lots of stuff: abortion, poverty, animals

First, recall that you have a paper on abortion arguments due next Wed. The assignment is on the blog and was sent out via email. Here is an (old) Powerpoint you might find interesting and relevant to that:

• "Not 'Pro-Choice' and not 'Pro-Life': On the Ethics of Abortion", a Powerpoint presentation.

http://nathannobis.com/papers/abortion-talk.ppt

Second, we too briefly discussed Peter Singer's argument regarding poverty. The Powerpoint on that is here:

• Taking Hunger seriously: Are YOU obligated to help desparately poor children?, a Powerpoint presentation.
  

http://nathannobis.com/papers/famine.ppt

Here is a worksheet with some objections discussed in the Powerpoint:
http://philosophy302.blogspot.com/2007/04/worksheet-on-objections-to-singer.html


Second, Monday an argument for vegetarianism was presented in class. This argument is discussed in this short 3 page article online:

"Reasonable Humans and Animals," John Simmons:
http://sites.google.com/site/aphilosopher/veg.pdf

For Friday, please have read "The Singer Solution to World Poverty."

Hi,
I have three requests:
1) Would anyone mind if the deadline for paper 3 were extended until, say, Wednesday after Thanksgiving? That's the last day of class. Unless anyone objects, I move that the deadline be changed, for a number of reasons.
2) Please be to class ON TIME.
3) If you would, for tomorrow, review the syllabus, I would appreciate that. I would like you to do something of a survey on the syl.: http://philosophy302.blogspot.com/2010/08/fall-2010-syllabus.html
and
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B97NLmtzSgh_NDZjNDEyNTUtNmRhZC00ZDJmLWFiNzMtMWZhY2ZjODYxNjgy&hl
Thanks

As mentioned in class today, there is no class with Dr. Nobis this Friday. See your blogs and email for the assignments you should be working on, and for what we'll do Monday. Thanks.

Paper 3

Ethics Paper 3

Due by Monday, November 22, in class and via the Turnitin system

In this paper you should state, in logically valid premise-conclusion format, at least five arguments for the conclusion that abortion is wrong (or all or most abortions are wrong, or abortion is prima facie wrong) and then carefully explain, for each of these arguments, whether it is sound or not and why.

These arguments should be arguments that you believe are the most important or common or influential or challenging arguments. All of these arguments should be ones we discussed in class and at least three of them should be ones presented and discussed in our readings (Warren, Marquis, Thompson).

You need not argue for a general thesis about abortion: you only need to argue for a thesis concerning these arguments.

Your paper should be clearly written and well-organized. Please re-read your paper on how to write a philosophy paper. This paper gives you the opportunity to show that you have mastered the methods of moral argument analysis that we have been practicing in this class.

As was mentioned in class, the due date on the Thompson OPS was extended to tomorrow, Wed, at class time and not later. We will discuss her article tomorrow, Wed.

For Monday, an for Monday, OPS of Judith Thompson on abortion is due, online and in class.

Warren and Marquis have already been assigned and were already due, of course.

Some people have already done Thompson, even though she was not assigned.

For Friday, there's no classes w/ Dr. Nobis.
Please instead go to the AUC Graduate School Fair at CAU in the Student Center at the corner of James P. Brawley and Fair Street from 11am-3pm.

Ms. Eccles (below) will be there: sign in with her for role!

Kellye Blackburn Eccles
Career Planning and Placement
Non Business Majors
Morehouse College

Thanks,

Here is a change.
The Warren OPS on abortion was due Wed., tomorrow; the Marquis OPS on abortion is due Monday, if you'd like.

Paper 2 is due next Wednesday.
Thanks
NN

For those of you who were in class Friday, first, thanks for a great class. Second, you already know this announcement below:

For Wed, there are OPS's due of Mary Anne Warren on abortion and Don Marquis on abortion, both in RTD. Due in class and via Turnitin.

Thanks!

Paper 2

Philosophy 302: Argumentative Paper 2 – Homosexuality

Due Wednesday, November 3, (two weeks from today!) in class and through the turnitin system. NO LATE PAPERS.
4-5 pages, double-spaced, typed, 12 pt. font, stapled, with your name, email, class time. No cover pages.

In this paper I want you to consider the issue of homosexuality and argue for one of these conclusions: homosexuality is wrong (i.e., impermissible), or homosexuality is not wrong (i.e., morally permissible). Do not consider the question of whether homosexuality is “right,” because that sounds like you are asking if homosexuality is morally obligatory. And do not discuss homosexual marriage because that too is not the issue.

You should explain what you mean when you morally evaluate homosexuality: are you speaking of actions, or feelings, lifestyles, relationships, or all (or some of the above)? This needs to be carefully explained so we understand the arguments’ conclusions.

Your paper should have a short introductory paragraph, culminating in a thesis which should either be this (or something close to it):
"I will argue that homosexuality is wrong, i.e., morally impermissible."
or
"I will argue that homosexuality is not wrong, i.e., morally permissible."

You need to give reasons in favor of your conclusion, consider objections to your reasons and respond to these objections.

You might then structure your paper in either of these ways:
1. You could present at least five of what you think are of the most important or strongest arguments from the books to think that homosexuality is wrong, and then critique these arguments, i.e., argue that some or all of them are not sound because they have some premises that you will argue are false. (You will also need to present an argument[s] for the view that homosexuality is morally permissible). These arguments should be explained and evaluate in prose, but they should also be presented in valid premise-conclusion format.
2. You could present at least five of what you think are the most important or common or influential arguments from the books to think that homosexuality is not wrong, and then critique these arguments, i.e., argue that some or all of them are not sound because they have some premises that you will argue are false. (You will also need to present an argument[s] for the view that homosexuality is not morally permissible). These arguments should be explained and evaluate in prose, but they should also be presented in valid premise-conclusion format.

At least one of the arguments you discuss must be arguments from the Bible and/or God’s commands (see EMP Ch. 4 on the divine command theory).

If you’d like, you can do some independent research to find additional arguments for the wrongness of homosexuality beyond the 40+ from the handout. But, you must apply the logical skills we have developed to these arguments. And you must defend your view from the best objection(s) you can think of. To do this, you must think of the objections and respond to its. DO NOT IGNORE DISCUSSION FROM THE BOOK; IF THE BOOK DISCUSSES AN OBJECTION OR RESPONSE AND YOU IGNORE THIS, THEN THAT’S A PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ENGAGING THE CRITICAL DISCUSSION: YOU ARE IGNORING IT.

Your paper must have a short concluding paragraph also.

Your must get a peer review (from a peer in this class) and revise and improve your paper in light of that review. The peer review of your paper should be stapled to your paper. The review sheet is here:

http://aphilosopher.googlepages.com/peerreview.rtf

All previous advice on writing and rules on doing your own thinking and writing apply. Re-read your paper on how to write a philosophy paper.

Your intended audience has not read the readings or discussed these issues so you must explain things so that they understand. Put yourself in their shoes and make everything clear and well-organized for them.

For Wed. please read EMP Ch. 4

Paper assignment on its way!

Study Guide for Fall, 2010 Midterm exam

MIDTERM QUIZ / TEST / EXAM.
Next Friday.

You will easily be able to complete this exam "with flying colors" in 50 minutes if you have been keeping up on the reading and study. Format will be multiple choice, true / false and short answer. Study groups are encouraged!

The test can cover any material up to our discussion of homosexuality. Thus, these readings:

1. "Some Basic Points about Arguments," James Rachels (RTD, #2)

Handout: http://sites.google.com/site/nobisphilosophy/arguments.pdf

http://sites.google.com/site/nobisphilosophy/validargumentforms.pdf

SAMPLE QUESTIONS: WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT? WHAT IS IT FOR AN ARGUMENT TO BE VALID? WHAT IS IT FOR AN ARGUMENT TO BE SOUND? UNDERSTAND THESE CONCEPTS AND THEIR RELATIONS.

2. James Rachels, "A Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy" (RTD, #1).
   

WHAT IS UTILITARIANISM? WHAT ARE KANTIAN ETHICS?

THE WORD 'RIGHT' IS AMBIGUOUS AND SO WE DON'T USE IT. WHAT ARE THE TWO BETTER UNAMBIGUOUS TERMS WE ARE USING?

3. Ch. 1, "What is Morality?" (Elements)

BE FAMILIAR WITH THE THREE CASES AND THE ARGUMENTS DISCUSSED ABOUT THEM. WHAT IS RACHEL'S 'MINIMUM CONCEPTION OF MORALITY"?

5. Ch. 2, "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism" (Elements)

WHAT IS THE MORAL THEORY CULTURAL RELATIVISM? WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST IT? ARE ANY OF THEM SOUND? WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS FOR IT? ARE ANY OF THEM SOUND? IS CULTURAL RELATIVISM A TRUE MORAL THEORY?

5. “What’s Culture Got to Do with it? Excising the Harmful Tradition of Female Circumcision,” Harvard Law Review,http://sites.google.com/site/nobisphilosophy/female_circumcision.pdf

WHAT IS FGM / FC? WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS FOR IT? ARE ANY OF THEM SOUND? WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST IT? ARE ANY OF THEM SOUND? IS FEMALE CIRCUMCISION MORALLY PERMISSIBLE?

7. "Monogamy: A Critique," John McMurtry (RTD, #28) [This goes with the brief discussion of polyamory on pp. 29-30 of Elements; the readings below also concern sexual ethics.]
8. "Our Sexual Ethics," Bertrand Russell (RTD, #29)
9. "Alcohol and Rape," Nicholas Dixon (RTD, #30)

WHAT ARE THE MAIN ARGUMENTS OF THE ABOVE ARTICLES?

10. Ch. 3, "Subjectivism in Ethics" (Elements)

WHAT ARE SIMPLE SUBJECTIVISM AND EMOTIVISM? WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THEM? ARE THESE ARGUMENTS SOUND?

10. Richard Feldman on “Simple Moral Arguments”: http://sites.google.com/site/nobisphilosophy/feldman-simple-moral-arguments.pdf
11. "Is Homosexuality Unnatural?" Burton M. Leiser (RTD, #27) [This is an expanded version of the argument given on pp. 44-45 of Elements.]

Argument worksheet: http://sites.google.com/site/nobisphilosophy/homosexuality-arguments.pdf

BE ABLE TO PRESENT AND EVALUATE ANY AND ALL OF THE ARGUMENTS FOR THE WRONGNESS OF HOMOSEXUALITY, AS WELL AS STATE AN ARGUMENT FOR ITS PERMISSIBILITY. BE SURE TO BE ABLE TO STATE THE ARGUMENTS IN VALID FORM.

WHAT IS IT TO GIVE A COUNTER-EXAMPLE?

HERE IS A MORE DETAILED VERSION OF A STUDY GUIDE, FROM A PREVIOUS SEMESTER:

RTD, Ch.2. Logic & Arguments

· What is an argument?

· What is a conclusion?

· What are premises?

· What is a logically valid argument? Define ‘validity’ or ‘a valid argument’.

· Give an example of a valid argument.

· Know what the modus ponens, modus tollens and universal generalization valid argument forms are.

· Why is it important for an argument to be valid?

· Can a valid argument have true premises and a false conclusion?

· What is a sound argument? Define 'a sound argument'.

· Can a sound argument be an invalid argument?

· Can a sound argument have false premises?

· Can a sound argument have a false conclusion?

· How, in general, do you show that a conditional, an if-then statement (‘if p is true, then q is true’) is false?

· Identify and give an example of these logically invalid argument forms:
Affirming the consequent
Denying the antecedent

RTD Ch. 1: A Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy

· What is moral relativism? What are the arguments against it?

· Be able to explain the basic ideas of moral theories based in impartiality, utilitarianism, and Kant’s ethics.

Explain how the term ‘morally right’ is ambiguous between "morally permissible" and "morally obligatory." To explain this distinction, give an example of an action that is ‘right’ in one sense of the term, and another action that is ‘right’ in the other sense of the term.

RTD Ch. 2, the short introduction to logic chapter

What is moral skepticism? What are the arguments in favor of it and arguments against it?

EMP Ch. 1:

· Explain, in detail, Rachel’s “minimum conception of morality,” especially his claims that "moral judgments must be backed by good reasons" and "that morality requires the impartial consideration of each individual's interests." (p. 11)

· Explain Rachels’ argument that Baby Theresa cannot be “used as a means.”

· Explain why some people might think that Baby Theresa is already dead. Explain why some people might think that she is not dead yet. (This suggests an ambiguity in ‘being alive’).

· Be familiar with the Jodie and Mary case. What was the hospital’s argument?

· Explain what a “slippery slope” argument or response is; explain how some people gave this response about the case of Tracy Latimer.

EMP Ch. 2: CR & FGM

· State and fully explain the idea of cultural relativism. If someone accepts CR, what theory does she believe? Be able to explain which of the 5 claimsreally is cultural relativism (not all of them are cultural relativism), which are logical consequences of it, and which are premises that might be given in arguments for it.

· State a valid argument for cultural relativism from moral disagreements between cultures (“cultural differences”). (Note: Rachels gives a version of this argument that is not clearly valid because it is missing a premise; we discussed, however, a valid version). State whether you think the argument is sound or not; if you think it is not sound, explain which premise(s) is false. If you think it is sound, explain why all the premises are true.

· Be able to give at least 3 valid arguments against CR; be able to explain each premise – that is, explain why someone might think the premises are true (this will often involve explaining why something is a logical consequence of cultural relativism. Explain whether you think the arguments are sound or not and why.

· If you think we should be “tolerant” of everything, should you think that cultural relativism is true? That is, if cultural relativism is true, is it true that we should be tolerant? (You might want to think about these questions also: should we always be tolerant, of everything? If we should just sometimes be tolerant, when should we be tolerant?)

· Rachels argues that, sometimes, there is less moral disagreement than we might think because some moral disagreements are superficial: we accept the same moral principles, but differ in our beliefs about the facts. Explain this idea with an example.

· Some people say that different cultures “disagree about everything, morally.” Explain Rachels’ argument that this is not true, thatis his reasons tothink that all cultures will share some moral values. What are some of these values that he thinks we all hold in common?

· Female circumcision / female genital mutilation: what do its “advocates” say in favor of the practice, i.e, for why it is not wrong to have it? What do the critics (e.g., the editors at the Harvard Law Review) say against these advocates, and what are their arguments that it’s wrong? Whose arguments are sound, in your view?

· Rachels presents a culture neutral standard of right and wrong. What is it? Explain his idea.

· Even if cultural relativism is false, its advocates might teach us something useful. What are these things, according to Rachels?

EMP Ch. 3: Simple Subjectivism & Emotivism, Homosexuality

· State and fully explain the idea of simple subjectivism. If someone accepts simple subjectivism, how does he or she "translate" moral judgments (i.e., what does someone say when he or she says that something is wrong, or says that something is not wrong?

· Be able to give at least 2 valid arguments against simple subjectivism; be able to explain each premise – that is, explain why someone might think the premises are true (this will often involve explaining why something is a logical consequence of simple subjectivism). Explain whether you think the arguments are sound or not and why.

· What is emotivism? Be able to present an argument against it.

· Explain what Rachels thinks the general nature of “moral truths” or “truths of ethics” are.

· Rachels thinks he can “prove” that some ethical judgments are true. What are the examples of his proofs? (What does he mean by a "proof" anyway?) Is he correct? Why or why not?

· There can be questions on any of the assigned readings and discussions, so you need to be deeply familiar with everything and be able to showthat you understand the material. Check the blog for any handouts you missed.

· Be able to state many common arguments against homosexuality (including those discussed in the articles in the RTD book) in valid form (and so add the premises needed to make the argument valid) and explain whether they are sound or not. Be able to state which, if any, premises are false.

· Rachels and Corvino also give arguments for the conclusion that homosexuality is morally permissible. What were those arguments?

For Wed., we will start EMP Ch. 3.

Friday, and part of Monday, we will watch this video "What's Morally Wrong With Homosexuality?" for which there is an online preview:

http://gaymoralist.com/


Soon I will give a new OPS assignment and your first philosophical essay assignment.

I hope you don't mind, but I was thinking that the ops on the article on FGM / FC for Friday should be be EXTRA CREDIT; the 3 articles OPS due Monday are not extra credit, however.

More details on this later!

Details on these assignments (re. the 3 essays) are a below. Link to the "What's Culture Got to Do with it?" article is below too.

Monday, Essay 1 is due in class, in harcopy with the Turnitin receipt AND submitted via Turnitin online.

Readings for this week:

MONDAY: We will discuss the theoretical aspect of this chapter, i.e., the moral theory known as "cultural relativism":
5. Ch. 2, "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism" (Elements)


Wednesday we will discuss Female Genital Mutilation; in addition to EMP, please read this article online:

6. “What’s Culture Got to Do with it? Excising the Harmful Tradition of Female Circumcision,” Harvard Law Review, http://sites.google.com/site/nobisphilosophy/female_circumcision.pdf

Friday, OPS due of these readings from RTD; please identify the main issues from each article, and submit 1 OPS containing all three articles:

7. "Monogamy: A Critique," John McMurtry (RTD, #28) [This goes with the brief discussion of polyamory on pp. 29-30 of Elements; the readings below also concern sexual ethics.]

8. "Our Sexual Ethics," Bertrand Russell (RTD, #29)

9. "Alcohol and Rape," Nicholas Dixon (RTD, #30)

Friday & next week

Friday we will finish EMP Ch. 1

Monday we will move onto EMP CH. 2.

Monday Essay 1 is due, in hardcopy in class and submitted via Turnitin. The assignment is below.

Monday and Wednesday.

Monday and Wednesday we will discuss EMP Ch. 1. Your OPS writing assignment, although due today - Friday - can also be turned in Monday, in hardcopy and via Turnitin.

Friday we will move on to EMP Ch. 2.

Essay #1, assignment previously posted, below, is due Monday, Sept. 20.

Please always put your class time on all assignments.

Error in 1 PM Turnitin Code

If (and only if) you are in the 1 PM ethics course and have not signed up for Turnitin, please use this as the course code:

3418266

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT A CODE AND HAVE REGISTERED, PLEASE DO NOT BUY ANOTHER ONE: THIS MESSAGE IS FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE YET TO REGISTER FOR THE TURNITIN THING.

I made a mistake and gave the 1PM course the 11 PM's code.
Thank you,
NN

Paper 1

Intro to Ethics PAPER 1: How do you write a philosophy paper?

DUE MONDAY, SEPT 20, by your class time, handed in in class and posted on the Turnitin site.

4-5 pages, typed (i.e., word-processed), double spaced, 12 pt font Times New Roman, 1” margins.

No late papers will be accepted. Students have had many weeks to get the Turnitin account; you need to get the PIN card and do the paper before the due date. No excuses. If the bookstore doesn’t have the cards, you need to get them to order one for you.

First, there are two writings online on how to write a philosophy paper that you need to carefully read and study:

1. "Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper," by Jim Pryor: http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html

2. "Writing A Philosophy Paper," by Peter Horban: http://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/writing.htm

The assignment is this:

A friend knows that you are in a philosophy course. This friend asks you to come to her group to give a presentation on what philosophy essays are like and how to effectively write them. Your job is to carefully read the readings above on how to write philosophy and then effectively summarize them for this person. Write up the text that you could read -- or pass out -- to this audience so that they can learn from you. Write so you teach them how to write a philosophical essay: pass on what you learn from Pryor and Horban! This assignment requires you to summarize advice from a number of different sources and explain this advice to other people in your own words.

Papers must by typed and carefully written: put your name, email, the date, course # and time at the top of the first page; DO NOT USE A COVER PAGE. And give your paper a title.

Grading:

9-10= excellent

8 = good

7 = fair

6 = poor

5 or below = very poor

They will be graded on clarity, organization, thoroughness, grammar and spelling, and, most generally, whether your reader would get a good sense for what philosophical / argumentative essays are like and how to write them.

Although citations -- i.e., direct quotations -- are not necessarily needed for this paper, if you use them you should use an official citation method that you learned in introductory English.

For Wed and Friday, next week.

A change in plans:

Monday, of course, we have off.

I was thinking that Wednesday we should really discuss the Rachels SHORT INTRODUCTION TO MORAL PHILOSOPHY, RTD, Ch. 2. Please have read that, focusing on the 2nd half dealing with "impartial" ethical theories such as utilitarianism and Kantianism.

Thus, for Friday (not Wednesday as previously announced), EMP Ch. 1 needs to be read and a detailed OPS written and turned in online and in hardcopy in class.