Phil 102 – The Good & the Beautiful

[Spring 2012] 
Professor : Dr. M. J. Seidler / Office: CH 322
Phone : 745-5756  /  E-mail: michael.seidler@wku.edu
Office Hours : MWF 10:15 - 11:15 a.m., & by appt.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT: Like its associates, Phil 101: Truth and Relativism, & Phil 103: The Committed Life, Phil 102 is a general introduction-to-philosophy course.  Phil 101, 102, and 103 are thematized  differently and may be taken separately for GenEd or philosophy credit.
 
DESCRIPTION:  This course introduces students to philosophy by focusing on the important disciplinary areas of ethics (the good) and aesthetics (the beautiful).  Like other introductory-level courses in any field, it surveys basic topics, introduces major figures, and seeks to develop students’ skills in philosophical reasoning and discussion. Through a variety of assignments, it seeks also to improve students' writing skills.

TEXTS:
  • S. Blackburn, Being Good (Oxford, 2001), pbk.  [B] 
  • D. Hume, Selected Essays (Oxford 2008), pbk. [H] 
  • P. Singer, The Expanding Circle. Ethics, Evolution & Moral Progress (Princeton, 1981), pbk. [S] 
  • R. Scruton, Beauty: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2011), pbk. [Scr]
  • A. George, What Should I Do? (cases in ethics) (Oxford, 2010), pbk. [G]
ASSIGNMENTS: There are four writing assignments of varying lengths and increasing value, based on the materials covered in class and amounting altogether to about 20 pp. for the semester.  Due dates are indicated on the schedule below.  Further instructions will be provided as we work our way through each of the books and thematic possibilities become clear.  Each student will also be responsible for a short class presentation of a case from George's collection.  The final course grade is based on 95 pts. (see the Conversion Chart on the website and  BB); 5 additional points (optional) may be earned through class participation.

#1: (15 pts, 4 pp.) – Blackburn
#2: (20 pts, 5 pp.) – Singer
#3: (25 pts, 5 pp.) – Hume
#4: (30 pts, 6 pp.) – Scruton
#5: (5 pts, 5-10 min) -- case presentation (from George)
#6: (5 pts) -- Class Participation (extra credit)

ATTENDANCE:  Students are allowed a maximum of four (4) unexcused absences; additional unexcused  absences may be penalized.  Note that attendance and class participation are not identical: the former signifies passive physical presence, the latter your active involvement in the class.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES:  Class website (http://people.wku.edu/michael.seidler),
BlackBoard (http://ecourses.wku.edu), Research Tools (http://people.wku.edu/michael.seidler/research.htm).

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT:  Use of any gadget (including laptops) during class must be approved in advance by the professor.  Abuse of such privileges will result in their withdrawal.


SCHEDULE (revised)

Topics and dates may shift slightly during the semester, as will be evident to students attending class.
Assignment dates are more fixed, but will also be confirmed in class.  You should read the assigned
selections before coming to each class.  Note: on the schedule below, ibid. means 'the same'.

Wk 1  (Jan 23) [mwf]
(a)  Introduction to course.
(b)  Blackburn, ch.1: “The Death of God” (10-19)
(c)  B, ch.2: “Relativism” (19-29)
 
Wk 2  (Jan 30)  [mwf]
(a)  B, ch.3: Egoism” (29-37) / ch.4: “Evolutionary Theory” (37-43)
(b)  B, ch.5: “Determinism” (43-46) / ch.6: “Unreasonable Demands” (47-50) / ch.7: “False Consciousness” (50-55)
(c)  B, ch.16: “Reasons & Foundations” (108-12) / ch.17: “Being Good & Living Well” (112-16)

Wk 3  (Feb 6) [mwf]
(a)  B, ch.18: “Moral Deontology” (116-24) / ch.19: “Contracts & Discourse” (125-28)
(b)  B, ch.20: “The Common Point of View” (129-33) / ch.21: “Confidence Restored” (133-35)
(c)  B, ch.8: “Birth” (56-65) / ch.9: “Death” (65-73)
 
Wk 4  (Feb 13) [mwf]
(a)  B, ch.10: “Desire (74-81) / ch.11: “Pleasure” (81-86) / ch.12: “Happiness” (86-93)
(b)  B, ch.13: “Liberalism” (93-97) / ch.14: “Paternalism” (97-102)
(c)  B, ch.15: “Rights” (103-107)

Wk 5  (Feb 20) [mwf]
(a)  Singer, “Prefaces” (xi-xviii)
(b)  S, ch.1: “Origins of Altruism” (3-23) 
(c)  S, ch.2: “Biological Basis of Ethics” (23-53)  |  Paper #1 due

Wk 6  (Feb 27) [mwf]
(a)  S, ch.3: “From Evolution to Ethics” (54-86)
(b)  S, ch.4: “Reason” (87-124)
(c)  Ibid. 

Wk 7  (Mar 5)   SPRING BREAK   

Wk 8  (Mar 12) [mwf]
(a)  S, ch.5: “Reason and Genes” (125-147)
(b)  S, ch.6: “A New Understanding of Ethics” (148-174)
(c)  S, “Afterword” (187-204)

Wk 9  (Mar 19) [mwf] 
(a)  S, ibid.
(b)  S, ibid.  
(c)  NO CLASS

Wk 10 (Mar 26) [mwf]  
(a)  Hume, “Of the Delicacy of Taste and Passion” (10-13) 
(b)  H, “Of the Dignity and Meanness of Human Nature” (43-49)
(c)  Ibid.  / Paper #2 due

Wk 11 (Apr 2) [mwf]
(a)  H, “Of the Standard of Taste” (133-154) 
(b)  Ibid.
(c)  H, “Of Refinement in the Arts” (167-177) 

Wk 12 (Apr 9) [mwf]
(a)  Scruton, ch. 1: “Judging Beauty” (pp. 1-28)
(b)  Ibid.
(c)  Scr, ch. 2: “Human Beauty” (pp. 29-48)  |  Paper #3 due

Wk 13 (Apr 16) [mwf]
(a)  Scr, ch. 3: “Natural Beauty” (pp. 49-66)
(b)  Scr, ch. 4: “Everyday Beauty” (pp. 67-81)
(c)  Scr, ch. 4: “Everyday Beauty” (pp. 67-81)

Wk 14 (Apr 23) [mwf]
(a)  Scr, ch. 5: “Artistic Beauty”(pp. 82-111)
(b)  Ibid.
(c)  Scr, ch. 6” “Taste & Order” (pp. 112-23) 

Wk 15 (Apr 30) [mwf]  
(a)  Scr, ch. 7: “Art and eros” (pp. 124-38) 
(b)  Scr, chs. 8-9: “The Flight from Beauty” (pp. 139-64)
(c)  Conclusion to course.    

Wk 16 (May 7 - 11)  -- FINALS WEEK  /  Paper #4 due  (on Thursday, May 10, at 1 p.m.)