PHIL 202: Contemporary Moral Problems

Timetable

Tue
Aug 25

Intro: General Introduction

Essential philosophical skills.

Thu
Aug 27

Intro: Ethics

Ethics: Theory and practice.

Tue
Sep 1

Intro: Arguments

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
Play around in the Logic and Critical Thinking section of the Resources page.
The Peanut Butter Argument.

Thu
Sep 3

Abortion 1

The state of the abortion debate.
Dobbs v. Jackson (2022). (SCOTUS) – No need to read the whole thing, just the syllabus is ok.

Tue
Sep 8

Abortion 2

The famous Famous Violinist.
Judith Jarvis Thomson (1971). ‘A Defense of Abortion.’ Philosophy & Public Affairs 1(1): 47-66. (UD Library.)

Tue
Sep 8

Last Day of Free Drop / Add

Make sure you finalize any changes.

Thu
Sep 10

Abortion 3

Futures like ours.
Don Marquis(1989). ‘Why Abortion is Immoral.’ The Journal of Philosophy 8(4): 183-202. (UD Library.)

Tue
Sep 15
in class

Bad Argument Assignment

In-class group project.
Details on ‘Assessment’ page.

Thu
Sep 17

Quiz 1 Preview

Think about the quiz and come with questions.

Sun
Sep 20
11:55 pm

Quiz 1

Details on ‘Assessment’ page.
Complete on Canvas@UD.

Tue
Sep 22

Selection for Disability

Everworse Sequences.
Mark Greene & Steve Augello, ‘Everworse: What’s Wrong with Selecting for Disability?’ (On Canvas@UD.)

Thu
Sep 24

Review of Quiz 1

Any questions about that first quiz?

Tue
Sep 29

Affirmative Action 1

The Problem We All Live With.
Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj.

Thu
Oct 1

Affirmative Action 2

Affirmative Action – For & Against.
Tom Beauchamp (1998). ‘In Defense of Affirmative Action.’ The Journal of Ethics 2:2, pp.143-158. (UD Library.)
The Economist. ‘Why Affirmative Action in Americal Had to Go.’ June 30th, 2023. (Accessible version on Canvas@UD.)

Sun
Oct 4
11:55 pm

Quiz 2

Details on ‘Assessment’ page.
Complete on Canvas@UD.

Tue
Oct 6

Heritability & Race

Heritability and race.
Moore & Shenk (2017). ‘The Heritability Fallacy.’ Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science, 8(1-2). (UD Library)

Thu
Oct 8
in class

Explanation of Why ‘High Heritability’ Does Not Imply ‘Inherited’

In-class group project.
Word limit: 300 words – strictly enforced.
Details on ‘Assessment’ page.

Tue
Oct 13

Environmental Ethics

The moral radar and the ‘last person’ question.

Thu
Oct 15

Respect for Nature

Taylor on respect for nature.
Paul W Taylor (1981). ‘The Ethics of Respect for Nature.’ Environmental Ethics 3(3): 197-218. (See Canvas@UD.)

Sun
Oct 18
11:55 pm

Quiz 3

Details on ‘Assessment’ page.
Complete on Canvas@UD.

Tue
Oct 20

AI Ethics

AI vs. Old Farts.
Have a chat with AI about ethical issues with itself.

Thu
Oct 22

Just War Theory

Just War Theory.
Alexander Moseley. ‘Just War Theory.’ Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (On the web.)

Tue
Oct 27

Torture

Torture, Morality, & Law.
Jeff McMahan (2006). ‘Torture, Morality, and Law.’ Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law. 37(2/3): 241-248. (UD Library)

Thu
Oct 29

Terrorism

Defining Terrorism.
Igor Primoratz. ‘Terrorism.’ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (On the web.)

Sun
Nov 1
11:55 pm

Quiz 4

Details on ‘Assessment’ page.
Complete on Canvas@UD.

Tue
Nov 3

Election Day: No Class

Don’t forget to vote?

Thu
Nov 5

Voting Puzzles

Voting Puzzles
Which Voting System is the Best? (YouTube.)
Is Democracy Impossible? (YouTube.)

Mon
Nov 9

Last Day to Change Registration or Withdraw

Deadline to change grading or to withdraw without academic penalty.

Tue
Nov 10
in class

Explanation Assignment: ‘Torture, Morality, and Law.’ (Oct 29 reading)

In ‘Torture, Morality, and War’, Jeff McMahan defends the view that both killing and torture can be morally justifiable in war. Explain why, despite this, he thinks that the legality of killing in war should differ from the legality of torture in war.
In-class group project.
Word limit: 150 words – strictly enforced.
Details on ‘Assessment’ page.

Thu
Nov 12

Utilitarianism & Global Justice

Famine, Affluence, and Morality.
Singer, Peter . ‘Famine, Affluence, and Morality.’ (UD Library.)
Singer, Peter . ‘How to Give Away a Million Dollars.’ (On the web.)

Sun
Nov 15
11:55 pm

Quiz 5

Details on ‘Assessment’ page.
Complete on Canvas@UD.

Tue
Nov 17

Private Government

What topics would you like to cover after the break?
Anderson on Private Government
Anderson, Elizabeth. ‘Liberty, Equality, and Private Government.’ Tanner Lectures 2015. (See Canvas@UD.)

Thu
Nov 19

Jury Duty and Perverse Verdicts

Jury Nullification
Bushell’s Case. (Wikipedia.)
Jury Nullification. (On the web.)

Tue
Dec 1

Student Choice: Guns
*** On Zoom *** Use Class Meetings link on Canvas

Revisionist History: Guns #2 – Getting Out of Dodge

Thu
Dec 3

Student Choice: Decriminalizing Drugs & Sex Work

Crackdown #35: On the Clock

Tue
Dec 8

Optional Review

Drop by if you have questions about Q6 or just want to chat.

Tue
Dec 8
11:55 pm

Quiz 6

Details on ‘Assessment’ page.
Complete on Canvas@UD.

Contemporary Moral Problems