The University of South Florida

PHI 4632 Fall 2000

Ref #82169 PHI Sec 001; Ref #88189 WST Sec 021

TR 2:00-3:15pm CPR 461

Instructor: Dr. Peggy DesAutels

Phone: 974-3312 E-mail: pdesaute@chuma1.cas.usf.edu

Office: FAO 201A Office Hours: Wednesdays 2pm-4pm or by appt.

Justice and Care: Essential Readings in Feminist Ethics, Virginia Held, editor, Boulder Colorado: Westview Press, 1995.

Feminism and Families, Hilde Lindemann Nelson, editor, New York: Routledge, 1997.

Rethinking Masculinity: Philosophical Explorations in Light of Feminism, Second Edition, Larry May, Robert Strikwerda, and Patrick D. Hopkins, editors, Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Press, 1996.

We will address the following questions (among others): What is feminist ethics? How does feminist ethical theory differ from traditional (male) ethical theory? What ethical issues are of special concern to women? What light can feminist perspectives shed on family and masculinity? There will be two open-book, open-note typed take-home essay exams in this course and one paper. Class will be both lecture and discussion. Your preparation, attendance and contributions will be important to the success and quality of the class.

Wk 1 Aug 29-31 Introduction

Aug 31: Moral Relativism (handout)

Wk 2 Sept 5-7 Traditional Ethical Theories

Sept 5: Utilitarianism (handout)

Sept 7: Kantian Ethical Theory (handout)

Wk 3 Sept 12-14 Theories of Moral Development

Sept 12: Kohlberg (handout)

Sept 14: Gilligan, "Moral Orientation and Moral Development"

Wk 4 Sept 19-21 Justice and Care

Sept 19: Noddings, "Caring" (Held, Ch 1)

Sept 21: Friedman, "Beyond Caring: The De-Moralization of

Wk 5 Sept 26-28 Sept 26: Card, "Gender and Moral Luck" (Held, Ch 5)

Sept 28: Tronto, "Women and Caring: What Can Feminists Learn

Wk 6 Oct 3-5 Feminism and Families

Oct 3: Okin, "Families and Feminist Theory: Some Past and

Oct 5: Nicholson, "The Myth of the Traditional Family" (Nelson,

Wk 7 Oct 10-12 Oct 10: In-Class viewing of video

Oct 12: EXAM due 2:00 pm BSN 2300

In-Class discussion of video

Wk 8 Oct 17-19 Oct 17: Calhoun, "Family Outlaws: Rethinking the Connections

Oct 19: Callahan, "Gays, Lesbians, and the Use of Alternate

Wk 9 Oct 24-26 Oct 24: Purdy, "Babystrike!" (Nelson, 69-74)

Sign up for paper topic appointment

Wk 10 Oct 31-Nov 2 Oct 31: PAPER TOPICS/RESEARCH PLANS due

In-Class appointments

Rethinking Masculinity

Nov 2: Seidler, "Masculinity and Violence" (May Ch 4)

Wk 11 Nov 7-9 Nov 7: Strikwerda and May, "Male Friendship and Intimacy" (May

Nov 9: Hopkins, "Gender Treachery: Homophobia, Masculinity,

Wk 12 Nov 14-16 Nov 14: PAPER due at 2:00 pm BSN 2300

Paper presentations

Nov 16: Paper presentations continued

Wk 13 Nov 21 Nov 21: May and Strikwerda, "Fatherhood and Nurturance" (May

Nov 23: No Class - Thanksgiving Holiday

Wk 14 Nov 28-30 Nov 28: Candib and Schmitt, "About Losing It: The Fear of

Nov 30: Brod, "Pornography and the Alienation of Male Sexuality"

Wk 15 Dec 5-7 Dec 5: Review

Take-Home Final Exam distributed

Dec 7: TBA

Final Exam Wk Dec 12: FINAL EXAM due 1:00pm FAO 201A

GRADING: 60% Exam and Final Exam

30% Paper (paper topic/research plan part of the final paper grade)

10% Attendance/Class participation/Evidence of having done the

There is one paper required for this course. This paper should be on a topic of relevance to the class and should be approximately six to seven pages in length (1500-1750 words). Be sure that it has philosophical content and that it refers to at least three outside sources. Papers should be typed and should contain no spelling or grammar mistakes. At the top the paper you should include: your name, title of the class, date, title of the paper, and word count. It is highly recommended that you use a word processor, so that you can take advantage of spelling and grammar checkers.

1. Students may quote words, phrases, or sentences provided the quoted material is placed within quotation marks (and, of course, the source is cited in a footnote).

2. Students may borrow an idea provided they put it in their own words and cite the authority from whom they got the idea. They must also acknowledge borrowed facts, except when these are commonplace--to be found in many sources. (When in doubt, cite the source.)

3. Students who borrow ideas without footnotes or who use the words of another person without quotation marks are guilty of plagiarism.

4. Students who paraphrase improperly are likewise guilty of plagiarism, whether or not they cite their source.

5. Students who are guilty of plagiarism or any other type of academic dishonesty will receive an "F" for the class.

Students are expected to attend all class sessions and to be fully prepared for each class. Unexcused absences from more than three hours of class will result in a lowering of the student's final grade. Being late to class counts as one hour of unexcused absence from class. The more class hours missed, the lower the final grade. Excused absences are those that are arranged with the professor as "excused" ahead of time or those for which a student brings medical documentation.