PHIL 760.001 – Advanced Studies in Moral Theory

Instructor: Thomas E. Hill, Jr. This course meets R 1:00 – 3:30 p.m. in CW 213.

This seminar will focus on moral attitudes towards oneself and others in interpersonal relations of various kinds. How can we identify the morally admirable attitudes and distinguish them from related morally vicious or defective attitudes? Why should we cultivate and encourage these good attitudes and avoid various contrasting attitudes? How are the self-regarding attitudes related to our attitudes towards others, and vice versa? We may discuss, for example, respect and contempt, integrity and hypocrisy, autonomy and conformity, arrogance and humility, forgiveness and vindictiveness. The contexts in which we may consider these attitudes are, for example, friendships, teacher-student relations, political debates, philosophical discussions, responses to wrongdoers, and dealing with disabilities. The readings will be selections from a wide range of historical and contemporary sources. The aim of the seminar is not primarily to master a given set of readings but to prompt further exploratory thinking about the attitudes in question. Emphasis will be on well-focused discussion and seminar papers. There will be occasional invited guests to present and discuss their ideas.