Introduction to Philosophy II

Lecturer: Sandy Berkovski

Spring 2012

Contact details

sandy.berkovski+comment@gmail.com, Bilkent ext. 1048

Office hours

FA113C, Wed 13:30-15:30, and by appointment

Readings

[PBF07]

J. Perry, M. Bratman, and J. M. Fischer, editors. Introduction to Philosophy. Oxford University Press, fourth edition, 2007.

[Pri12]

H. A. Prichard. Does moral philosophy rest on a mistake? Mind, 21:21-37, 1912. Available on JStor.

Preliminary term schedule

Week 1

General introduction; Freedom: Hume[IV-E]

Week 2

Responsibility: Frankfurt-1[IV-E]

Week 3

Responsibility: Frankfurt-2[IV-E]

Week 4-5

Utilitarianism: Mill[V-A]

Week 6

Utilitarianism: Smart[V-A], Williams[V-A]; Midterm exam

Week 7-8

Virtue ethics: Aristotle[V-C]

Week 9

Skepticism: Mackie[V-E2]

Week 10

Duty and interest: Hume[V-E]

Week 11-12

Duty and interest: Gauthier[V-E], [Pri12]

Week 13-14

Kantian ethics: Kant[V-B]

Week 15

Final exam

Requirements

Exams

Students will take two open-book oral exams.

Participation

Five quizzes (twenty minutes each) will be administered in the course of the semester. Their dates will not be announced in advance. They will typically require commenting on a short fragment of the text. Students are also encouraged to take part in the discussion at the class. This includes asking meaningful questions, however trivial they might seem. Additionally, students may submit short written comments (200-300 words) on the text we currently study before the relevant class.

Grading