Virtue in Ancient and Contemporary Philosophy CEU Department of Philosophy 2010/11 Winter Term

nstructors: Gbor Betegh and Ferenc Huoranszki Credits! 2 Time: Tuesday 13:30-15:10 "ocation: oo! "12 Course le#el! #$ %e&ecti'e( Teachin$ format! )e!inar Course $oals! *irtue +as a centra& conce,t in ,ractica&&y a&& ancient ethica& theories- but +ith the ad'ent o. /antian and uti&itarian a,,roaches the ,rob&e! o. 'irtues .e&& out o. the .ocus o. !ora& theories0 1et the second ha&. o. the 20th century +itnessed rene+ed interest in 'irtue based ethics0 The course atte!,ts to ,ro'ide a o'er'ie+ and discussion o. both the re&e'ant key te2ts .ro! anti3uity and so!e o. the !a4or re,resentati'es o. conte!,orary 'irtue ethics0 "earnin$ outcomes! )tudents are e2,ected to i!,ro'e their abi&ity to +ork +ith ancient and conte!,orary ,hi&oso,hica& te2ts- to reconstruct- ana&yze- and assess argu!ents0 These involve the understanding of validity and soundness of the arguments, the ability to identify background principles and assumptions as well as the ability to draw out the consequences of certain philosophical commitments. )tudents are e2,ected to i!,ro'e their ski&&s in .or!u&ating their ,ositions- and argue .or the! in a c&ear and concise +ay0 They shou&d a&so i!,ro'e their ora& ,resentation ski&&s and their abi&ity to ,&an- de'e&o, and e2ecute +riting ,ro4ects0 5earning outco!es +i&& be !easured by se!inar acti'ity- a ter! ,a,er- and an ora& ,resentation or res,onse ,a,er0

Schedule: Date 11.01. 18.01. 25.01. 01.02. 08.02. 15.02. 22.02. Topic Introduction Socrates: The Unity of Virtues Plato: Virtue and the Parts of the Soul Aristotle: Virtues of Character Aristotle: Intellectual Virtues Stoic Virtues Virtues as Motives Readings Protagoras, 329B-334C; 349A-361D; Laches 197E-199E Republic 4 Nicomachean Ethics 1.13, 2 Nicomachean Ethics 6 A.A. Long & D.N. Sedley, The Hellenistic Philosophers, CUP, 1987, 354-386. P. Foot Virtues and Vices in Virtue Ethics 163177; Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives

01.03.

Virtue as Knowledge

08.03. 22.03. 29.03.

Virtues and Rules Situationism against Virtue Ethics In Defence of Virtue Ethics

Philosophical Review 1972: 30516. McDowell Are Moral Requirements Hypothetical Imperatives?, in his Mind, Value, and Reality (Harvard UP, 1998): 7794. R. Hursthouse Right Action in her On Virtue Ethics (OUP, 1999): 2542. J. Doris Persons, Situations and Virtue Ethics Nous 1998: 50430. R. Kamtekar Situationism and Virtue Ethics on the Content of our Character, Ethics 2004: 45891.

%e&uirements! 6 egu&ar attendance 6 Ter! ,a,er %a,,ro20 2000 +ords( 6 1 res,onse ,a,er %!a20 1000 +ords( or ora& ,resentation Assessment! "07 ter! ,a,er 207 res,onse ,a,er or ora& ,resentation "07 se!inar acti'ity Deadline of term paper: April 18, 2011