Professor Richard J. Arneson
TAs: Eric Campbell and Adam Streed
Introductory Handout
This handout includes the official and complete list of reading assignments
for the course.
The weekly notes below just include links to a few readings and are
not a complete list of reading assignments.
Week 1 September 23-26 (short week)
Lecture 1 Handout.
Handout distributed in class; excerpt from Huck Finn.
Week 2 September 27-October 3
Handout distributed in class--Robert Nozick on "The experience
machine."
Week 3 October 4-10
Handout---Notes on Utilitarianism
and Consequentialism
Handout--Mill's Proof, chapter
4.
Handout--Mill on justice,
chapter 5.
Week 4 October 11-17
MONDAY: Reading--Amartya Sen, "Rights
and Agency"
WEDNESDAY: Reading-- Judith Thomson, "Self-Defense"
FRIDAY: Reading--Peter Singer, "Famine,
Affluence, and Morality"
Handout on the Doctrine
of Double Effect and the Doctrine of Acts and Omissions
Sample midterm exams: (1)
from 2000
(2) from 2001
(3) from 2002
Week 5 October 18-24
MONDAY: Reading--Susan Wolf, "Moral
Saints"
FRIDAY: Reading--Samuel Scheffler, "Relationships
and Responsibilities"
FRIDAY: Advance
information on midterm exam.
Friday handout: Addendum to Nagel, "Autonomy and Deontology."
On pp. 152-3 of the book from which this reading is taken, Nagel explains
the distinction between agent-neutral and agent-relative reasons as follows:
"If a reason can be given a general form which does not include an essential
reference to the person who has it, it is an agent-neutral reason.
For example, if it is a reason for anyone to do or want something that
it would reduce the amount of wretchedness in the world, then it is a neutral
reason. If on the other hand the general form of a reason does include
an essential reference to the person who has it, it is an agent-relative
reason.
For example, if it is a reason for anyone to do or want something that
it would be in his interest, then it is a relative reason."
Week 6 October 25-31
MONDAY: Midterm exam in class.
WEDNESDAY: Handout
on On Liberty, Chapter one.
WEDNESDAY: Writing Assignment
(due in class November 22).
Week 7 November 1-7
MONDAY: (1) Handout: Tips on
writing philosophy papers. (2) Another
handout: Tips on writing moral philosophy papers.
FRIDAY: Examples of Mill's applications
of his Liberty Principle.
FRIDAY: Handout on chapter
4, On Liberty: Does Mill qualify the Liberty Principle to death?
Week 8 November 8-14
Week 9 November 15-21
WEDNESDAY: Handout on Kant,
Groundwork,
pages 1-40
Week 10 November 22-28
MONDAY: Writing Assignment Due in class.
FRIDAY: NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY)
Week 11 November 29-December 5
FRIDAY: Advance information
on final exam (handout passed out in class).
Arneson's exam week office hour: Thursday, 1-4, my office (8057 HSS).
Final exam: Friday, December 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This exam will take place in our regular classroom, Cognitive Science Bldg 002.