Beyond Relativism:

Negotiating Ethics in the 21st Century

Gray Cox

Office on third floor of Davis Center

Class TF 9:35- 11:00, Seafox

Office Hours MTh 1:30- 4:00

and by appointment

ext. #326, gray@coa.edu

How can and should questions of ethics get resolved in the contexts of interdisciplinary and multi-perspectival dialogue, conflict and decision making as when two communities need to resolve disputes and each have different paradigms of thought and action? These problems may come up in dealing with human ecological problems when people from different professions, religions, or other cultural and social settings need to deal with each other to address common problems and opportunities. They arise in business, government and NGO work when people pursue socially responsible projects and policies of a variety of sorts. This course will look at the common strategies in normative ethics for dealing with these problems as well as explore ways in which methods of negotiation and conflict transformation can also be helpful. It will also explore strategies of philosophical analysis and argument used to understand the nature of ethical problems and conflicts over values. A variety of case studies will be used to explore these issues and strategies. A key theme will be the search for ways of understanding ways in which intersubjectivity, convergence, consensus, reconciliation and other forms ways of developing agreement about values can lead to less subjective and/or relativistic understandings of ethical concerns and issues.

The goals of this course are: 1. to develop students÷ abilities to frame and analyse philosophical aspects of ethical issues, 2. to develop their understanding of the complexities and appropriate kinds of judgment, argument, and decision making called for in practical ethical problems, 3. to develop their abilities to use problem solving and cross cultural conflict resolutions strategies to redefine, transform and/or resolve ethical conflicts and problems. In each case the goal is to cultivate skills for doing these things in ways that advance beyond relativism in so far as this is appropriate and possible.

Readings will include classic texts as well as contemporary readings in professional ethics, in conflict transformation, and philosophical ethics: Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant, After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory, Third Edition by Alasdair MacIntyre, Bridging Cultural Conflicts: A New Approach for a Changing World by Michelle LeBaron, and a variety of short readings that will be handed out as xeroxes or made available on reserve, responding to issues raised (or which need to be raised) by the case studies and the class discussion and interests of students.

Assignments will include a series of short homework assignments designed to help prepare for class discussion or tie the readings to case studies. Each student will also develop a character, point of view and negotiation script for a major role play on the topic of population and immigration. Each student will also undertake (singly or in collaboration with one or more others) a case study of some significant, concrete ethical issue and write a series of 2 short ( 2-3 page) papers on it culminating in a final case study paper (8-10 pages) in which a transformation or solution of the problem is provided. Evaluation for the course will be based 25% on class participation and homework, 25% on the role play, 20% on short papers on case study and 30% on the final case study paper.

Schedule for Classes and Assignments

9/7 Introductions, Syllabus Review

Discussion: Ethical Issues of Interest and Relativism and Objectivity

9/11 UTILITARIANISM ch. 1, 2 & 3 handout on critiques and applications

Homework: Pick an ethical situation that involves a dilemma or problem or difficulty that you find of interest and type up a description of it in one or two paragraphs and bring it to class for discussion.

Mini-lecture: ”Agonizing over Dilemmas, Deliberating Judgments, Resolving Conflicts and Transforming Paradigms: Four Approaches to Ethics’

9/14 UTILITARIANISM ch. 5 & 6,

Homework: Pick an ethical issue of interest to you and fill out an ”Ethics issue debate sheet’ for it to prepare for an in-class discussion

9/18 GROUNDING FOR THE METAPHYSICS OF MORALS, pp. 1-48, handout of reading from I AND THOU by Martin Buber

9/21 GROUNDING FOR THE METAPHYSICS OF MORALS, pp. 49-62, reading from THE SECOND SEX by Simone de Beauvoir and ”Lifeboat Ethics’ by Garrett Hardin

9/25 BRIDGING CULTURAL CONFLICTS, pp. 1-31 and handout from GETTING TO YES

DUE: Short Paper (3-5 page) describing the principal stakeholders and concerns at stake in the ethical case for your term project along with an analysis of it from Utilitarian and Kantian points of view

9/27 NOTE: Extra Session Evening Dessert Potluck and Movie at 6:45

9/28 BRIDGING CULTURAL CONFLICTS, pp. 32-82

10/2 BRIDGING CULTURAL CONFLICTS, pp. 83-136

10/5 BRIDGING CULTURAL CONFLICTS, pp. 137- 200

10/9 BRIDGING CULTURAL CONFLICTS, pp. 201- 268

10/12 BRIDGING CULTURAL CONFLICTS, pp. 269-301

10/16 AFTER VIRTUE, pp. 1-35

”The Ten Commandments’, ”The Sermon on the Mount’

DUE: Short Paper (3-5 pages) describing a plan to use conflict resolution and transformation methods to deal with the case study for your term project.

10/19 AFTER VIRTUE, pp. 36-78, Selections from Nietzsche and Sartre

10/23 Read: AFTER VIRTUE, pp 79- 120

DUE: Character description and negotiating script for the role play on Population and Immigration

10/26 Faculty Retreat, no class session

AFTER VIRTUE, pp 121-164

10/30 AFTER VIRTUE, pp 165-203, reading from Thich Nhat Hanh

11/2 Role Play: Conference on Population and Immigration

11/6 AFTER VIRTUE, pp 204-243

Role Play Followup

11/9 AFTER VIRTUE, pp 244-278

11/13 tba

11/16 Closing

DUE: Final Paper on Ethical Case Study