PHIL 5802/3 Core Practical Philosophy

Fall 2024

Prof. Maggie O’Brien Prof. Regina Rini

mjobrien@yorku.ca rarini@yorku.ca
Office Hours: Thursdays 11:30 -12:30 or by appointment Office Hours: email for appointment
Office location: Ross S428 Office location: Ross S416

Class Location: S421 Ross Bldg

Class Time: 5802: Fri 11:30-1:30 and 5803: 2:00-3:00pm

Description:
This course offers an advanced survey of some central themes in contemporary practical
philosophy, drawn from recent work in metaethics, ethical theory, moral psychology, applied
ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of law (topics vary from year to
year). While it is designed to provide background for those who will be pursuing graduate-level
research in these areas, it is not an introductory course. Those who do not have some
undergraduate preparation in these areas are advised to discuss remedial work with the course
directors as soon as possible.

Course Readings:
There are two required textbooks:
• Susan Stebbing (1939/2022). Thinking to Some Purpose. Routledge. ISBN:
9781032155951
• Kate Manne (2024). Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia. Crown. ISBN: 9780593593837
Both books will be available for purchase at the York University bookstore. In addition, there is
limited availability of each book free online via York’s library.

All other required course readings will be available online. Where not readily available through
York’s library, we will ensure they can be accessed from the PHIL 5802/3 eclass site.

Assessment:
Critical reflection pieces due weekly, 4 times 20%
Advocacy variable due dates 5%
Public Philosophy piece due Oct 11 20%
Term essay due Dec 16 50%
Participation 5%

You will receive a separate Assignment Sheet providing details about each of these.

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WEEKLY SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

You are expected to consult the listed further readings (and to conduct your own further research)
in preparing for your essays (and, especially, the exam for those in 5803).

1. September 6 – Introduction

5802 reading:
Susan Wolf, (1982). “Moral Saints”. The Journal of Philosophy 79:8, 418-439.
Cheshire Calhoun, (1999). “Moral Failure”. As reprinted in her Moral Aims (2015). Oxford
University Press.

Further reading:
Michael Stocker 1976 ‘the schizophrenia of modern ethical theories’
Bernard Williams, (1985). “Socrates’ Question”. Chapter 1 of his Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy. Harvard
University Press.
Peter Railton, (1984). ‘Alienation, Consequentialism, and the Demands of Morality.’ Philosophy and Public
Affairs 13, 134-171.
Nomy Arpaly (2002). Unprincipled Virtue: An Enquiry into Moral Agency. Oxford University Press.
Cheryl Noble (1979), ‘Normative ethical theories’. The Monist 62(4): 496-509.
P.F. Strawson, (1962) ‘Freedom and resentment’. Proceedings of the British Academy, 48: 1-25.

2. September 13 – critical thinking as practical philosophy, part 1

5802 reading:
Susan Stebbing,(1939), Thinking to Some Purpose, chapters 1-7
5803 reading:
Susan Stebbing, (1939), ‘Ethics and Materialism’. Ethics 50(1): 35-44.

Further reading:
Michael Lynch, (2014). In Praise of Reason. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Etienne Brown, (2018). “Propaganda, Misinformation, and the Epistemic Value of Democracy”. Critical Review
3-4: 194-218.
Bernard Williams, (1985). Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Stephen Darwall, (2006). The Second-Person Standpoint: Morality, Respect, and Accountability. Cambridge:
Harvard University Press.
Cheshire Calhoun, (1989). ‘Responsibility and reproach’. Ethics 99 (2):389-406.
Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, (2005). ‘It's Not My Fault: Global Warming and Individual Moral Obligations’. In W.
Sinnott-Armstrong & R. Howarth (eds.), Perspectives on Climate Change. Elsevier. 221–253.
Janna Thompson, (2017). ‘The ethics of intergenerational relationships’. Canadian Journal of Philosophy 47 (2-
3):313-326.

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3. September 20 – critical thinking as practical philosophy, part 2

5802 reading:
Susan Stebbing, (1939), Thinking to Some Purpose, chapters 8, 12-15

5803 reading:
Peter West, (2021), ‘Pause. Think. Reflect’. Aeon 11 Feb 2021.
Jonathan Ellis and Francesca Hovagimian (2019), ‘Are school debate competitions bad for our
political discourse?’ New York Times Oct 12 2019

Further reading:
Jason Stanley, (2018). How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them. New York: Random House.
Robert Myers, (1999). Self-Governance and Cooperation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kirstie Dotson, (2011). ‘Tracking Epistemic Violence, Tracking Practices of Silencing’. Hypatia 26:2, 236-257.
Rima Basu, (2019). “What We Epistemically Owe To Each Other”. Philosophical Studies 176(4): 915-931.
Charles Mills, (2005). “‘Ideal Theory’ as Ideology,” Hypatia 20:3, pp.165-184.
Frances Kamm, (2006). Intricate Ethics: Rights, Responsibilities, and Permissible Harm. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Jefferson McMahan, (2002). The Ethics of Killing: Problems at the Margins of Life. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.

4. September 27 - normative ethics

5802 reading:
Alastair Norcross, (1997), “Comparing Harms: Headaches and Human Lives.” Philosophy
and Public Affairs 26:2, 135-167.
Christine M. Korsgaard, (1986), ‘The Right to Lie: Kant on Dealing with Evil’. Philosophy and
Public Affairs 15(4): 325-349.
5803 reading:
Daniel Muñoz, (2021), ‘Exploitation and effective altruism’. Politics, Philosophy &
Economics 20(4): 409-423.
Further reading:
JJC Smart and Bernard Williams, (1973). Utilitarianism: For and Against. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
James Lenman, (2000). “Consequentialism and Cluelessness.” Philosophy and Public Affairs 29:4 342-370.
Kataryna de Lazari-Radek, and Peter Singer, (2010), ‘Secrecy in Consequentialism: A Defence of Esoteric
Morality’. Ratio 23: 34-58.
Philippa Foot, (1985). ‘Utilitarianism and the Virtues.’ Mind 94, 196-209.
Thomas Nagel, (1995), ‘Personal Rights and Public Space’. Philosophy and Public Affairs 24(2):83-107.
Sergio Tenenbaum, (2023), ‘Can’t Kant Count? Innumerate Views on Saving the Many over Saving the Few’.
Oxford Studies in Normative Ethics 13:215-234.
Samuel Scheffler, (1982). The Rejection of Consequentialism. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
T.M. Scanlon, (1998). What We Owe to Each Other. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Judith Jarvis Thomson, (1990). The Realm of Rights. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

SPEAKER: Johannes Mahr

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5. October 4 – metaethics 1
5802 reading:
David Enoch, (2006), ‘Agency, Shmagency: Why Normativity Won’t Come from What Is
Constitutive of Action’. Philosophical Review 115(2): 169-198.
Sharon Street, (2009), ‘In defense of future Tuesday indifference: Ideally coherent
eccentrics and the contingency of what matters’. Philosophical Issues 19: 273-298.
5803: no extra reading – but read the 5802 texts extra carefully – they are hard
Further reading:
Sharon Street, (2006). ‘A Darwinian dilemma for realist theories of value’. Philosophical Studies 127 (1):109-
166.
Sarah McGrath, (2008). ‘Moral Disagreement and Moral Expertise’. Oxford Studies in Metaethics, Volume 3.
Oxford: Oxford University Press. 87-108.
Michele Moody-Adams (1990), ‘On the alleged methodological infirmity of ethics’. American Philosophical
Quarterly 27(3):225-235 ;
Ronald Dworkin, (1996). ‘Objectivity and Truth: You’d better believe it’. Philosophy and Public Affairs 25(2): 87-
139.
David Enoch, (2011). Taking Morality Seriously. Oxford University Press.
Christine Korsgaard, (1996). The Sources of Normativity. Cambridge University Press.

6. October 11 – metaethics 2
5802 reading:
Melis Erdur, (2016), ‘A Moral Argument Against Moral Realism’. Ethical Theory and Moral
Practice 19(3): 591-602.
Max Khan Hayward, (2019), ‘Immoral realism’. Philosophical Studies 176(4): 897-914.
David Enoch, (2020), ‘Thanks, We’re good: Why moral realism is not morally objectionable’.
Philosophical Studies 178(5): 1689-1699.

5803 reading:
Guy Kahane, (2017), ‘If Nothing Matters’. Nous 51(2):327-353
Further reading:
Thomas Nagel, (1986). The View from Nowhere. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
Gilbert Harman, (1975). ‘Moral Relativism Defended.’ Philosophical Review 84, 3-25.
Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, and Peter Singer, (2012) ‘The Objectivity of Ethics and the Unity of Practical
Reason’. Ethics 123(1): 9-31.
Derek Parfit, (2011). On What Matters. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kate Manne, (2014). ‘Internalism about reasons: Sad but true?’ Philosophical Studies 167(1): 89-117.
Lisa Tessman, (2014). Moral Failure. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

READING WEEK: October 18

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7. October 25 – political philosophy 1

Ronald Dworkin, (1981). “What is Equality? Part 2: Equality of Resources," Philosophy and Public
Affairs 10, 283-345.
Elizabeth Anderson, (1999). “What is the Point of Equality?” Ethics, 109(2), 287-337.

5803:
No extra readings but read the main two especially carefully. They are challenging.

Further reading:
Harry Frankfurt (1987). ‘Equality as a Moral Ideal,’ Ethics 98, 21-42
Gerry Cohen (1989). ‘On the Currency of Egalitarian Justice,’ Ethics 109, 287-337.
John Rawls (1971). A Theory of Justice. OUP.
Amartya Sen (1980). ‘Equality of What?’ The Tanner Lectures on Human Values I, reprinted as Ch. 16 of
Choice, Welfare and Measurement (1982).
Shelly Kagan (2012). The Geometry of Desert. New York and Oxford: OUP.
Robert Nozick (1974). Anarchy, State and Utopia. New York: Basic Books.
Martha Nussbaum (200). Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach. Cambridge:
CUP.Michael Otsuka & Alex Voorhoeve (2009). ‘ Why It Matters that Some Are Worse Off than Others: An
Argument Against the Priority View.’ PPA 37: 171-199.
Seana Shiffrin (2010). ‘Incentives, Motives, and Talents,’ PPA 38: 111-142.
Kok-Chor Tan (2008). ‘A Defense of Luck Egalitarianism,’ Journal of Philosophy 105: 665-690.

SPEAKER: Zeyad El Nabolsy

8. November 1 – political philosophy 2

Ashwini Vasanthakumar, (2018). “Epistemic Privilege and Victims’ Duties to Resist their
Oppression”, Journal of Applied Philosophy 35 (3): 465- 480.
Alice MacLachlan,(2012). “Closet Doors and Stage Lights: On the Good of Out”, Social Theory and
Practice Vol 38 No 2 302-332.

5803:
Carol Hay, (2011). “The Obligation to Resist Oppression”, Journal of Social Philosophy 42:1 21-45.

Further reading:
Bernard Boxill (2010). ‘The Responsibility of the Oppressed to Resist Their Own Oppression’ Social Theory and
Practice 46:2 391-416.
Rebecca Smith (2020). ‘The Morality of Resisting Oppression.’ Feminist Philosophy Quarterly.
Marilyn Frye (1983). The Politics of Reality. The Crossing Press.
Carol Hay (2013). Kantianism, Liberalist, and Feminism: Resisting Oppression. Palgrave Macmillan.
Ann Cudd (2006). ‘ Resistance and Responsibility,’ Chapter 7 in her Analyzing Oppression, OUP.
Iris Marion Young (1990). Justice and the Politics of Difference. Princeton University Press.
Daniel Silvermint (2013). ‘Resistance and Wellbeing,’ Journal of Political Philosophy 21:4 405-425.
Ashwini Vasanthakumar (2020). ‘Recent Debates on Victim’s Duties to Resist their Oppression,’ Philosophy
Compass.

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9. November 8 - political and legal obligation

John Simmons, (1979). “The Principle of Fair Play”. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 8(4) 307-337.
Tommie Shelby, (2007). “Justice, Deviance, and the Dark Ghetto”. Philosophy and Public Affairs
35(2) 126-160.

5803:
Robert Wolff - Defense of Anarchism – Chapter 1 available:
http://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/robert-paul-wolff-in-defense-of-anarchism#toc2

Further reading:
David Enoch (2014) ‘Authority and Reason Giving,’ Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 89(2): 296-
332.
Leslie Green (1988). The Authority of the State. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Herbert Hart (1958). ‘Legal and Moral Obligation,’ in Essays in Moral Philosophy, A.I. Melden (ed), Seattle,
WA: University of Washington Press 82-107.
Plato’s Crito
John Rawls (1971). A Theory of Justice. HUP.
Joseph Raz (1979). The Authority of Law: Essays on Law and Morality, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Tommie Shelby (2016). Dark Ghettos: Injustice, Dissent, and Reform. HUP.
Anna Stilz (2009). Liberal Loyalty: Freedom, Obligation, and the State. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press.
Laura Valentini (2018). ‘The Content-Independence of Political Obligation: What It Is and How to Test It,’ Legal
Theory 24(2): 135-157.

10. November 15 - civil disobedience

Matthew Chrisman & Graham Hubbs, (2021). “The Language of the Unheard: Rioting as Speech
Acts”, Philosophy and Public Affairs 49 (4): 379-40.
Kimberley Brownlee,(2007). “The Communicative Aspects of Civil Disobedience and Lawful
Punishment,’ Criminal Law and Philosophy” 1(2): 179–192.

5803:
Steve Coyne, (2024). “The Role of Civility in Political Disobedience.” Philosophy and Public Affairs
52 (2): 221-250.

Further reading:
Kimberely Brownlee (2012). Conscience and Conviction: The Case for Civil Disobedience. Oxford:OUP.
Candice Delmas (2018). A Duty to Resist: When Disobedience Should be Uncivil. New York: OUP.
Martin Luther King Jr ‘A Letter from Birmingham Jail’.
Avia Pasternak (2018) ‘Political Rioting: A Moral Assessment,’ PPA 46 (4):348-418.
John Rawls (1971). A Theory of Justice. HUP.
Daniel Weinstock (2016). ‘How Democratic is Civil Disobedience?’ Criminal Law and Philosophy 10(40): 707-
720.

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11. November 22 – applied ethics 1

Kate Manne, Unshrinking Introduction – Chapter 5

5803:
Cheshire Calhoun (2004), ‘An apology for moral shame’. Journal of Political Philosophy 12(2): 127-
146.
Extra Readings:
Aubrey Gordon (2016) A request from your fat friend: what I need when we talk about bodies. Medium
Sophie Hagen Happy Fat: Taking Up Space in a World That Wants to Shrink You
Da’Shaun L (2021). Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness. Berkely: North Atlantic
Book.
Ann Eaton (2016) ‘Taste in Bodies and Fat Oppression’ in Sherri Irvin (ed), Body Aesthetics: OUP.
Simone Gubler (2024), ‘A life not measured in pounds’. Times Literary Supplement March 22 2024.
https://www.the-tls.co.uk/politics-society/social-cultural-studies/unshrinking-kate-manne-book-review-
simone-gubler/

SPEAKER: Laura Soter - “What could a process model of belief look like?”

12. November 29 – applied ethics 2

Kate Manne, Unshrinking Chapter 6 – Conclusion

5803:
Arthur Caplan (2024), ‘Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs are sparking a risky new war on
obesity’. Scientific American, January 23 2024.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ozempic-and-other-weight-loss-drugs-are-sparking-a-
risky-new-war-on-obesity/
Further Readings:
Alison Reiheld (2020). ‘Microaggressions as a Disciplinary Technique for Actual and Possible Bodies’ in
Microaggressions and Philosophy, Lauren Freeman and Jeanine Weekes Schroer (eds). New York: Routledge.
Sandra Bartky (1990). Femininity and Domination. New York and London: Routledge.
Virginia Sole-Smith (2023). Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture. New York: Henry Holt.
Amia Srinivasan (2018). ‘Does anyone have the right to sex?’ London Review of Books.

Policies:
Late Penalties: Work may be accepted late at the discretion of the Course Directors; if you face
circumstances that may affect timely submission of your work, please let us know as soon as
possible. Otherwise your work may be subject to a penalty of 2% per day late.

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Other Class Policies:

As with most grad seminars, the aim of this seminar is for us to have lively, intelligent, and
informed discussions with one another about the topics for this course. To achieve this aim,
obviously you will need to come to class prepared to engage in discussions of this sort.
We aspire to provide a classroom and course environment that meets the needs of all students,
and which enhances your studies and your research. If you face circumstances that will impair
or disrupt your contributions to this seminar or if you have concerns about the course
requirements and your learning needs, please speak to one of us as soon as possible.
Academic Honesty: Work should be your own and cited properly. You are not permitted to use
generative AI technology, e.g., ChatGPT, to complete any assignment for this course. Doing so
would constitute a breach of York University’s Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.
York students are required to maintain high standards of academic integrity and are subject to
the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty:
http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/legislation/senate/acadhone.htm
Students are also expected to review the materials on the Academic Integrity website.