Essential Questions:
Philosophical Excursions into Real Life
A Continuing Education Course at NYU - SCPS
Fall Term, 2008/Course Number X08.9106
Meetings: Tuesday 10/07/08-12/16/08, 6:20-8:40 p.m.
Building: Norman Thomas Center, Room 640
Wk 1: Introductory Discussion — bringing philosophy into real life.
- "The Grammar of Goodness: An interview with Philippa Foot," Alex Voorhoeve for The Harvard Review.
- John Dolan, "Living the Truth" an obituary for G.E.M. Anscombe.
Wks 2-3: Thinking about the Purpose of Life
- Aristotle, Bk 1 The Good for Man
- Aquinas, "Man's Last End" First part of the second part, Q.1 Kant, Groundwork, BK I
- Hume : "On Suicide" in Essays
- "Finding Meaning and Purpose in your life" from oprah.com
- Main page of self-help website: theonequestion.com
- "Find Meaning" from personaldevelopment.com
- Peter Raabe, "The Meaning of Life," Chapter 15 of Issues in Philosophical Counseling.
Cases:
Wks 4-5: Thinking about Happiness
- Aristotle, Bk 10, Happiness
- Hume, Treatise, Bk II, Pt I, sect. i,"Of the Passions" & Bk III, Pt 1, sect. 1 "Of Moral Distinctions Not Derived from Reason"
- Aquinas, "What is Happiness?" First part of the second part, QQ 2 & 3
- "How to Become Happier" Johanthan Haidt
- ""Men Become Happier than Women by Midlife" USAToday.com
Cases:
Wks 6-7: Thinking about Love
- Aristotle, Book 8, Friendship
- Aristotle, Book 9, Friendship
- Hume, Treatise, PT II, Bk II, "Of Love and Hatred" esp. sect i & sect xi
- Aquinas, "On Love," First part of the second Part, QQ 26-29
- Plato, Symposium
- "Be Selfish in Love" from selfcreation.com
- "Finding Love Again" from abcnews.com
Cases:
Wks 8-9: Thinking about Marriage
- John Stuart Mill, The Subjection of Women
- Hume "Of Love and Marriage" & "Of Polygamy and Divorce," in Essays
- Aquinas, Supplement to the Summa, QQ 41-68 on Matrimony
- "Women Rule the Roost and That's Okay with Men" USAToday.com
- "Infidelity Is Common Knowledge" USAToday.com
- "Questions to Ask Before You get Married" CNN.com (Oprah.com)
- "To Improve Your Marriage, Be Quiet" Cnn.com (Oprah.com)
- "Arranged Marriage Gets High-tech Twist" Cnn.com
Cases:
Wk 10: Thinking about Ethical Conflicts
- Cora Diamond, "Eating Meat and Eating People"
- Philippa Foot, "Euthanasia"
- Elizabeth Anscombe, "Modern Moral Philosophy"
Click here for a pdf file of the syllabus
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