Ethics (FHS), Reading List

Michael Gibb, University College, Oxford The current description of this paper in undergraduate Course Handbooks is as follows: The purpose of this subject is to enable you to come to grips with some questions which exercise many people, philosophers and non-philosophers alike. How should we decide what is best to do, and how best to lead our lives? Are our value judgments on these and other matters objective or do they merely reflect our subjective preferences and viewpoints? Are we in fact free to make these choices, or have our decisions already been determined by antecedent features of our environment and genetic endowment? In considering these issues you will examine a variety of ethical concepts, such as those of justice, rights, equality, virtue, and happiness, which are widely used in moral and political argument. There is also opportunity to discuss some applied ethical issues. Knowledge of major historical thinkers, e.g. Aristotle and Hume and Kant, will be encouraged, but not required in the examination. Here is the relevant extract from Examination Decrees and Regulations: Candidates will be given an opportunity to show some first-hand knowledge of some principal historical writings on this subject, but will not be required to do so. Questions will normally be set on the following topics: 1. Ethical concepts: obligation, good, virtue 2. Objectivity and the explanation of value beliefs 3. Moral Psychology: akrasia; conscience, guilt and shame 4. Freedom and responsibility 5. Consequentialism and deontology 6. Self-interest, prudence and amoralism 7. Rights, justice, and equality 8. Kant: The Groundwork 9. Happiness, welfare and a life worth living. Key historical readings: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (translated by T. Irwin (2nd edn.) Hume, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (translated by Beck, Gregor, Hill & ___Zweig, Paton, or Wood) J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism Some good general introductions: D. Copp (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Ethical Theory (OUP, 2006) S. Darwall, Philosophical Ethics (Westview, 1998) S. Kagan, Normative Ethics (Westview, 1997) H. LaFollette (ed.), Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory (Blackwell, 2000) P. Singer (ed.), A Companion to Ethics (Blackwell, 1991) B. Williams, Morality (Harper & Row, 1972)

1. Why Be Moral?
Reading: Plato, Republic, (translated by Grube) Bk. 1 and Book 2 up until 367e B. Williams, The Amoralist, in his Morality (Harper & Row, 1972) B. Hooker, Does Being Moral Benefit the Agent?, in R. Crisp (ed.), How Should One Live? (Clarendon Press, 1986) Further reading: P. Foot, Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives in her Virtues and Vices, Oxford: OUP, 1977. OR: P. Foot, Natural Goodness, ch. 3, 4 J. Mackie, Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong, ch. 5 T.M. Scanlon What We Owe to Each Other, (Belknap, 1998) pp.149-153 Essay: (1) (2) Is any form of egoism plausible? Would someone who does not care about the goals of morality have any reason to avoid acting wrongly?

2. Relativism and Objectivity

Reading: J. Mackie, Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong, ch. 1 J. Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, chapters on Cultural Relativism and Subjectivism B. Williams, Relativism and Reflection, in his Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy Further Reading: A. MacIntyre, Moral Relativism, in A MacIntyre Reader (ed. K. Knight) T.M. Scanlon, Fear of Relativism, in Virtues and Reasons (eds. Hursthouse, Lawrence and Quinn) M. Smith, Moral Realism, in H. LaFollette (ed.), The Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory (Blackwell, 2000) Essay: (1) Since people have irresolvable moral disagreements, we should not believe that there are any objective moral facts.! Do you agree?

3. Consequentialism
J.S. Mill, Utilitarianism, esp. chs. 2 and 4 (multiple editions, edition edited by R. Crisp has some helpful commentary) R. Crisp, Mill on Utilitarianism (Routledge, 1997), ch. 5 John Rawls Classical Utilitarianism in J. Rawls A Theory of Justice (Belknap Press) as Chapter 1 section 5, or in Samuel Scheffler (ed.) Consequentialism and its Critics, Oxford University Press, 1988 J.J.C. Smart and B. Williams, Utilitarianism: For and Against, (CUP, 1973), especially sections 1-6 in Smart!s outline

A. Sen and B. Williams, Introduction to their (ed.) Utilitarianism and Beyond (CUP, 1982) D. Brink, Some Forms and Limits of Consequentialism, in Copp (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Ethical Theory P. Foot, Utilitarianism and the Virtues, Mind 1985; repr. in S. Scheffler (ed.), Consequentialism and its Critics (OUP, 1988) B. Hooker, Rule Consequentialism in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Essay (1) (2) Should one ever feel guilt if one has done the best thing that one could in the circumstances? To what extent can a consequentialist allow that one should not reason in consequential terms?

4. Critiques of Consequentialism
Reading: B. Williams, Persons, Character and Morality, in his Moral Luck S. Wolf Moral Saints in the Journal of Philosophy, (1982), vol. 79 P. Railton, Alienation, Consequentialism and the Demands of Morality, in Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1984. Reprinted in Scheffler (ed.), Consequentialism and its Critics) F. Jackson, Decision-theoretic Consequentialism and the Nearest and Dearest Objection, in Ethics, 1991 Further Reading M. Stocker, The Schizophrenia of Modern Ethical Theory, in the Journal of Philosophy, 1976. Reprinted in R. Crisp and M. Slote (ed.), Virtue Ethics (OUP, 1997) F. Kamm, Non-consequentialism, the Person as End-in-itself, and the Significance of Status, in the Philosophy of Public Affairs, 1992 S. Kagan, Does Consequentialism Demand too Much?, in Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1984 M. Slote, Common-sense Morality and Consequentialism (Routledge, 1985), chs. 2-3 D. McNaughton & P. Rawling, Deontology and Agency, in The Monist, 1993 Essay (1) (2) (3) What is the most serious challenge against consequentialism? Can it be met? Can it ever be morally right to bring about a worse rather than a better state of affairs? Can a utilitarian make any room for loyalty in their account of a perfectly moral life?

5. Deontic distinctions
Reading: Bennett, J. Whatever the Consequences, Analysis 26 (1966): 83-102. Anscombe, G. E. M., A Note on Mr. Bennett, Analysis 26 (1966): 208. (J) Foot, P. Abortion and the Doctrine of Double Effect, in her Virtues and Vices, Oxford: OUP, 1977. Thomson, J. J. The Trolley Problem, Yale Law Journal 94 (1985): 1395-1415 Further Reading: Scanlon, T.M. Moral Dimensions, (Belknap 2008) Chapter 1 Singer, P. Famine, Affluence, and Morality, Philosophy & Public Affairs 1 (1972) Rachels, J. Active and Passive Euthanasia, New England Journal of Medicine, 292 (1975): 78-80. Essay: (1) Joe is less blameworthy than Hilary because he tried to kill the innocent but his gun malfunctioned whereas she tried to kill the innocent and succeeded.! Discuss. "If you foresee killing some civilians as a side-effect of bombing a military factory, you thereby choose to kill and should be held responsible for your choice.! Discuss. Is there a moral difference between killing and letting die?

(2)

(3)

6. Kant: Universalizability
Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (trans. Beck, Gregor, Hill & Zweig, Paton, or Wood) T. Hill, Kantian Normative Ethics, in Copp (ed.), Oxford Handbook of Ethical Theory O. O!Neill, Kantian Ethics, in Singer, Companion to Ethics C. Korsgaard, Creating the Kingdom of Ends (CUP, 1996), chs. 1 and 3 P. Foot, Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives, in her Virtues and Vices P. Winch, The Universalizability of Moral Judgements, Monist 1965; reprinted in his Ethics and Action (RKP, 1972) B. Williams, Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy, ch. 4 J. Mackie, The Three Stages of Universalization, in his Persons and Values (Clarendon Press, 1985) D. Wiggins, Universalizability, Impartiality, Truth, in his Needs, Values, Truth (OUP, preferably 3rd edn., 1998) Essay (1) Can a moral theory which tells me what to do in an idealized situation ever be relevant to me when I am in the real world? 'I have taken Kant's categorical imperative as my norm, I did long ago. I have ordered my life by that imperative.' (EICHMANN) Sometimes known as 'The Architect of the Holocaust', Eichmann facilitated millions of murders. Could he yet have been a genuine Kantian?

(2)

(3)

Does Kant give the right account of why it is wrong to make false promises?

7. Kant: Acting from Duty

Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (trans. Beck, Gregor, Hill & Zweig, Paton, or Wood) C. Broad, Five Types of Ethical Theory, ch. 5 C. Korsgaard, From Duty and for the sake of the Noble: Kant and Aristotle on morally good action, in S. Engstrom & J. Whiting (ed.), Aristotle, Kant, and the Stoics (CUP, 1996) L. Blum, Friendship, Altruism and Morality (RKP, 1980), chs. 1-2 B. Herman, On the Value of Acting from the Motive of Duty, in Phil. Review 1981 S. Wolf, Moral Saints in Journal of Philosophy 1982 M. Baron, On the Alleged Repugnance of Acting from Duty, Journal of Philosophy 1984 O. O!Neill, Kant after Virtue, Inquiry 1983 Essay (1) Kant was right to deny moral worth to an action done out of compassion, since it's not up to you whether you have such an inclination.' Discuss. The Kantian idea of "duty for duty!s sake! is morally unpalatable. Critically discuss.

(2)

8. The Virtues
Reading: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, (translated by T. Irwin) bks. 1-6, 10 R. Crisp, Modern Moral Philosophy and the Virtues, introduction to his (ed.), How Should One Live? (Clarendon Press, 1996) G.E.M. Anscombe, Modern Moral Philosophy, Philosophy 33 (1958). Also in Crisp, R. and Slote, M. (eds.), Virtue Ethics (Oxford: OUP, 1997.) R. Hursthouse, "Normative Virtue Ethics!, in R. Crips (ed.) How Should One Live? (Clarendon Press, 1996) Further Reading: P. Foot, Virtues and Vices, in her Virtues and Vices; reprinted. in R. Crisp and M. Slote (eds.), Virtue Ethics (OUP, 1997) Urmson, Aristotle's Ethics, ch. 2, 6 MacIntyre, After Virtue, ch. 14, 15 S. Darwall, Philosophical Ethics, Boulder: Westview Press, 1998: Chapters 17, 18. B. Hooker, The Collapse of Virtue Ethics, Utilitas 14 (2002), 22-40. Essay: (1) (2) What role should the virtues play in moral theory? No one today can accept Aristotle's derivation of a conception of moral virtue from an account of human nature. Discuss.

(3)

Does virtue ethics have anything to say to immoral agents who can't act on virtuous motives?

9. Hume: Reason and Passion

Hume, Treatise on Human Nature, bk. 2, pt. 3, sect. 3; bk. 3, pt. 1; Hume, Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, app. I P. Railton, Humean Theory of Practical Rationality, in Copp (ed.), Oxford Handbook on Ethical Theory R. Norman, The Moral Philosophers, ch. 5 J. Mackie, Hume!s Moral Theory, chs. 3-4 W. Quinn, Putting Rationality in its Place, in R. Frey and C. Morris (ed.), Value, Welfare and Morality (CUP, 1993); repr. in Quinn, Morality and Action (CUP, 1993) C. Korsgaard, Skepticism about Practical Reason, Journal of Philosophy 1986; repr. in her Creating the Kingdom of Ends (CUP, 1996) T. Nagel, The Possibility of Altruism, ch. 5 Essay: (1) 'Morals excite passions, and produce or prevent actions. Reason of itself is utterly impotent in this particular. The rules of morality, therefore, are not conclusions of our reason.' (HUME) Are Hume's premises correct? Does his conclusion follow from them?

10. Rights and Human Rights

Griffin, James, On Human Rights (OUP, 2008), chs. 1 & 2 Symposium issue on James Griffin!s On Human Rights in Ethics 120 (2010) H.L.A. Hart, Are There Any Natural Rights?, Philosophical Review 1955). Reprinted in Waldron (ed) Theories of Rights (1984). Nagel, T. Personal Rights and Public Space in his Concealment and Exposure & Other Essays (OUP 2002) J. Waldron (ed.), Theories of Rights (OUP, 1984): J. Waldron Introduction R. Dworkin, Rights as Trumps Wenar, Leif, Rights, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Dworkin, Ronald, Do we have a right to pornography?, in his A Matter of Principle (1985); most of which is reprinted as Rights as Trumps, in Jeremy Waldron (ed.), Theories of Rights (OUP, 1984) Raz, Joseph, The Morality of Freedom (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986), chs. 7, 8 and 10 Essay (1) (2) (3) Must claims to human rights rest on an interest-based account of rights? What justifies a human right? In what sense, if any, does torture violate a human right?

11. Global Justice

P. Singer "Famine, Affluence and Morality" Philosophy and Public Affairs 1 (1972) P. Singer The Life You Can Save Julius, A. J., Nagel!s Atlas, Philosophy and Public Affairs 34, 2 (2006) R. Goodin "What is so special about our fellow countrymen?" Ethics 98 (1998) Nagel, Thomas, The Problem of Global Justice, Philosophy and Public Affairs 33, 2 (2005), pp. 113-148 Essay (1) (2) (3) Are my obligations to fellow citizens different from my obligations to my fellow human beings? How strong is our obligation to aiding those less fortunate? Does distributive justice demand that rich nations give a portion of their wealth to poorer nations?

12. Scanlonian Contractualism

T.M. Scanlon What We Owe to Each Other (Belknap, 1998), pp. 149-168 and pp. 189-218 T.M. Scanlon, Contractualism and Utilitarianism, in Utilitarianism and Beyond, edited by A. Sen and B. Williams (C.U.P., 1982) P. Hieronymi On Metaethics and Motivation: The Appeal of Contractualism, in Reasons and Recognition: Essays on the Philosophy of T.M. Scanlon, edited by R. Jay Wallace, Rahul Kumar, Samuel Freeman (O.U.P., 2011) J. Hampton Two Faces of Contractarian Thought in Contractarianism and Rational Choice: Essays on David Gauthier!s Morals by Agreement, edited by P. Vallentyne (C.U.P., 1991) D. Parfit On What Matters, Volume 1, Part 3, Chapter 15 Essay (1) Is there any principle one could not reasonably reject?