Ethics Comprehensive Exam Reading List

The reading list for the Spring 2009 exam remains unchanged. For Fall 2009, a new reading list will be used and is available below.

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For Spring 2009

(An asterisk* indicates that the work is available, in whole or suitable abridgment, in Ethics: History: Theory, and Contemporary Issues, 3rd Edition, eds. Steven M. Cahn and Peter Markie (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.)

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1. Classical Readings Ethical Theory
   1. Plato, Euthyphro*, Republic*, Gorgias, Protagoras
   2. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics*
   3. Epicurus, Letter to Menoceus*, Leading Doctrines*
   4. Epictetus, Enchiridion*
   5. Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles*
   6. Hobbes, Leviathan*
   7. Butler, Fifteen Sermons*
   8. Hume, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals*; A Treatise of Human Nature, Book II, Part III, Sect. 3; Book III, Part I
   9. Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals*
   10. Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation*
   11. Mill, Utilitarianism*
   12. Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals, First and Second Essays
2. Contemporary Readings in Ethical Theory
1. Frankena, Ethics, 2nd Ed. (Prentice-Hall, 1973)
2. Moore, Principia Ethica*
3. Prichard, "Does Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?"*
4. Ross, The Right and the Good*
5. Ayer, Language, Truth ,and Logic*
6. Stevenson, "The Emotive Meaning of Ethical Terms"*
7. Hare, Freedom and Reason*
8. Baier, "The Point of View of Morality"*
9. Rawls, A Theory of Justice*
10. Gauthier, "Why Contractarianism?"*
11. Feinberg, "Psychological Egoism"*
12. Foot, "Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives"*
13. Brandt, "Some Merits of One Form of Rule Utilitarianism"*
14. Williams, "A Critique of Utilitarianism"*
15. Gibbard, "Moral Judgment and the Acceptance of Norms"*
16. Harman, "The Nature of Morality"*
17. Sturgeon, "Moral Explanations"*
18. Nussbaum, "Non-Relative Virtues: An Aristotelian Approach"*
19. Held, "Reason, Gender, and Moral Theory"*
20. Nagel, "Moral Luck"*
3. Contemporary Issues in Ethics
1. Thomson, "A Defense of Abortion"*
2. Warren, "On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion"*
3. Marquis, "An Argument That Abortion Is Wrong"*
4. Hursthouse, "Virtue Theory and Abortion"*
5. Rachels, "Active and Passive Euthanasia"*
6. Foot, "Killing and Letting Die"*
7. Singer, "Famine, Affluence, and Morality"*
8. Arthur, "Famine Relief and the Ideal Moral Code"*
9. Thomson, "The Trolley Problem"*

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For Fall 2009

(An asterisk* indicates that the work is available in Ethics: History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues, 4 th Edition, eds. Steven M. Cahn and Peter Markie (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009). In addition readings may be found in Hughes LaFollette's   Ethics in Practice (Blackwell, 2006), and Peter Singer's Companion to Ethics (Blackwell, 1993)).

[return to Comprehensive Exam list]

1. Classical Readings Ethical Theory
   1. Plato, Euthyphro*; Gorgias; Protagoras; The Republic, Books 1, 2, 4, 10
   2. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
   3. Epicurus, Letter to Menoceus*
   4. Epictetus, Enchiridion*
   5. Hobbes, Leviathan, Parts 1 and 2
   6. Butler, Fifteen Sermons, Sermons 1, 2, 3, 11, 12
   7. Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature , Book II, Part III; Book III, Part I*
   8. Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals*
   9. Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation*
   10. Mill, Utilitarianism*, On Liberty
2. Contemporary Readings in Ethical Theory
1. Frankena, Ethics, 2nd edition
2. Moore, Principia Ethica, chapter 1
3. Prichard, "Does Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?"*
4. Ross, The Right and the Good
5. Ayer, Language, Truth ,and Logic, chapters 1 and 6
6. Stevenson, "The Emotive Meaning of Ethical Terms"*
7. Sartre, "Existentialism Is A Humanism"*
8. Hare, The Language of Morals, chapters 4 – 6
9. Rawls, "Kantian Constructivism in Moral Theory"
10. Foot, "Moral Beliefs"; "Morality As A System of Hypothetical Imperatives"*
11. Harman, "Ethics and Observation"
12. Nussbaum, "Non-Relative Virtues: An Aristotelian Approach"*
13. MacIntyre, After Virtue, chapters 1- 6, 14 – 16
14. Smart and Williams, Utilitarianism, For and Against
15. Nagel, "Moral Luck"*
16. Marcus, “Moral Dilemmas and Consistency”*
3. Contemporary Issues in Ethics
1. Rawls, A Theory of Justice, chapters I, II, and III
2. Nozick, Anarchy State and Utopia, chapter 7;“Distributive Justice”
3. Thomson, "A Defense of Abortion"*;"The Trolley Problem"*
4. Marquis, "An Argument That Abortion Is Wrong"*
5. Rachels, "Active and Passive Euthanasia"*
6. Foot, "Killing and Letting Die"*
7. Singer, "Famine, Affluence, and Morality"*
8. Arthur, "Famine Relief and the Ideal Moral Code"*

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