printer friendly pagePHIL 174L: Betrayal and Loyalty, Treason and Trust (ETHICSOC 174L, ETHICSOC 274L, PHIL 274L)
The main topic of the seminar is Betrayal: its meaning as well as its moral, legal and political implications. We shall discuss various notions of betrayal: Political (military) betrayal such as treason, Religious betrayal with Judas as its emblem, but also apostasy (converting one's religion) which is regarded both as a basic human right and also as an act of betrayal, social betrayal - betraying class solidarity as well as Ideological betrayal - betraying a cause. On top of political betrayal we shall deal with personal betrayal, especially in the form of infidelity and in the form of financial betrayal of the kind performed by Madoff. The contrasting notions to betrayal, especially loyalty and trust, will get special consideration so as to shed light or cast shadow, as the case may be, on the idea of betrayal. The seminar will focus not only on the normative aspect of betrayal - moral or legal, but also on the psychological motivations for betraying others. The seminar will revolve around glaring historical examples of betrayal but also use informed fictional novels, plays and movies from Shakespeare and Pinter, to John Le Carre. SAME AS
LAW 520.
Last offered: Winter 2014
PHIL 175: Philosophy of Law
This course will explore foundational questions about the nature of law, including questions about the relationship between law and morality. Topics to be discussed include the following: a) the foundations of legal authority, b) legal reasoning and argument, and c) the nature of persistent legal disputes (e.g., disputes about how to best interpret the US constitution). We will focus on contemporary work on these topics, including work by Scott Shapiro, Joseph Raz, Ronald Dworkin, David Enoch, Connie Rosati, and Mark Greenberg. Prerequisite:
PHIL 80.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II, WAY-ER
Instructors:
Plunkett, D. (PI)
;
Lewis, C. (TA)
PHIL 175A: Ethics and Politics of Public Service (CSRE 178, ETHICSOC 133, HUMBIO 178, PHIL 275A, POLISCI 133, PUBLPOL 103D, URBANST 122)
Ethical and political questions in public service work, including volunteering, service learning, humanitarian assistance, and public service professions such as medicine and teaching. Motives and outcomes in service work. Connections between service work and justice. Is mandatory service an oxymoron? History of public service in the U.S. Issues in crosscultural service work. Integration with the Haas Center for Public Service to connect service activities and public service aspirations with academic experiences at Stanford.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-ER, WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Schnaubelt, T. (PI)
;
Terra, L. (PI)
PHIL 175M: Two Ethical Theories and Being a Person (PHIL 275M)
The distinction between the ethics of being a person and the ethics of rules as opposed to the distinction between Kantian ethics and utilitarianism or consequentialism consequentialism. Comparison of these two types of ethics with respect to their relationship to agency and being a good person. Relations between Western ethics and those of other continents.
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum
PHIL 175P: Philosophy of Law and Conceptions of Agency (PHIL 275P)
In this course we will explore the connections between recent work in philosophy of law and philosophy of action. Current philosophy of law draws on philosophy of action. One example is the work of Scott Shapiro, who interprets legal activity as a form of social planning that enables citizens to coordinate their activities as agents. We will consider what normative requirements are necessary to make citizens self-legislating autonomous agents. Are formal requirements like consistency and coherence sufficient, or does law have to meet substantial normative and moral requirements? We will also discuss whether the deficiency of ¿evil legal systems¿ can be explained in terms of agency. Can distorted legal system provide agents a coherent form of self-understanding? We will explore these questions through readings by Scott Shapiro, Ronald Dworkin, Lon F. Fuller, David Dyzenhaus, Kristen Rundle, Michael Bratman, David Velleman, and Christine Korsgaard.
Last offered: Spring 2016
PHIL 176: Political Philosophy: The Social Contract Tradition (PHIL 276, POLISCI 137A, POLISCI 337A)
(Graduate students register for 276.) Why and under what conditions do human beings need political institutions? What makes them legitimate or illegitimate? What is the nature, source, and extent of the obligation to obey the legitimate ones, and how should people alter or overthrow the others? Study of the answers given to such questions by major political theorists of the early modern period: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Kant.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, GER:DB-Hum, WAY-ER
Instructors:
Hills, D. (PI)
PHIL 176A: Classical Seminar: Origins of Political Thought (CLASSICS 181, CLASSICS 381, PHIL 276A, POLISCI 230A, POLISCI 330A)
(Formerly
CLASSHIS 133/333.) Political philosophy in classical antiquity, focusing on canonical works of Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero. Historical background. Topics include: political obligation, citizenship, and leadership; origins and development of democracy; and law, civic strife, and constitutional change.
Terms: Win
| Units: 4-5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II, WAY-ER
Instructors:
Ober, J. (PI)
PHIL 176B: The Economic Individual in the Behavioral Sciences (PHIL 276B)
(Graduate students register for 276B.)
Last offered: Autumn 2005
PHIL 176C: Religion and Politics: a Latin American Perspective (ETHICSOC 276R, ETHICSOC 376R, PHIL 276C)
Religion has traditionally been banished from politics in some places in Latin America. Religious symbols may not be displayed in public buildings, political discourse is expected to be free from all religious content, and religious ministers are not allowed to run for public office, among other measures. This course examines the political motivation for this kind of policies towards religion taking a comparative perspective with American and French variants of secularism.
Last offered: Spring 2014
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum
PHIL 177B: EMOTIONS: MORALITY AND LAW (ETHICSOC 202, ETHICSOC 302, PHIL 277B)
If emotions are the stuff of life, some emotions are the stuff of our moral and legal life. Emotions such as: guilt, shame, revenge, indignation, resentment, disgust, envy, jealousy and humiliation, along with forgiveness, compassion, pity, mercy and patriotism, play a central role in our moral and legal life. The course is about these emotions, their meaning and role in morality and law. Issues such as the relationship between punishment and revenge, or between envy and equality, or St. Paul¿s contrast between law and love, or Nietzsche¿s idea that resentment is what feeds morality, will be discussed alongside other intriguing topics.
Last offered: Winter 2015
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