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Description
We have all heard about the measure of intelligence called IQ (Intelligence
Quotient). IQ has many critics but it is still widely used. Some of the critics
claim that IQ measures only the logical ability and should be supplemented with
something that measures the quality of a person's emotional responses. The idea
of Emotional Quotient, EQ, was born. There is now a growing literature, philosophical
as well as psychological, on EQ.
Do IQ and EQ together measure a man, or woman? What about the quality of a
person's moral responses? If morality is important in one's life, should there
be another measure, a Moral Quotient, an MQ? There is a sense in which this
Module can be described as an argument for the idea that morality matters in
one's life and an introduction to the idea of Moral Quotient. The key questions
addressed in the Module are: Why should I be moral? If I should be moral, how
should I conduct myself morally? If being moral is a quality, how do I acquire
this quality or improve on it?
Objectives
The Module will introduce to the student the key concepts relating to the idea
of morality and the major theories concerning how to live morally. The student
will have an understanding of how philosophers approach the question of morality,
how they reach conclusions about moral matters and how they argue for them.
The Module will provide the student with resources for reflecting on his or
her own moral situations and for responding to them in a way that is morally
appropriate. It will form a solid foundation for further studies in moral philosophy
or philosophy generally, as well as complement other intellectual pursuits.
The Module aims to contribute to an educational programme for a well-rounded
graduate who is intelligent not just logically and emotionally but also morally,
a graduate who not only can solve technical problems but also care about how
the proposed solutions affect others. Only such a graduate can promote the growth
and harmony of the society and make a worthwhile contribution to the progress
of humanity.
Teaching Method/Approach
The class will meet twice a week, each session lasting about two hours. Instead
of the traditional lecturing format in which materials are delivered formally
and discussed in tutorials, the "Socratic" dialogical approach will
be adopted. Students are expected to come to the weekly sessions fully prepared,
that is, they should have read to prescribed readings and be in a frame of mind
to participate in class discussions. Various formats of class discussions will
be used, including questions-and-answers, debates, panel discussions, mock interviews,
role-playing, etc.
Teaching Materials
In addition to Louis Pojman's Ethical Theory and other references listed
in the schedule of lectures above, other teaching materials will also be used
including journal articles, book chapters, class handouts etc.
Schedule of Lectures
The following schedule of meetings and their topics may not be strictly adhered
to. If there is sufficient interest in any particular topic, more time will
be spent on it and less on something else. If there is a seminar on a relevant
issue given by a prominent speaker, the seminar may take the place of one weekly
session. Students should check the web page for any deviation from the schedule
below.
The readings below are indicative only. Students are free to consult other
sources. In particular, students are encouraged to bring to class discussions
materials from Eastern philosophies and religions.
Week 1: What Is It to Be Moral?
In this week we deal with conceptual matters. Concepts such as morality, ethic,
ethics, moral philosophy, morally good, morally bad, morally right, morally
wrong, etc. will be introduced and discussed. We will also ask questions about
the status of moral judgments, such as: What does it mean to say that someone
ought to do something? Is there such a thing as moral truth and if so how is
it different from other kinds of truth? Are moral judgments universal or relative?
Readings:
- Louis Pojman, "What Is Ethics?" in L. Pojman, Ethical Theory,
3rd ed.
(Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, 1995), pp.1-7.
- Plato, selections from the Crito, in Pojman, Ethical Theory,
pp.8-14.
Week 2: The Possibility of Morality
Underlying the quest for moral excellence is the supposition that morality
is possible. Ultimately, this means we are free to perform actions or to adopt
ways of being for which we can be blamed or praised. But are we really free?
If there is no free will, morality itself is not possible. So before embarking
on the quest for moral excellence, we need to satisfy ourselves that there is
such a thing as a free will.
Readings:
- Robert Solomon, "Freedom," in R. Solomon, Introducing Philosophy
(Orlando, Flor.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989), pp.493-536.
Week 3: Why Should I Be Moral?: Relativism and Egoism
In weeks 3 and 4, we attempt to defend the idea that morality matters. This
involves, in the first place, rejecting extreme relativism as well as egoism.
The extreme relativist's position and the egoist's position, in particular that
of the well known author Ayn Rand, will be examined. The quest for moral excellence
begins with a credible rejection of both.
Readings:
- L. Pojman, Ethical Theory, Parts II and III, particularly readings
4 and 5 in
Part II and 3 and 4 in Part III.
Week 4: Why Should I Be Moral?: The Case For Morality
This week we will examine the possibility of altruism and the various arguments
for being moral. In the process, the student will come face to face with philosophical
arguments and will be introduced to argumentative strategies such as the Prisoner's
Dilemma.
Readings:
- L. Pojman, Ethical Theory, Part X, particularly readings 1, 3 and
4.
Having established the premise that morality matters, we will, in weeks 5 to
12, explore the various ways of being moral.
Week 5: Ways of Being Moral - Utilitarianism
This week we are concerned with the idea of the common good. The student will
be introduced to the thoughts of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. We will
also discuss the contemporary debate about utilitarianism.
Readings:
- L. Pojman, Ethical Theory, Part V, particularly readings 1, 2 and
4.
Week 6: Ways of Being Moral - Ethics of Duty
This week the student will be introduced to the notion of deontology. We will
deal with questions such as Are there duties? If so what are they? How do we
know that something is a duty? The student will find out how Kant argues for
his ethical conclusions.
Readings:
- L. Pojman, Ethical Theory, Part VI, particularly readings 1, 3 and
5.
Week 7: Ways of Being Moral - Aristotelian Ethics
This week we look at the way the ancient Greeks conceive of ethics. We will
examine the idea of living well in Greek society. In the process, the student
will discover how Aristotle argues for his ethical position.
Readings:
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Books I, II and X.
(Books I & II can be found in Part VII of Pojman, Ethical Theory, pp.365-
378.)
Week 8: Ways of Being Moral - The Way of Virtue
The main question for this week is: What is it to be virtuous? We will have
an opportunity to go back over the various ways of being moral discussed up
to this point and probe their appropriateness for modern life. How relevant
or useful are they for the development of moral character?
Readings:
- L. Pojman, Ethical Theory, Part VII, particularly readings 2, 3,
5 and 6.
Week 9: Ways of Being Moral - Religious Ethics
This week we compare and contrast the secular ways with the religious ways.
Can religion contribute to the moral development of the secular world? We focus
on the Judeo-Christian tradition, leaving Eastern religions for another occasion.
Readings:
- L. Pojman, Ethical Theory, Part XI, particularly readings 3 and 5.
Week 10: Ways of Being Moral - Existentialist Ethics
When a student asked Jean Paul Sartre if he should join the resistance or stay
home to look after his mother, Sartre simply told him to choose. What does such
"advice" amount to? What is it to live with authenticity and without
bad faith?
Readings:
- D. Cooper, Existentialism: A Reconstruction (Oxford: Blackwell, 1990),
Chapters 9 and 10.
Week 11: Ways of Being Moral - Eastern Perspectives
This week we turn to the East for inspiration. What lessons can we learn from
Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and Islam? Does the East have its own
moral sense and if so how is it different from that of the West? It will be
shown that the East has much to teach us in our quest for moral excellence.
Readings:
- Mencius, "Are Humans Good by Nature?" in P. Singer (ed.), Ethics
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994), pp.27-29.
- R.W. Perrett, Hindu Ethics (Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii
Press, 1998).
- Sohail H. Hashmi, "Islamic Ethics in International Society," in
D.R.
Mapel and T. Nardin (eds.), International Society: Diverse Ethical
Perspectives (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1998), pp.215
-238.
- M.C. Brannigan, "Buddhist Perspectives on Ethics," in his The
Pulse of
Wisdom (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1995), pp.261-265.
Week 12: The Idea of Moral Excellence
By this stage we have enough materials to return to the question of moral excellence.
If, as Plato says, an unexamined life is not worth living, how do we examine
our lives so as to make them worthwhile? We shall explore the concept of moral
consciousness and ways of developing it.
Readings:
Students are to view, in the Central Library (CL Media Resources), the
video recording entitled "Morality: The Process of Moral Development"
(Davidson Films), Catalogue No. BF723 Mor.M, in Stack CVC 3140.
Week 13: Module Summary and Conclusion
In this concluding week, we explore further the idea of a moral quotient, of
MQ. The student will be encouraged to ask if the Module has made any difference
to his or her way of thinking, to his or her outlook, to his or her way of seeing
the world and relating to people in it.
Each student is to do one class presentation. A class presentation involves
speaking on a certain topic for 10 minutes and responding to questions for
another 10 minutes. Class presentations will be held in tutorial times and
will start in the third week of the semester. The presentation is worth 10%
of total assessment. THIS PART OF THE ASSESSMENT IS DESIGNED TO BUILD UP SKILLS
IN VERBALLY DISCUSSING PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES.
There will be THREE tests during the semester, each test involving a 500-word
essay and 4 short write-ups. The due dates for the three tests are: Week 4
(topics available in Week 3), Week 7 (topics available in week 6) and Week
12 (topics available in Week 11). Each test is worth 15%. THIS PART OF THE
ASSESSMENT IS DESIGNED TO BUILD UP CONCEPTUAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE.
The third piece of assessment is a 2000-word essay. Topics will be available
in Week 12. Essays are due in Week 16. The essay is worth 35%. THIS PART OF
THE ASSESSMENT IS DESIGNED TO BUILD UP SKILLS IN CRITICAL PHILOSOPHICAL WRITING.
As mentioned in the Course Description, tutorial participation is important.
Attendance will be rewarded (5%) and the quality of participation will be assessed
(5%). THIS PART OF THE ASSESSMENT IS DESIGNED TO BUILD UP A GENERAL INTEREST
IN THE SUBJECT MATTER.
Summary of assessment:
Tutorial participation: 10%
Class presentations: 10%
Tests: 45%
Essay: 35%
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