)
Well-Being and Ethics
2/28: Robert Nozick, “The Experience Machine”; W.D. Ross, “What Things Are Good?”
3/2: Susan Wolf, "Moral Saints"
Utilitarianism
3/7: John Stuart Mill, Selections from Utilitarianism; First Paper Due
3/9: J.J.C. Smart, “An Outline of a System of Utilitarian Ethics”, Parts 1-5
3/12 - 3/19: Spring Break
3/21: J.J.C. Smart, “An Outline of a System of Utilitarian Ethics”, Parts 6-10
3/23: Bernard Williams, “A Critique of Utilitarianism”, Parts 2-3 & 5
Deontology
3/28: Immanuel Kant, Selections from Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
3/30: Christine Korsgaard, “Kant’s Formula of the Universal Law”
4/4: John Rawls, “A Theory of Justice”
4/6: T.M. Scanlon, “Contractualism and Utilitarianism”
4/11: Judith Jarvis Thomson, "Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem"
Virtue Ethics
4/13: Aristotle, Selections from the Nicomachean Ethics
4/18: Rosalind Hursthouse, “Normative Virtue Ethics”
4/20: NO CLASS
4/25: Philippa Foot, "Virtues and Vices"
4/27: Michael Slote, “Agent-Based Virtue Ethics”; Second Paper Due
5/2-5/4: No class; dead week
Final Exam: 5/11, on Canvas, available from 9:00 am -- 5:00 pm
Statement Regarding Academic Honesty
Kansas State University has an Honor & Integrity System based on personal integrity which is presumed to be sufficient assurance in academic matters one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor & Integrity System. The policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning.
A component vital to the Honor & Integrity System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work."
The default in this class is that ALL work will be accomplished individually, UNLESS my permission is given in advance of an assignment/quiz/exam/take-home exam/final. If you are in doubt, please ask.
A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty. The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation.
For more information, visit the Honor & Integrity System home web page at: http://www.k-state.edu/honor/
Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities
At K-State it is important that every student has access to course content and the means to demonstrate course mastery. Students with disabilities may benefit from services including accommodations provided by the Student Access Center. Disabilities can include physical, learning, executive functions, and mental health. You may register at the Student Access Center (k-state.edu/accesscenter) or to learn more contact:
Manhattan/Olathe/Global Campus – Student Access Center
accesscenter@k-state.edu
785-532-6441
K-State Salina Campus – Julie Rowe; Student Success Coordinator
jarowe@k-state.edu
785-820-7908
Students already registered with the Student Access Center please request your Letters of Accommodation early in the semester to provide adequate time to arrange your approved academic accommodations. Once SAC approves your Letter of Accommodation it will be e-mailed to you, and your instructor(s) for this course. Please follow up with your instructor to discuss how best to implement the approved accommodations.
Statement Defining Expectations for Classroom Conduct
All student activities in the University, including this course, are governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the Student Governing Association By Laws, Article V, Section 3, number 2. Students who engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment may be asked to leave the class.
Statement on Mutual Respect and Inclusion in K-State Teaching and Learning Spaces
At K-State, faculty and staff are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and supportive learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. K-State courses, labs, and other virtual and physical learning spaces promote equitable opportunity to learn, participate, contribute, and succeed, regardless of age, race, color, ethnicity, nationality, genetic information, ancestry, disability, socioeconomic status, military or veteran status, immigration status, Indigenous identity, gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, religion, culture, as well as other social identities.
Faculty and staff are committed to promoting equity and believe the success of an inclusive learning environment relies on the participation, support, and understanding of all students. Students are encouraged to share their views and lived experiences as they relate to the course or their course experience, while recognizing they are doing so in a learning environment in which all are expected to engage with respect to honor the rights, safety, and dignity of others in keeping with the K-State Principles of Community https://www.k-state.edu/about/values/community/.
If you feel uncomfortable because of comments or behavior encountered in this class, you may bring it to the attention of your instructor, advisors, and/or mentors. If you have questions about how to proceed with a confidential process to resolve concerns, please contact the Student Ombudsperson Office. Violations of the student code of conduct can be reported here https://www.k-state.edu/sga/judicial/student-code-of-conduct.html. If you experience bias or discrimination, it can be reported here https://www.k-state.edu/report/discrimination/.
Statement Regarding Wearing of Face Masks
Kansas State University strongly encourages, but does not require, that everyone wear masks while indoors on university property, including while attending in-person classes. For additional information and the latest on K-State’s face covering policy, see https://www.k-state.edu/covid-19/guidance/health/face-covering.html.
Statement Regarding Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Harassment
Kansas State University is committed to maintaining academic, housing, and work environments that are free of discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment. Instructors support the University’s commitment by creating a safe learning environment during this course, free of conduct that would interfere with your academic opportunities. Instructors also have a duty to report any behavior they become aware of that potentially violates the University’s policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment (PPM 3010).
If a student is subjected to discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment, they are encouraged to make a non-confidential report to the University’s Office for Institutional Equity (OIE) using the online reporting form. Incident disclosure is not required to receive resources at K-State. Reports that include domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, should be considered for reporting by the complainant to the Kansas State University Police Department or the Riley County Police Department. Reports made to law enforcement are separate from reports made to OIE. A complainant can choose to report to one or both entities. Confidential support and advocacy can be found with the K-State Center for Advocacy, Response, and Education (CARE). Confidential mental health services can be found with Lafene Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Academic support can be found with the Office of Student Life (OSL). OSL is a non-confidential resource. A comprehensive list of resources is available here. If you have questions about non-confidential and confidential resources, please contact OIE at equity@ksu.edu or (785) 532–6220.