|
Phil 6330 Seminar in Moral Cognition
Spring 2004
Description:
When we reason about moral issues, make decisions about how to act, and
pass judgment on another’s behavior, we are using cognitive mechanisms.
The nature of these cognitive mechanisms and the relevance they may have
for ethical theory will be the topic of this seminar. A basic question
to answer is what cognitive science or psychology could possibly tell
us about ethics. Need it always be a violation of the naturalistic fallacy
to engage in an empirical investigation of moral reasoning? Or does it
only amount to what Kant once condescendingly referred to as ‘practical
anthropology’? Many contemporary researchers in moral cognition
believe that there is valuable empirical work to be done in the study
of ethics.
This area of research is relatively recent, and there are more questions
than theories at this point. Some of the questions we will examine in
this seminar include:
Is it true that we must understand human nature before we can understand
ethics? Must one have the ability to feel empathy in order to engage in
moral reasoning? To what extent does a theory of mind, or the ability
to attribute beliefs and desires to another, play a role in moral cognition?
What are the cognitive foundations for feelings of responsibility and
ownership of action? Do people really have character traits, and if not
what consequences are there for evaluating a person as moral or immoral,
and what role might there be for moral education?
Our three main texts are all quite recent, Mindreading (2003), The Importance
of Being Understood: Folk Psychology as Ethics (2002), and Lack of Character
(2002). We will draw from the fourth book for class presentations, so
you need not buy that book (or you can share it) for you will only be
asked to read one or two essays.
Texts:
Mindreading
Stephen Stich and Shaun Nichols
Agency and Self-Awareness - Issues in Philosophy and Psychology
Edited by Roessler and Eilan
The Importance of Being Understood: Folk Psychology as Ethics
Adam Morton
Lack of Character
John Doris
Requirements:
Presentations: 30%
Everyone will be required to do two presentations. The first presentation
will be on an article from the Roessler and Elian volume. You will present
the article to the class (only the presenter will be required to read
the article) and then lead a discussion on the material. The presentation
plus discussion should be about 30 minutes.
The second presentation will be a conference style presentation of your
paper for the term. We will spend two weeks of class having our own mini-conference.
Conference paper: 30%
I am asking you to write a conference-length paper (12 pages) which you
will present to the class. The idea is to give you practice writing a
paper that you could submit to a conference, and I encourage you to submit
your papers for presentation at a conference.
Term paper: 40%
The term paper will be a more in-depth version of your conference paper
that is appropriate for submission to a journal. This paper should be
25-30 pages.
Schedule
January 6
January 13- Stich and Nichols Chapters 1-2
January 20- Stich and Nichols Chapter 3
January 27- Stich and Nichols Chapter 4-5
February 3- Morton Chapters 1-2
February 10- Morton Chapters 3-4
February 17- break
February 24- Morton Chapter 5 + explorations
March 2- presentations
March 9- presentations
March 16- Dorris Chapters 1-3
March 23- Dorris Chapters 4-6
March 30- Dorris Chapters 7-8
|