Assignments will be posted here as we go along. To prepare for the
Thursday discussion meetings, it will be necessary to check this page after the
previous Tuesday's large lecture class, since the Thursday assignment will
depend on what went on during the large lecture class. Normally, you can
expect the Thursday assignment to be posted the previous Tuesday night by 11 pm.
When you view this page frequently--especially if more than once in a given
day, you may
need to RELOAD or REFRESH it in order to see updates on your screen. Otherwise the
page will not change on your screen even though it has been updated on the
server. Use your
browser's "reload" or "refresh" button.
Each assignment that requires you to
hand in something has a due date, found in the far RIGHT
column. You should complete assignments by their deadlines. No work is accepted past the
deadline unless you obtain permission.
(See grading policies.) If there is nothing in
the far right column, nothing is to be prepared for handing in that day (but
there still could be a quiz in class that day).
| I.
Right and wrong. Living well. |
| For this date |
Reading to do |
Things to do |
Submit deadline |
| Tue. 1/17 |
No reading. |
Come to class. |
-- |
| Thur. 1/19 |
Plato, The Republic. Excerpts found in
the PIP packet. |
Get the reading packet. Read this short
selection. Come up with at least one good question or one objection
relating to it. |
-- |
| Tue. 1/24 |
Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics.
Excerpts in packet. |
Please use the study guide found by
clicking here, and write brief answers
to the questions in it, to turn in on Tuesday in the main lecture. |
Tue. 1/24 |
| Thur. 1/26 |
Reread the Aristotle piece, using the Tue.
lecture as a guide. |
Quiz in class on Plato and Aristotle readings.
Make a note of questions or objections you might have, and bring with you to
class for discussion. |
Submit quiz. |
| Tue. 1/31 |
Kant, Fundamental Principles...of Morals,
19-22. |
Use the study guide found
here! I worked hard to create this
thing to help you with the reading, and to cut down on the work you need to
do. But do it before the lecture. |
-- |
| Thur. 2/2 |
Kant, continue to page 26. |
Do the study guide found
here, to turn in. Give it a good shot
even if you're not sure you have good answers. |
Thur. 2/2 |
| Tue. 2/7 |
Kant, 26 - 30. |
Follow the study guide found
here. Pick up
your previous study guide answers from me in the lecture session. |
-- |
| Thur. 2/9 |
Reread key parts of Kant. |
There will be a short quiz on Kant's moral
philosophy. Prepare by reviewing, and making a list of objections or
questions you want to bring up. |
Quiz, Thur. 2/9 |
| Tue. 2/14 |
Mill, "Utilitarianism", 31 - 40 |
Aside from sounding a bit "old fashioned",
Mill's writing will be easier than Kant's. Look for key concepts and
think about how Mill's ideas about morality are different from Kant's.
Be sure to read at least a good part of this before the lecture. |
-- |
| Thur. 2/16 |
Reread, as needed. |
Answer the study questions found
here.
Get started on Essay #1. Here are the
instructions. |
Thur. 2/16 |
| II.
Moral responsibility |
| Tue. 2/21 |
Try to read at least the first section on Moral
Responsibility, 42-49 |
Obviously, the main thing is to do a good job on
your essay. However, it would be good to get started on the reading
for the week as well. This reading should not be terribly hard.
Take a look. |
Essay #1 due |
| Thur. 2/23 |
Finish Sections I and II on Moral Responsibility
(to p 54) |
Choose one of the study questions at the end of
Section II, and write a paragraph about it. |
Thur. 2/23 |
| Tue. 2/28 |
Section III of "Moral Responsibility".
Possibly Sec IV as well. |
Get clear about what is contra-causal free will,
and how it is different from influences on choice-making. |
-- |
| Thur. 3/2 |
Reread III as needed. May find IV helpful,
especially if you find cc free will mysterious. |
There will be a short quiz on the readings.
Section IV is not included in the list of assigned readings for this day. |
Thur. 3/2 |
| Tue. 3/7 |
Sections IV and V |
Think about whether there are good reasons to
accept or reject the idea that we have cc free will. Think about the
study questions at the end of V. |
-- |
| Thur. 3/9 |
Review Sections IV and V |
Write a paragraph that summarizes my way of
trying to avoid the "killer argument". (Think about whether this move
is successful.) |
Thur. 3/9 |
| If you are interested in seeing two essays from
the class that were graded as being at the "A" level, click
here for PDF copies of these essays.
This might help you to understand the grading of your own essay.
(Unfortunately, my comments did not always copy very well.) |
-- |
| Have a good Spring Break.
Aristotle's advice about how to live well by avoiding excess and deficiency
might come in handy! Or, Mill's claim that some pleasures are worth a
lot more than others in the long run. |
| The class schedule for the rest
of the semester will be found on the "Schedule
2nd half" page. |
