Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PH 235-3"
COURSE NAME: "Ethics"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Kyle Thomas Moore
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 8:30 AM 9:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: By appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
What is right and wrong, good and bad? How do we know? How can we argue over ethical issues? This course introduces students to ethical thinking by studying both concrete ethical issues and more abstract ethical ideas and theories. Students will examine philosophical debates over issues such as free speech, genetic engineering, and friendship, explore the meaning of ideas like “duty,” “virtue,” and “happiness,” and analyze the arguments of philosophers like Aristotle, Kant, and Singer.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

In this course we will read, write, and, most importantly, think about ethics. Our aim will be to introduce the student to four major thinkers in the history of philosophical ethics through a close reading of seminal texts. These include key sections from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, J.S. Mill’s Utilitarianism, Immanuel Kant’s Ground of the Metaphysics of Morals, and Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals. Each text will serve as an introduction to a different way of thinking about ethics (e.g., virtue, consequentialism, deontology). As we move through these works, we will also have the opportunity to explore more contemporary receptions.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• explain and evaluate important concepts and arguments in the each of the three major strands of normative ethics: virtue ethics, consequentialism, and deontology;

• reflectively analyse and develop your own reasoned views of them;

• understand and interpret primary and secondary philosophical texts;

• do all this in appropriately academic oral and written forms, individually and in groups.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Attendance and Participation	Many of the texts we will be covering are difficult and challenging. But this should not dissuade us! While the study of philosophy is often solitary, the best way to enter into philosophical texts is through open discussion that promotes exploration. For this reason, class participation will be highly valued and contribute to a significant portion of your final grade. This will require that students come prepared each class having read the assigned material and be ready to discuss it. In class discussion, emphasis will be placed on thinking—that is, the degree to which the student explores the source material with the aim of applying their own unique voice. Understanding that not all students feel comfortable voicing their ideas in class, there will also be the opportunity to email questions in advance.	25
Presentation	Each student will be asked to make one short, in-class presentation over the course of the semester. This presentation will serve as a 10 minute introduction to the reading of the week where the student will have the opportunity to "set the tone" by offering up their own ideas and comments.	20
Midterm Paper	In philosophy we must also write. As such, students will be asked to prepare a 1500-2000 word midterm paper that engages with material from the first half of the course. The student will be free to choose their own question or problematic if they wish, alternatively, they will be able to select from a list provided. For students who wish to formulate their own question, they will have the opportunity to meet in office hours to advance and explore their ideas.	25
Final paper	Following on he second half of the course, students will be asked to prepare a 2500 - 3000 word final exam paper that engages with material from the second half of the course. Once again, the student will be free to choose their own question or problematic if they wish, alternatively, they will be able to select from a list provided. For students who wish to formulate their own question, they will have the opportunity to meet in office hours to advance and explore their ideas.	30

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week 1: General Introduction
- Overview of materials, structure, and program
- Reading: Alasdair MacIntyre, Chapter 1 and 2 of After Virtue

Week 2: Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics (1)
- Book I, Nicomachean Ethics (Eudaimonia)

Week 3: Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics (2)
- Book VIII, Nicomachean Ethics (Friendship)

Week 4: Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics (3)
-contemporary receptions and commentary on Aristotle's ethics. TBD

Week 5: Utilitarianism (1)
- Jeremy Bentham, "On the Principle of Utility"
- JS Mill, Chapter 1 "General Remarks" in Utilitarianism

Week 6: Utilitarianism (2)
- JS Mill, Chapter 2 "What Utilitarianism is" in Utilitarianism

Week 7: Utilitarianism (3)
- Peter Singer, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”
- Slavoj Zizek, “On Peter Singer” (and Singer’s reply)

Week 8: Kant’s Groundwork (1)
- Preface
- First Section of the Groundwork (Happiness, Duty, Respect)

Week 9: Kant’s Groundwork (2)
- Second Section (Categorical Imperative, Universal Law)

Week 10: Kant’s Groundwork (3)
- Third Section (Freedom)

Week 11: Kant's Groundwork (4)
- Hannah Arendt, “Duties of a Law-Abiding Citizen” in Eichmann in Jerusalem
- Jacques Lacan, “Kant avec Sade”

Week 12: Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals (1)
- Preface and First Essay (Sections 1-8)
- First Essay (Sections 9-17)

Week 13: Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals (2)
- Second Essay (Sections 1-12)
- Second Essay (Sections 13-24)

Week 14: Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals (3)
- contemporary receptions and commentary. TBD.