Université d´Ottawa/University of Ottawa

On-line @ Brightspace
Mondays 13h-14h20 & Wednesdays 11h30-12h50: Fall 2020
https://connect2.contactnorth.ca/uoophi2174af20/

Syllabus - PHI2174 A, Ethics

Instructor: Dean Wm. Lauer, Ph.D.

Office: DMS 8113
E-mail: [email protected]

Additional Help:
○ PHI2174 Y teaching assistant (beginning week 27):
○ Student Academic Success Service (SASS) – www.sass.uottawa.ca
○Academic Support Service has developed an online portal for unique access to academic
support, the Academic GPS, https://uottawa.saea-tlss.ca/en/academic-gps

Content/Subject Matter:
This course examines ethics within the geography and historical tradition of the West. Our introductory course will
cover the great themes of ethics within intellectual history, the examine relationships of ideas, estimate their
influence, and look at their preservation to the present.
While the readings, contain the primary sources which compose the base of the course, the in-class
presentation of the material will focus on the development and historical unfolding of the concepts. Such a
historical method, should give us access and relevance to the otherwise abstract theories of ethics.
As well, we follow the university’s description of this course – “Study of the major traditions in moral
philosophy. Are there grounds for distinguishing between right and wrong? What is the relation between morality
and custom, law and personal fulfilment?”

Teaching Method:
The teaching format for a large course such as this will consist of lectures and documentary videos.
Please access the course here https://connect2.contactnorth.ca/uoophi2174af20/ at the appropriate time, UTC -4.
Your username is your University of Ottawa e-mail address.

Required Readings:
○ Course Reserve Service - University of Ottawa Library - uOttawa
https://ares.uottawa.ca/en/

Course Structure/Exams/Marking:
●Test: 28 September = 20% / Monday
●Test : 14 October = 20% / Wednesday
●Test : 9 November = 20% / Monday
●Final: ? December = 40% / day to be determined

Additionally, those tests may take up to two weeks to be returned. Marked tests can be reviewed in rare cases. As
per the Faculty of Arts regulations “[t]he revised grade can be higher than, lower than or equal to the grade
submitted for review.” Unfortunately, there are no extra credit possibilities.

This study source was downloaded by 100000815313872 from CourseHero.com on 02-07-2023 12:32:48 GMT -06:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/69279935/PHI2174-outline-2020pdf/
 Everyone must write the final.

Observe:
I have three large courses this term as such I cannot answer e-mails that are redundant of material already
presented. Unfortunately, I am not well skilled at information technology. If you are having questions in this
area see:
Brightspace support by phone: 1-866-811-3201
Brightspace online support: https://d2lprod.service-now.com/uottawa

Contact North | Contact Nord Technical Support Hotline, available Monday to Friday
from 7:30 a.m. ET – 10:30 p.m. ET at 1-888-850-4628, and tell the Technical Support
Specialist you are an Adobe Connect user.

All students at this university are contractually obliged to follow the Regulations for
Undergraduate Studies (http://web5.uottawa.ca/admingov/regulations.html).
Missed quizzes are excused only following university policy - http://www.uottawa.ca/academic-
regulations/exams.html or a statutory declaration of illness.

Course Structure/Marking:

September 9 – Introduction and course overview

Sept. 14 – Ethics in the History of Ideas + Selections from Folkways, W. G. Sumner

Sept. 16 – Selections from Folkways, W. G. Sumner

Sept. 21 – From the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle + video (Is ethics based on virtue?)
Sept. 23 – From the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle

Sept. 28 – EXAM, 20%

Sept. 30 – Epicurus: “Principal Doctrines” & “Letter to Menoeceus”
http://classics.mit.edu/Epicurus/menoec.html + video (Epicurus on Happiness)

October 5 – From The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant, + video

Oct. 7 – From The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant

Oct. 12 – Thanksgiving
Oct. 14 – EXAM, 20%

Oct. 19 – J. Bentham: from “A Short Review of the Declaration”

Oct. 21 – J. Bentham from An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation + video (Does the end
justify the means?)

Oct. 26 – Reading Week!

Oct. 38 – Reading Week!

November 2 – F.W. Nietzsche, selected readings + Video (Human, All too Human)
Nov. 4 – F.W. Nietzsche, selected readings

This study source was downloaded by 100000815313872 from CourseHero.com on 02-07-2023 12:32:48 GMT -06:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/69279935/PHI2174-outline-2020pdf/
 Nov. 9 – EXAM, 20%
Nov. 18 – C. Gilligan: From In a Different Voice + video (interview)

Nov. 23 – C. Gilligan: From In a Different Voice

Nov. 25 – Th. Hobbes, selections form Leviathan (see reading on Brightspace)
Nov. 30 – Th. Hobbes, selections form Leviathan (see reading on Brightspace) + video
December 2 – G. Hardin, “Tragedy of the Commons” + video (interview)

Dec. 7 – M. Sagoff, “At the Shrine of Our Lady Fatíma or Why Political Questions Are Not All not Economic”
Dec. 9 - A. Giridharadas, “Win-Win”, from Winner take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World

Final Examination (40%) to be announced

Nota bene:

Beware of academic fraud!

Academic fraud is an act by a student that may result in a false evaluation (including papers,
tests, examinations, etc.). It is not tolerated by the University. Any person found guilty of
academic fraud will be subject to severe sanctions.
Here are some examples of academic fraud:
• Plagiarism or cheating of any kind;
• Present research data that has been falsified;
• Submit a work for which you are not the author, in whole or part;
• Submit the same piece of work for more than one course without the written consent of
the professors concerned.
Please consult this webpage: it contains regulations and tool to help you avoid plagiarism.
An individual who commits or attempts to commit academic fraud, or who is an accomplice,
will be penalized. Here are some examples of possible sanctions:
• Receive an “F” for the work or in the course in question;
• Imposition of additional requirements (from 3 to 30 credits) to the program of study;
• Suspension or expulsion from the Faculty.
You can refer to the regulations on this webpage.
Student Services
Academic Writing Help Centre
At the AWHC you will learn how to identify, correct and ultimately avoid errors in your writing
and become an autonomous writer.
In working with our Writing Advisors, you will be able to acquire the abilities, strategies and
writing tools that will enable you to:
• Master the written language of your choice
• Expand your critical thinking abilities
• Develop your argumentation skills
• Learn what the expectations are for academic writing
Career Services
Career Services offers various services and a career development program to enable you to
recognize and enhance the employability skills you need in today's world of work.

This study source was downloaded by 100000815313872 from CourseHero.com on 02-07-2023 12:32:48 GMT -06:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/69279935/PHI2174-outline-2020pdf/
 Counselling Service
There are many reasons to take advantage of the Counselling Service. We offer:
• Personal counselling
• Career counselling
• Study skills counselling
Access Service
The Access Service acts as intermediary between students, their faculty and other University
offices to ensure that the special needs of these students are addressed and that the best
possible learning conditions are being offered.
Note that the University of Ottawa is affiliated with AERO and ACE services for the adaptation
of accessible academic materials for students with perceptual disabilities. If you have any
questions, please contact the Accessibility Librarian or the Access services for textbooks.
The University of Ottawa will not tolerate any act of sexual violence. This includes acts such as
rape and sexual harassment, as well as misconduct that take place without consent, which
includes cyberbullying. The University, as well as various employee and student groups, offers
a variety of services and resources to ensure that all uOttawa community members have access
to confidential support and information, and to procedures for reporting an incident or filing a
complaint. For more information, please visit www.uOttawa.ca/sexual-violence-support-and-
prevention/.

This study source was downloaded by 100000815313872 from CourseHero.com on 02-07-2023 12:32:48 GMT -06:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/69279935/PHI2174-outline-2020pdf/
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)