Schedule of assignments

Note (5/5/08): 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)

May 6	Introductory Session		Identifying Ethical Questions
May 13	Reason, Relativism, Subjectivism, and Religion	Rachels, Chapters 1-4	Discussion Project on Chapters 1-4; Cases for Discussion
May 20	Egoism and feeding the hungry	Rachels, Chapters 5-6; articles by Singer and Hardin, Applied Ethics, pp. 358-380	Discussion Project on Egoism; Oxfam America website
May 27	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
June 3	Utilitarianism: Refinements	Rachels, Chapter 8, selection from Mill in Applied Ethics, pp.10-21	Discussion Project on Mill's utilitarianism; Possible questions for first exam
June 10	Kant and Hunger (again)	Rachels, Chapter 9; Kant and Van Wyk in Applied Ethics, pp. 22-33 and 381-390;	Discussion Project on Kant's theory; Position Paper Assignment
June 17	Kant and Punishment	Rachels, Chapter 10; Kant and Primoratz. in Applied Ethics, pp. 33-38 and 284-294; Exam 1	Possible questions for first exam
June 24	The Death Penalty	Intro to chapter and articles by Bedau, Van den Haag and Amsterdam, Applied Ethics, pp. 238-283	Discussion Project on Capital Punishment
July 1	Social Contract Theory	Rachels, Chapter 11; Rawls in Applied Ethics, pp.38-44; Handouts (My notes, Duncan's notes, Lingua Franca article, and Rawls' 'maximin' argument)	Discussion Project: Castaways;
July 8	Economic Justice	Hospers and Govier in Applied Ethics, pp. 311-341; Krugman, "Graduates vs. Oligarchs" ; Washington Post, "A Rising Tide?"; Paper topic statement due	Discussion Project: Choosing Rules; Handout on free markets Position Paper Assignment
July 15	Abortion	Intro. to chapter and articles by Warren (2) and Marquis in Applied Ethics, pp. 71-110;	Discussion Project: Analyzing Abortion Essays
July 22	Feminist Ethics	Rachels Chapter 12; Sherwin, Mackenzie and Wolf-Devine in Applied Ethics, pp. 59-69, 120-133, 145-155
July 29	Virtue Theory	Rachels, Chapter 13, Foot in Applied Ethics, pp. 50-58; Rough draft of position paper due	Applying Virtue Theory; Position Paper Assignment
Aug. 5	Virtuous Sex	Soble, “Philosophy of Sexuality,” (esp. sections 6-16) 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; Exam 2	Possible exam questions
Aug. 12		Position Paper due by email