PHI 102. Introduction to Ethics
Prof. Kyoo Lee, Suite 325-4, Dept. of Philosophy, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Office Hours: T/Th 12:30pm - 1:40pm
kylee@jjay.cuny.edu


WRITING REQUIREMENTS: FOUR Take-home EXAMS and A PAPER PORTFOLIO
  • 3,000 word Paper Portfolio: Submit on 5/13 in Class, Printed Copy Only. Choose from the Following Topics, Any Combination:
@ re Compassion For and In This World: A Lesson from A Buddhist Fable
@ re Ethical Conundrums/Dilemmas: Example from The Ethicist, New York Times
@ re Ethical Realism and Relativism


THE ETHICIST
from
New York Times



I. LOCATING ISSUES AND EXAMPLES

1/29 Administrative Orientation
Advance Planning

1/31 What Are Ethical Issues? Example: Crimes and Misdemeanors 
Read In Advance: Evaluating Moral Arguments
In-class Material: Allen, Crimes and Misdemeanors

2/05 What Are Ethical Issues? Example: Crimes and Misdemeanors   
Read In Advance: Evaluating Moral Arguments
In-class Material: Allen, Crimes and Misdemeanors

2/07 A Close Analysis. Example: Crimes and Misdemeanors
Read In Advance: Litch, Ethics: Crimes and Misdemeanors, Philosophy Through Film 
Supplementary Read: De Beauvoir, Ambiguity and Freedom, The Ethics of Ambiguity
Supplementary Read: Falzon, Crimes and Misdemeanors - Moral Philosophy, Philosophy Goes to the Movies
Supplementary Read: Plato, The Ring of Gyges , The Republic 

2/14 A Close Analysis. Example: Crimes and Misdemeanors
Read In Advance: Litch, Ethics: Crimes and Misdemeanors, Philosophy Through Film 
Supplementary Read: De Beauvoir, Ambiguity and Freedom, The Ethics of Ambiguity
Supplementary Read: Falzon, Crimes and Misdemeanors - Moral Philosophy, Philosophy Goes to the Movies
Supplementary Read: Plato, The Ring of Gyges , The Republic 

2/19 Writing Workshop
A Sample Analysis of Good/Bad Writings
Lecture Note: Guideline for Philosophical Writing
Lecture Note: EXAMPLE: Suggestive illustration of how one could think and write more clearly, critically and creatively
Lecture Note: EXAMPLE: Suggestive Illustration of Active Reading: Don't just look at words but process and reorganise them in your head. 

2/21 work on Exam #1



II. APPLIED ETHICS: Some Standard Themes

2/26 Affirmative Action [Submit Exam #1] [Submit Draft Paper]
Read In Advance: Plous, Ten Myths About Affirmative Action/ Newton, Reverse Discrimination as Unjustified
Supplementary Read: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Affirmative Action

2/28 Affirmative Action
Read In Advance: Plous, Ten Myths About Affirmative Action/ Newton, Reverse Discrimination as Unjustified
Supplementary Read: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Affirmative Action

3/04 Capital Punishment
Read In Advance: David Von Drehle vs. Ernest Van den Haag, Is Capital Punishment Bad Policy?
Supplementary Read: Haag, The Ultimate Punishment: A Defense
Supplementary Read: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Capital Punishment
Supplementary Read: Summary Lecture (PPT) on Ethics of Capital Punishment (re Bedau and Haag's Articles: How to/Ultimate Punish)
optional read: foucault, what is called "punishing"?

3/06 Capital Punishment
Read In Advance: David Von Drehle vs. Ernest Van den Haag, Is Capital Punishment Bad Policy?
Supplementary Read: Haag, The Ultimate Punishment: A Defense
Supplementary Read: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Capital Punishment
Supplementary Read: Summary Lecture (PPT) on Ethics of Capital Punishment (re Bedau and Haag's Articles: How to/Ultimate Punish)
optional read: foucault, what is called "punishing"?

3/11 Pornography
Read In Advance: McElroy, A Feminist Defense of Pornography/ MacKinnon, Pornography, Civil Rights and Speech
Supplementary Read: The Case Against Sex Censorship: Proporn
Supplementary Read: Child Pornography In the Digital Age
Supplementary Read: MacKinnon: Pornography Is Oppression
Supplementary Read: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Pornography and Censorship
Supplementary Read: Dworkin, Pornography Happens to Women
Supplementary Read: Pornography Statistics
Supplementary Read: Mulvey, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
optional read: ericsson, charges against prostitution: an attempt at a philosophical assessment (advanced level) 

3/13 Pornography
Read In Advance: McElroy, A Feminist Defense of Pornography/ MacKinnon, Pornography, Civil Rights and Speech
Supplementary Read: The Case Against Sex Censorship: Proporn
Supplementary Read: Child Pornography In the Digital Age
Supplementary Read: MacKinnon: Pornography Is Oppression
Supplementary Read: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Pornography and Censorship
Supplementary Read: Dworkin, Pornography Happens to Women
Supplementary Read: Pornography Statistics
Supplementary Read: Mulvey, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
optional read: ericsson, charges against prostitution: an attempt at a philosophical assessment (advanced level) 

3/18 work on Exam #2



III. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES: IDENTITY, VIOLENCE, COSMOPOLITANISM

3/25 Ethics and Diversity: Cultural Diverseity [Submit Exam #2] [Submit Draft Paper]
Read In Advance: Brannigan, The Case for Cultural Diversity: Female Genital Excision or Mutilation?, Ethics Across Cultures
Supplementary Read: A Defense of Ethical Relativism
Supplementary Read: Right and Wrong

3/27 Ethics and Diversity: Cultural Diversity
Read In Advance: Brannigan, The Case for Cultural Diversity: Female Genital Excision or Mutilation?, Ethics Across Cultures
Supplementary Read: A Defense of Ethical Relativism
Supplementary Read: Right and Wrong

4/01 The Violence of Illusion and Identity
Read In Advance: Sen, The Violenec of Illusion and Making Sense of Identity, Identity and Violence
Supplementary Read: Globalization and Violence, Fear of Small Numbers

4/03 The Violence of Illusion and Identity
Read In Advance: Sen, The Violenec of Illusion and Making Sense of Identity, Identity and Violence
Supplementary Read: Globalization and Violence, Fear of Small Numbers

4/08 Imaginary Strangers and Kindness to Strangers
Read In Advance: Appiah, Imaginary Strangers and Kindness to Strangers, Cosmopolitanism

4/10 Buddhist Ethics
Read In Advance: Brannigan, Buddhist Ethics, Ethics Across Cultures
In-class Material: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring
In-class Material: Justitia, the Blind-Folded Woman
Lecture Note: Buddhism

4/15 Buddhist Ethics
Read In Advance: Brannigan, Buddhist Ethics, Ethics Across Cultures
In-class Material: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring
In-class Material: Justitia, the Blind-Folded Woman
Lecture Note: Buddhism

4/17 work on Exam #3



IV. SYNTHETIC REFLECTIONS 

4/29 Student Presentation [Submit EXAM #3] [Submit Draft Paper]

5/01 Student Presentation

5/06 Student Presentation

5/08 work on Exam #4

5/013 Last Day of Class: [Submit Exam #4] [Submit The Paper Portfolio]


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