Note: The following assignment schedule is subject to revision and is intended to be a general guide to the assignments this semester. The assignment written on the blackboard at the beginning of each class takes precedence over this schedule. As the semester progresses, for the most recent version of our class schedule, check http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/assignment.html. If an update is available, the version number will be a number higher than Version 1.0. In the ``Date'' column, the number after M, W, or F is the number of the class, counting from the beginning of the semester. In the Class Topic column, the subjects covered by that day's class are listed, together with important due dates for assignments, quizzes, and papers. The Assignment column lists the day an assignment is assigned, not the day the assignment is due.
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 08.21 | Welcome to the Course | Study Syllabus |
| R 1 | Purpose of the Course | Obtain textbook |
| What is Ethics? | Check out Philosophy Web | |
| Syllabus: Begin Quiz 1: Web Practice Sheet | ||
| 08.26 | Introduction to Ethics | Study Syllabus |
| T 2 | Central Questions of Ethics | Sign up for ethicshelp |
| Survey for Reference Groups | Winston 1-9 | |
| 08.28 | The Scope of Ethics | Bain 9-16 |
| R 3 | Morals, Ethics, and Metaethics | Quiz: Necessary and Sufficient Conditions |
| Necessary and Sufficient Conditions | ||
| 09.02 | What is a Moral Issue | Foote 17-14 |
| T 4 | Ethical Terms: Amoral, Nonmoral, and Immoral | Complete Quiz: Web Practice Sheet |
| 09.04 | Why Be Moral? | Ellwood 25-36 |
| R 5 | Reasons for Adopting Moral Rules | Westermarck 37-47 |
| Quiz: Web Practice Sheet | ||
| 09.09 | Ethical Relativism | Moore 48-59 |
| T 6 | Case Study: Internal Moral Standards | Quiz: Argument from Moral Progress |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 09.11 | Ethical Absolutism | Review Part I |
| R 7 | Quiz: Argument from Moral Progress | Study Text 1-59 |
| 09.16 | Review of Main Arguments | Review for Test |
| T 8 | Test 1: Problems of Ethics | |
| Chat 09.17.03 8-9 PM | ||
| 09.18 | Test 1: Problems of Ethics | Determinism 60-66 |
| R 9 | Choose Book for Review | |
| 09.23 | Varieties of Determinism | Comte 67-72 |
| T 10 | Sign Up for Book Review | Engels 73-82 |
| Quiz: Varieties of Determinism | ||
| 09.25 | The Scientific Background | Mill 83-90 |
| R 11 | Quiz: Varieties of Determinism | Venn 91-104 |
| 09.30 | Chance, Luck, and Statistics | Spinoza 105-111 |
| T 12 | James 115-130 | |
| Sign Up for Ethics Paper Topic | ||
| 10.02 | Free Will and Determinism | Pascal 131-136 |
| R 13 | Ohiyesa 137-150 | |
| Quiz: Pascal's Wager | ||
| 10.07 | Fall Break | |
| T | ||
| 10.09 | Kant 157-167 | |
| R 14 | Quiz: Pascal's Wager | |
| 10.14 | Fallacy Review | Kierkegaard 168-184 |
| T 15 | Quiz: Pascal's Wager | |
| 10.16 | Stages on Life's Way | Review Text 60-184 |
| R 16 | Teleological Suspension of the Ethical | |
| 10.21 | Review for Test 2 | Review Parts II and III |
| T 17 | Chat 10.22.03 8-9 PM | |
| 10.23 | Test 2: Determinism; Religious and Duty Ethics | Plato 187-211 |
| R 18 | ||
| 10.28 | The Ethics of Socrates | Epicurus 212-226 |
| T 19 | Epictetus 227-236 | |
| Quiz: Socratic Paradox |
| Date | Class Topic | Assignment |
| 10.30 | Epicureanism, Stoicism, Cynicism | Hume 237-247 |
| R 20 | Quiz: Socratic Paradox | Quiz: Stoicism |
| 11.04 | Egoism and Hedonism | Aristotle 248-265 |
| Quiz: Stoicism | Comments to Papers | |
| T 21 | ||
| 11.06 | The Ethics of Self-Realization | Plato 266-275 |
| R 22 | Naturalistic Ethics | Mandeville 276-290 |
| Comments to Papers Due | ||
| 11.11 | The Ethics of Selfishness | Bentham 291-305 |
| T 23 | Hobbes Game | Refutation of Psychological Egoism |
| Book Reviews | ||
| 11.13 | Utility and Decision Theory | Nietzsche 306-317 |
| R 24 | Refutation of Psychological Egoism | |
| Book Reviews Due on Web | ||
| 11.18 | The Ethics of Power | Review Text Parts IV and V |
| T 25 | Case Study: Conflict of Theories | Review Text 187-340 |
| 11.20 | Review for Test 3 | Review for Test |
| R 26 | Chat 11.24.03 8-9 PM | |
| 11.25 | Test 3: Ethics of Self-Interest and Societal Ethics | James 318-340 |
| T 27 | ||
| 11.27 | Thanksgiving | |
| R | ||
| 12.02 | Discuss Text 3: | Review for Comprehensive Final |
| T 28 | Review Concepts for Tests 1-3 | |
| 12.04 | Final Examination | |
| R | TR 11:00-01:00 Section 06 |