Bradley Rettler
Moral Problems
INSTRUCTOR: Bradley Rettler
CONTACT: rettlerb@gmail.com
OFFICE HOURS: Monday 3-4, Tuesday 2-3, and by appointment.
OFFICE: Malloy 112
MAILBOX: Malloy 100
Resources
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Course Syllabus
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On How to Write Good Philosophy Papers
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On How To Read Philosophy
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On How to Understand Philosophy
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What is a Good Argument?
Schedule and Readings
Jan 14: Course Overview
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Glossary of Philosophy Terms
Jan 16: Arguments and Logic
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Good and Bad Arguments
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Validity and Soundness
Moral Theories
Jan 21: Moral Relativism.
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Phillipa Foot – Moral Relativism
Jan 23: Consequentialism.
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Brad Hooker – Consequentialism
Jan 28: Deontology.
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Larry Alexander and Michael Moore – Deontological Ethics
Jan 30: Divine Command Theory.
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Louis P. Pojman and James Fieser – Religion and Ethics
Moral Issues
Feb 4: Torture.
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Henry Shue – “Torture”
Feb 6: Torture.
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Jamie Mayerfeld – “In Defense of the Absolute Prohibition of Torture”
Feb 11: Abortion.
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Don Marquis – “Why Abortion is Immoral”
Feb 13: Abortion. First Paper Assigned.
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Judith Jarvis Thomson – “A Defense of Abortion”
Feb 18: Immigration.
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David Miller – “Immigration: The Case for Limits”
Feb 20: Immigration.
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Chandran Kukathas – “The Case for Open Immigration”
Feb 25: Gun Control. First Paper Due.
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Jeffrey Snyder – “A Nation of Cowards”
Feb 27: NO CLASS.
March 4: Privacy.
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James Rachels – “Why Privacy is Important”
March 6: Privacy. Final Paper Assigned.
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James Taylor – “A Defense of Big Brother”
March 11: SPRING BREAK.
March 13: SPRING BREAK.
March 18: Capital Punishment.
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Louis Pojman – “A Defense of the Death Penalty”
March 20: Capital Punishment.
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Stephen Nathanson – “Why We Should Put the Death Penalty to Rest”
March 25: Drugs. Final Paper Due.
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Intelligence Squared – “Legalize Drugs”, up to 1:04:33
March 27: Drugs. Comments Assigned.
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Intelligence Squared – “Legalize Drugs”, remainder
April 1: Taxation.
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Douglas J Amy – “Taxes are Good”
April 3: Taxation. Comments Due.
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Frank Chodorov – “Taxation is Theft”
April 8: Same-sex marriage.
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Jonathan Rauch – “Who Needs Marriage?”
April 10: Same-sex marriage. Papers Returned.
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Robert Knight – “How Domestic Partnerships and ‘Gay Marriage’ Threaten the Family”
April 15: NO CLASS.
April 17: NO CLASS.
April 22: Charitable Giving.
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Peter Singer – “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”
April 24: Charitable Giving.
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Thomas Crisp – “Jesus and Affluence”
April 29: Genetic Engineering. Final Paper Due Again.
May 6: Final Examination, 10:30am (for 3:30pm class)
May 7: Final Examination, 7:30pm (for 5:05pm class)