Seminar Schedule
Philosophy 333--Ethical
Theories: Altruism & Egoism
Michael Taber
St. Mary’s College of Maryland, USA
Spring 2026
(revised 09 November 2025)
The Google
folder for this course contains some readings.
dates pages readings
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Utilitarianism |
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Jan. 20 |
42 pp. |
· Come to the first seminar having read MacAskill’s What We Owe the Future, chs. 1 & 2 · We’ll read excerpts from Jeremy Bentham’s
Principles of Morals and Legislation
(handout provided in seminar). |
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Jan. 22 |
55 pp. |
MacAskill, chs. 3 & 4 |
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Jan. 27 |
61 pp. 2 pp. 17 mins. |
·
MacAskill, chs.
5-7 ·
Taber’s “The Euthyphro Objection to the Divine
Command Theory of Morality” ·
Peter Singer’s
TED talk “The
Why and How of Effective Altruism” |
|
Jan. 29 |
56 pp. |
· MacAskill,
chs. 8 & 9 · Test yourself here about the Euthyphro objection to the
divine command theory of morality. |
|
Feb. 03 |
10 pp. + 17 pp. |
·
Young’s “Overconsumption and Procreation:
Are They Morally Equivalent?” ·
Grill’s “Procreation vs. Consumption: Harms
and Benefits” |
|
Feb. 05 |
24 +
10 pp. |
MacAskill, ch. 10 & Appendices
(skimming appendix 3 if it makes you sweat) |
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Feb. 10 |
No class, as 3-6-page paper
#1 due at end of class time (or at tutorial—whichever is earlier);
tutorials will be scheduled. |
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Deontology |
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Feb. 12 |
11 pp. |
Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals,
First Section; and as needed, my reading notes on
Kant (included in binder) |
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Feb. 17 |
16 pp. |
Kant, Second Section, to Ak. 427 (Stop just
before “The will is thought of as a faculty….”) |
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Feb. 19 |
14 pp. |
Kant, remainder of Second Section |
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Feb. 24 |
13 pp. + 5 pp. |
· Kant,
Third Section · the
supplement “On a Supposed Right to Lie Because of Philanthropic Concerns” |
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Virtue
& Care Ethics |
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Feb. 26 |
17 pp. |
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1
(skipping 1.6), and my reading notes on the NE (included in binder) |
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Mar. 03 |
No class, as 4-6-page paper
#2 due at end of class time (or at tutorial—whichever is earlier);
tutorials will be scheduled. |
|
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Mar. 05 |
13 pp. |
· Aristotle’s
Nicomachean Ethics, Book 2 · Consider
viewing this
9-minute video (with my warning at the linked page) |
|
Mar. 10 |
15 pp. |
Aristotle’s NE, 8.1-4; 9.3-4; 9.7-9 |
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Mar. 12 |
22 pp. |
Annas’ “Living Virtuously, Living Happily” |
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Spring Recess |
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Mar. 24 |
No classes, due to all-day academic advising |
|
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Mar. 26 |
23 pp. |
Noddings’ “Caring” |
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Mar. 31 |
No class, as 4-6-page paper
#3 due at end of class time (or at tutorial—whichever is earlier);
tutorials will be scheduled. |
|
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Altruism & Egoism |
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Apr. 02 |
5 + 27 pp. |
Rand’s The Virtue of Selfishness, Intro &
ch. 1 |
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Apr. 07 |
61 pp. |
Rand, chs. 2-5, 7, 10, 14,
& 17 |
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Apr. 09 |
11 pp. |
Rachels’ “Egoism and Moral Scepticism” |
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Apr. 14 |
39 mins. 43 mins. |
On the podcast Radiolab, listen to the episodes
entitled: a.
“The Humpback and
the Killer.” [39 mins.] (What
the heck?! Are these whales altruists?!) b.
“The
Good Show” [63 mins., but I’m assigning only the first 42:30] (1. What’s up
with the arc of George Price’s life? 2. Would you have hopped the bull’s fence, the way Laura Shrake did? 3. What
of risking getting burned to death the way William Pennell did? 4. Jumping
onto the subway track, with your daughter in view, the way Wesley Autrey
did?!) |
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Apr. 16 |
18 pp. |
2
chapters from Dostoevsky’s The Brothers
Karamazov: “The Brothers Make Friends” & “Rebellion” |
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Apr. 21 |
19 pp. |
TBK, “The Grand Inquisitor” |
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Apr. 23 |
42 pp. + 4 pp. |
TBK, “The Russian Monk” And consider these
real-life snippets after you’ve read the Zossima
chapters. (included in binder) |
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Apr. 28 |
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TBD |
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Apr. 30 |
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Saturday, May 09 |
Final paper (8+ pp.) due emailed at end of our
scheduled final exam slot (9:00-11:15 a.m., ET) |
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Send me mail: mstaber at smcm dot edu
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Go to Michael Taber's home page.
Go to the SMCM home page.