Schedule of assignments

Note: The assignments below are carried over from last year. They may be updated as we go along. Check for current versions of online readings, test questions, and discussion projects.

Date	Topic(s)	Reading assignment (with a few links to explanatory notes and study questions)	Discussion Projects (If you miss class, complete the discussion project on your own and turn it in next time.) (Plus some other handouts)
Jan. 13	Introductory Session		Identifying Ethical Questions
Jan. 20	Reason, Relativism, Subjectivism, and Religion	Rachels, Chapters 1-4	Discussion Project on Chapters 1-4 ; Cases for Discussion
Jan. 27	Egoism and feeding the hungry	Rachels, Chapter 5; articles by Singer and Hardin, Applied Ethics, pp. 358-380	Discussion Project on Egoism; Oxfam America website
Feb. 3	Utilitarianism: the basic idea and the example of Euthanasia	Rachels, Chapter 7; articles by Rachels and Pellegrino, Applied Ethics, pp.166-183.	Discussion Project on simple utilitarianism ; Position Paper Assignment
Feb. 10	Utilitarianism: refinements	Rachels, Chapter 8, selection from Mill in Applied Ethics, pp.10-21; Notes_and_Study_Questions_for_Mill.htm	Discussion Project on Mill's utilitarianism
Feb. 17	Kant and Hunger (again)	Rachels, Chapter 9; Kant and Van Wyk in Applied Ethics, pp. 22-33 and 381-390; Notes and study questions for Kant.htm	Discussion Project on Kant's theory;
Feb. 24	Kant and Punishment	Rachels, Chapter 10; Kant and Primoratz. in Applied Ethics, pp. 33-38 and 284-294; Notes and study questions for Kant.htm; Paper Topics Due	Possible questions for first exam
March 3	The Death Penalty	Intro to chapter and articles by Bedau, Van den Haag and Amsterdam, Applied Ethics, pp. 238-283; Exam 1	Discussion Project on Capital Punishment
March 10	Spring Break	No Class
March 17	Social Contract Theory	Rachels, Chapter 6; Rawls in Applied Ethics, pp.38-44; Handouts on Rawls	Discussion Project: Castaways;
March 24	Economic Justice	Hospers and Govier in Applied Ethics, pp. 311-341; Paper drafts due	Discussion Project: Choosing Rules; Handout on free markets Position Paper Assignment
March 31	Abortion	Intro to chapter and articles by Warren (2) and Marquis in Applied Ethics, pp. 71-110	Discussion Project: Analyzing Abortion Essays
April 7	Feminist Ethics	Rachels Chapter 11; Sherwin, Mackenzie and Wolf-Devine in Applied Ethics, pp. 59-69, 120-133, 145-155	Gilligan on Care vs. Justice
April 14	Virtue Theory	Rachels, Chapter 12, Foot in Applied Ethics, pp. 50-58	Applying Virtue Theory;
April 21	Ethics of sex	Soble, “Philosophy of Sexuality,” (esp. sections 7-17) (online here); Gastil, in Applied Ethics pp. 569-579; Reread Rachels, pp. 44-47 and 53-57; (Optional) Levin, in Applied Ethics pp. 665-674;	Possible exam questions
April 28	Final exam and wrap up	Exam 2, Position Papers due	Position Paper Assignment