course outline

topics & readings

texts

links to on-line  readings

essay topics

 




 

political science 406

 

Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics

 

Tuesday evenings, 6-9 pm,  Winter term –  2006-07

 

 

email:  Don.Carmichael@ualberta.ca

 


 

NB: First Class (Tues, Jan 9th)

 

This will be an important session.  A schedule of topics and deadlines will be established, and students will be asked to choose dates and topics for seminar papers.  Anyone unable to attend this session should contact me before the seminar to discuss possible assignments.

 


 

Provisional Course Outline

 

This course will be a seminar on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, with particular attention to the account of justice, human excellence, practical wisdom, and the importance of certain social goods (love, friendship, political participation) in human well‑being.  Aristotle's views on these topics will be contrasted with Plato's very different account in Republic.  But the focus will be on Aristotle's work and the issues it raises

 

The course will be taught as an undergraduate-only seminar.  A separate seminar (Pol S 515) will be conducted for graduate and advanced students.  For this course however, only Pol S 210 is required: students are not expected to have any further background in Aristotle or political theory beyond this. 

 

The seminar will have two stages.  In effect, we will work through Aristotle's account twice.  The first time, the focus will be on understanding what Aristotle means.  Having done this, we will work through his account again; this time, aided by some recent essays, the aim will be to assess Aristotle's account critically.  Students will be expected to participate in both aims.

 

The course will be conducted as a seminar.  Students will be expected to contribute actively in discussions and the seminar will be organized around the presentation of student papers.

 

Two short papers (5‑7 pp) will be required during the term, plus a somewhat longer paper (7-10 pp) at the end of the term.  One of the short papers will be distributed and discussed as a seminar paper in the class.  There will be considerable choice of topics for all three papers.  Students will also be expected (1) to open the discussion on one of the student seminar papers with a brief oral commentary and also (2) to prepare brief digests (1‑2 pp) of the readings each week as an aid to critical reading and mastery of the text.  These will be due each week before the class; (though everyone will get 2 weeks off of their own choosing)

 

 

Essay Requirements

All essays should be terse, analytical, and "positional" -- arguing a definite thesis in relation to some aspect of the readings. Students are encouraged to develop their own views in these essays -- eg, by contesting a specific claim made by Aristotle, or by arguing a rival thesis on the topic, or (in certain cases) by writing a critical response to a fellow student in the seminar. The only requirement is that the essay argue a specific and explicitly stated thesis ("In this essay I will argue that... ").

 

 

Grades*       Essays: (3 @ equal weight)**       80%

                       Commentary                               10%

contributions to the seminar***    10%

                                                                        ‑‑‑‑‑

                                                                        100%

 

          *   The reading digests ‑‑ which must be submitted each week before the seminar ‑‑ will be graded only as satisfactory/ unsatisfactory.   But they are a necessity and marks will be deducted from the final grade (up to two stanines) for missing digests (note again that everyone gets two weeks off, at dates of their own choosing).

 

          **  As noted above, one of the essays will be discussed in the class as a seminar paper. Students will be asked to make copies of their seminar papers available one or two days in advance, by some date/time and in a format agreed by members of the class.  It is an essential course requirement that seminar papers be available by the agreed time -- failure to do so will result in an automatic zero.

 

          *** Seminar contributions will ordinarily be evaluated by the quality of oral contributions, including questions.  Alternative forms of seminar contribution are possible, and students who are uncomfortable with speaking in the seminar are invited to explore these with me.

 


 

Texts

 

            Aristotle,   Nicomachean Ethics (Ross translation: Oxford University Press).   All participants are asked to use this even if they already have some other edition.

            Jonathan Barnes, Aristotle: A Very Short Introduction

Course pack:  Supplementary Readings for Pol S 406

 


 

Links to On-Line Articles

 

Cooper, "Friendship and the Good in Aristotle", The Philosophical Review 86:3 (1977), 290-315

 

Aristotle, On the Soul Book 3, Parts 4-7, http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/soul.3.iii.html

 

Rorty,  The Place of Contemplation in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics", Mind 87 (1978), 343-358

 

Nagel, "Aristotle on Eudaimionia",  Phronesis 17 (1972), 252-59

 

Wilkes, "The Good Man and the Good for Man in Aristotle's Ethics", Mind 87 (1987), 553-571

 

 


 

 

Topics  &  Readings 

 

 

Jan 9  Introduction

 

Jan 16 B    The Nature of Ethics: Happiness, Excellence & the Good Life 

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1. (Digest).

Barnes: Aristotle, A Very Short Introduction (chs 1-13)

Either:  John Wallach, Contemporary Aristotelianism”  (just pp 613-27) Political Theory 20:4, 1992 (e-journal)

Or  Julia Annas, “Ancient Ethics and Modern Morality” Philosophical Perspectives 6 (1992) (e-journal)

 

Jan 23 B Virtue, Character, & The Mean  

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 2

Everson, APsychology@ (course pack)

Barnes: Aristotle, A Very Short Introduction (finish)

 

Jan 30 B    Responsibility / The Virtues  

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Books 3-4   (Digest Book 3 with a one paragraph summary of Book 4.)

 

Feb 6  B  Justice

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 5.

 

 

Feb 13  B   Practical Wisdom /  The Critique of Socrates

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 6 and Book 7 (chs 1-10).  (Digest both)  Note: The rest of Book 7 (chs 11-14) will be considered with Book 10

 

C.D.C. Reeve, “Aristotle on the Virtues of Thought”  (course pack)

 

David Bostock, “Appendix: Note on the Practical Syllogism”  (course pack)

 

Feb 20      Reading Week

 

Feb 27B     Friendship 

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Books 8‑9  (Digest both)

 

Mar 6   B  Happiness, Pleasure & The Best Life

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 7 (chs 11-14) and Book 10.   (Digest both)

Aristotle, Metaphysics 12 (6-10)  (webpage)

Annas, “Happiness as Achievement”, Daedalus (Spring 2004).  (e-journal)

                                                    

Note: Topics and readings for the remainder of the course are provisional and may be changed to take up issues of particular interest.  Please bring any interests to my attention.

 

Mar 13   B  Overview of Aristotelean Ethics: Character & Virtue

   Burnyeat, AAristotle on Learning to be Good@ (course pack)

Vasilou, “The Role of Good Upbringing in Aristotle’s Ethics”, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 56:4 1996  (ejournal)

 

Review:  Nicomachean Ethics, Books 2-5 (Bk 1 will be reviewed later, with Bk 10.)

Recommended for adventurers: Aristotle, On the Soul Book 3, Parts 4-7, available on line athttp://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/soul.3.iii.html

 

Mar 20  B Practical Wisdom & The Virtues

      Nussbaum, AThe Discernment of Perception@ (course pack)

      Fiasse, “Aristotle’s Phronesis”, The Review of Metaphysics 55 2001  (ejournal)

Purshouse, “Neoptolemus’s Soul”, British Journal for the History of Philosophy 14:2 2006 (ejournal)

Review: Nicomachean Ethics, Books 6-7. (esp Book 6, chs 12-13)

Cooper, AFriendship and the Good in Aristotle@, The Philosophical Review 86:3 (1977), 290-315 (e-journal)

 

Mar 27  B  Friendship

 

Sherman, “Aristotle on Friendship and the Shared Life”  Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 47:4 1987  (ejournal)

 

Cooper, AAristotle on Friendship@  (course pack)

Nussbaum, AThe Vulnerability of The Good Human Life@: the first part (pp 343-54)   (course pack)

Review: Nicomachean Ethics, Books 8-9.

 

Apr 3  B  Pleasure, Happiness and Contemplation 

Rorty, AThe Place of Contemplation in Aristotle=s Nicomachean Ethics@, Mind 87 (1978), 343-358   (e-journal)

Wilkes, AThe Good Man and the Good for Man in Aristotle=s Ethics@, Mind 87 (1978), 553-571   (e-journal)

Nagel, AAristotle on Eudaimionia@,  Phronesis 17 (1972), 252-59 (e-journal)

Maybe also Metaphysics 12 (6-10)

Review: Nicomachean Ethics, Book 10, ch 7-8 

 

Apr 10    B  Final Seminar   (readings may be revised)

   Lawrence, “Aristotle and The Ideal Life”, Philosophical Review 102:1 1993 (e-journal)

Collins, “Moral Virtue and the Limits of the Political Community in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics”, American Journal of Political Science 48:1 2004, Vol. 48  (e-journal)

 


 

 

FURTHER  READING (ADVANCED)

 

These supplementary readings are listed for those who might want to do further work on particular topics.  They are not required for the seminars or essays.  All references are to e-journals.

 

Happiness, Pleasure & The Best Life

Julia Annas, “Happiness as Achievement”,  Daedalus 133:2 (Spring 2004)

Martha C. Nussbaum, “Mill between Aristotle & Bentham”, Daedalus 133:2 (Spring 2004)

 

Overview of Aristotelean Ethics: Character & Virtue

                                          Aristotle, On the Soul Book 3, Parts 4-7, available on line at http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/soul.3.iii.html

Michael S. Kochin, “Individual Narrative And Political Character”, Review of Metaphysics 55:4 (2002)

Christopher Mirus, “Aristotle’s Agathon”, Review of Metaphysics 57 (March, 2004)

David Wiggins, “Neo-Aristotelian Reflections on Justice”, Mind 113 (July 2004)

 

Practical Wisdom & The Virtues

                                          Arash  Abizadeh, “The Passions of the Wise: Phronęsis, Rhetoric, and Aristotle's Passionate Practical Deliberation”, Review of Metaphysics 56:2 (December 2002)

                                          Alex John London, “Moral knowledge and the Acquisition of Virtue in Aristotle’s Nicomachean and Eudemian Ethics”,  Review of Metaphysics 54 (March 2001)

      Nussbaum, “The Discernment of Perception” (course pack)

 

Friendship  &  the Social Character of Ethics

                                          Robert Sokolowski, Phenomenology of Friendship”, Review of Metaphysics 55 (March 2002)

 

Happiness and Contemplation 

                                          Julia Annas, “Happiness as Achievement”,  Daedalus 133:2 (Spring 2004)

Jonathan  Jacobs, “Why Is Virtue Naturally Pleasing?”, Review of Metaphysics 49:1 (1995)

Martha C. Nussbaum, “Mill between Aristotle & Bentham”, Daedalus 133:2 (Spring 2004)

 

Concluding topic: the best “best life”

Stephen Buckle, “Aristotle’s Republic: or, Why Aristotle’s Ethics is Not Virtue Ethics”, Philosophy 77 (2002)

Gary Gurtler, “The Activity of Happiness in Aristotle's Ethics”, Review of Metaphysics 56:4 (June 2003)

  


 

 

Topics if You’re Stuck

 

These topics aren’t particularly recommended. In fact, they aren’t very good – any topic you make up will be better than any of these.  But if you’re stuck for a topic, these might help you get going ....

 

 

The Nature of Ethics: Happiness, Excellence & the Good Life 

 

1.  Aristotle claims: “you cannot quite regard a man as happy if he is very ugly to look at or of humble origin ...”?

 

2.  Is Aristotle right that good persons will be happy -- no matter what tragedy befalls them or  those for whom they care?  (Imagine a parent whose child is killed ... if the parent was unhappy would this indicate that something was wrong with him/her (or that s/he was not a good person)?

 

 

Virtue, Character, & the Mean

 

1.  Test what Aristotle says about responsibility by considering a case of death resulting from drunk driving: what degree of punishment (blame) would he consider appropriate, and would he be right?

 

            2.  In the case of domestic violence (or a death resulting from drunk driving), what should be the main concern of the judicial system in determining guilt and punishment: the act, or the effects of the act, or the intent and mental state of the individual doing it?

 

 

The Virtues 

 

1.  Do you agree with Aristotle’s list of the virtues?  For example, why isn’t compassion (or empathy or sensitivity) on the list?   Does he understand courage the right way?

 

2.  If magnificence is a virtue, doesn't this mean that an individual can be a better person and have a better life if they are wealthy than if they are poor?

 

 

Practical Wisdom / Weakness of the Will

 

1.  Which is worse: cowardice, or a violent temper?

 

2.  Neoptolemus told a lie in order to bring the Trojan war to an end.  Surely it was justified by the good consequences it brought about.  But Aristotle suggests (twice) that it was wrong.   Why?

 

 

Friendship

 

In Plato's Republic Polemarchos defines "justice" as "giving benefits to friends and harms to enemies".  Many philosophers today reject this view on the grounds that one should never consider whether another person is a friend or enemy in deciding how to treat them.  But wouldn't Aristotle say that the best person does exactly this, and isn't he right?

 

 

Happiness, Pleasure & the Best Life

 

Who has the best (or happiest) life: the person who is (a) morally good, (b) actively involved in the community, or (c) a scholar.