Contemporary Ethics: East and West
(50:840:335)

Fall 2000
MWF 11:15 a.m. -12:10 p.m.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this course is to examine the question of whether, and how, religion may be significant for ethical life.  Around the globe and especially in the West, it is today a sharply disputed question whether religion should be a basis for moral practice.  We will develop a critical perspective on this question that avoids both an unthinking acceptance of religion as the only truth and an equally unthinking rejection of religion as irrational.  We will examine classic Western and Eastern texts on the relation of religion to ethics, from Ancient Greek, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and Islamic traditions.  And we will explore how these classic perspectives apply to contemporary moral issues like environmentalism, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, human cloning, pacifism, business ethics, homosexuality, women’s equality, and civil rights.

REQUIRED TEXTS

The following six texts are all required for this course.  They can be purchased at the Rutgers bookstore.

(1) Plato, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, trans. B. Jowett (New York: Prometheus Books, 1988)
(2) Walpola Sri Rahula, What the Buddha Taught (revised edition) (New York: Grove Press, 1974)
(3) The Bhagavad-Gita, trans. Barbara Stoler Miller (New York: Bantam Books, 1986)
(4) Leonardo Boff & Clodovis Boff, Introducing Liberation Theology (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1998)
(5) Jamal J. Elias, Islam (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Inc., 1999)
(6) Course Packet of shorter readings (also at bookstore)
 

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

(1) Class Attendance.  Because this is primarily a discussion class, you are expected to attend every class meeting.  An attendance sheet will be passed around each time we meet.  If you miss more than three classes over the course of the semester, this will reduce your class participation grade (see below), depending on how many classes you miss.  Absences can be excused in the case of an emergency if you inform me about it.

(2) Class Participation.  The major purpose of this class is to help you develop critical thinking skills concerning religion and ethics.  Class participation is essential for developing these skills.  It is your opportunity to try out ideas, practice responding to different ideas of others, and develop your own capacity to speak publicly about difficult issues.  Class participation therefore constitutes a major portion of your grade.  Class participation will be graded according to the following criteria, each of roughly equal importance: (1) class attendance (see above); (2) the frequency of your contributions to class discussions; and (3) the quality of your contributions to class discussions.  In addition, you are strongly encouraged to see me outside of class, or to email or call, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to pursue further.  You will receive a poor grade for participation if at any point in the quarter you are disruptive to the class (this includes whispering to your neighbor, putting down someone else’s point of view, and repeatedly arriving late to class).

(3) Journals.  For each Monday and Wednesday of class, you are expected to hand in a one-page “journal.”  The journal should be your own reflections on the reading(s) for that day.  The purpose of the journals is to help you interpret the readings and be better prepared for class discussions.  Journals should not simply summarize the readings.  Instead, they may perform any one of the following tasks:
    - explain what you found particularly meaningful in the readings and why,
    - relate a point from the readings to your own experience,
    - explain why you disagree with a point made in the readings, or
    - raise and develop a question you have about the readings.
Your journals must be typed or legibly hand-written.  They should not exceed one page (I won’t read past the end of the first page).  They will be read by me alone and not shared publicly in any way. Journals constitute 10% of your course grade.  Out of the 25 opportunities for journals in this class (including the in-class essay first week as a journal), you must hand in a minimum of 20 journals.  Any less than 20 will result in no points for journals at all (no matter how good they are).  Journals will not be graded individually.  The journal grade will be made up by the quality of effort put into journals over the course of the semester.  Late journals will not be accepted except in the case of an emergency.

(4) Small Group Discussions.  Each Friday throughout the semester will be devoted to small group discussions of a case or issue related to the subject examined that week.  There will generally be a short reading as background for the discussion.  You will be responsible during one Friday of the semester for (1) leading a small group of your classmates in a half hour discussion of the case or issue, and (2) making a 5-minute presentation of your group’s thoughts to the class.  You will not be graded for this.  However, if you fail to lead a group and make a presentation, your grade for the course as a whole will be reduced by one full letter (e.g. A to B).

(5) Papers.  There will be two short midterm papers and one longer final paper.  Topics for the midterm papers are listed briefly below on their due date in the syllabus, and a fuller description will be handed out at least one week prior to the due date.  The two midterm papers will be around 4 – 6 pages long each.  The final paper will use the readings from the class to explore at greater length (7 – 10 pages) an issue related to religion and ethics of your own choice.  Guidelines for this final paper will be handed out and discussed toward the end of the semester.  The relative values of these three papers for the final grade are listed below.  Except in the case of an emergency, late papers will receive a lowered grade, depending on how late they are.  Plagiarism or cheating of any kind will result in no points for that assignment, and possibly an “F” for the course as a whole.

GRADING

Criteria for final grades are as follows:

A (90 points or higher): outstanding work at a level well above and beyond requirements;
B+ (85 points) or B (80 points): good work;
C+ (75 points) or C (70 points): satisfactory work that fulfills minimum course requirements;
D (60 points) or F (fewer than 60 points): poor or failing work.

The final course grade will be based on the following:

Class Participation: 20 points
Journals: 10 points
First Midterm Paper: 20 points
Second Midterm Paper: 20 points
Final Paper: 30 points

SYLLABUS

Introduction: Ethics and Religion

Introduction
W 9/6  Introduction to the course
F 9/8  In-class essay: does religion influence my moral choices? (no reading)

The Problem: Is Religion Harmful to Ethics?
M 9/11 The Socratic argument against religion: Plato, “Euthyphro” in Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, pp. 9-17 (to very bottom of page 17)
W 9/13 The Socratic argument against religion, continued: Plato, “Euthyphro” in Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, pp. 18-25 (from very top of page 18)
F 9/15  Small group discussion: is Socrates’ argument persuasive?  Why or why not? (no reading)

I.  Buddhist Ethics

Traditional and Contemporary Buddhist Ethics
M 9/18  Introduction to Buddhism: Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, pp. xv-15
W 9/20  The Four Noble Truths: Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, pp. 16-50, 92-94
F 9/22 Small group discussion: Buddhist environmentalism: Harris, “Getting to Grips With Buddhist Environmentalism” (packet)
M 9/25 The ethics and practice of no-self: Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, pp. 51-75, 97-99
W 9/27  Buddhist ethics today: Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, pp. 76-89, 136-38
F 9/29 Small group discussion:  a case in physician-assisted suicide: (i) Colen, “I Gave Him All the Morphine . . . in My Bag.  It Wasn’t Easy” (packet); (ii) Keown, “Attitudes to Euthanasia in the Vinaya and Commentary” (packet)

Buddhist Perspectives on Abortion
M 10/2  Arguments for and against: Barnhart, “Buddhism and the Morality of Abortion” (packet)
W 10/4  Abortion and exorcism: LaFleur, “Abortion, Ambiguity, and Exorcism” (packet)
F 10/6  Small group discussion: a case in teenage abortion (packet)
First Midterm Paper Due: make a Buddhist analysis of the case above in Colen on physician-assisted suicide (from 9/29), and say whether you find such an analysis convincing.

II.  Hindu Ethics

The Core of Hindu Ethics: The Bhagavad-Gita
M 10/9  The tragedy of human moral life: The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 1-13, 21-39
W 10/11 Krishna’s initial response: The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 41-55
F 10/13 Small group discussion: Hinduism and women: (i) Pintchman, “Gender Complementarity and Hierarchy” (packet); (ii) “Caste System” and “Role of Women,” pp. 92-103 (packet)
M 10/16 Discipline of the self: The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 57-69
W 10/18 Devotion to Krishna: The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 83-109
F 10/20 Small group discussion: human cloning: FitzGerald, “Proposals for Human Cloning” (packet)

Gandhi’s Hindu Pacifism
M 10/23 Gandhi, Autobiography, pp. vii-x, 384-97, 453-54 (packet)
W 10/25 Gandhi, “Detachment from Results” and “Passive Resistance” (packet)
F 10/27 Small group discussion: Gandhi’s Kheda Satyagraha (no reading)

III.  Christian Ethics

Christian Ethics as Liberation Theology
M 10/30 Justice as liberation: Boff and Boff, Introducing Liberation Theology, pp. 1-21
W 11/1 The need for a religious perspective: Boff and Boff, Introducing Liberation Theology, pp. 22-65
F 11/3 Small group discussion: corporations and justice at NYSEG: McDonnell “Does Big Business Have a Big Heart?” (packet)
M 11/6  Worldwide liberation: Boff and Boff, Introducing Liberation Theology, pp. 78-95
W 11/8 Christianity and the American Civil Rights Movement: King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail – April 16, 1963” (handout)
F 11/10 Small group discussion: did the Civil Rights Movement rest on liberation theology? (no reading)
Second Midterm Paper Due: Critically compare either The Bhagavad-Gita or Introducing Liberation Theology to Plato’s Euthyphro, using a case or issue to illustrate your view.

Christian Perspectives on Marriage
M 11/13 Marriage and equality in the bible: Browning, et al., “Honor, Shame, and Equality in Early Christian Families” (packet)
W 11/15 Christian traditions of marriage: Witte, From Sacrament to Contract, “Introduction” (packet)
F 11/17 Small group discussion: homosexual marriage: Thatcher, “Christian Marriage After Modernity” (packet)

IV.  Islamic Ethics

Traditional Islamic Ethics
M 11/20 No class today
W 11/22 In-class video: “Islam”
(Thanksgiving break)
M 11/27 Foundations of Islam: Elias, Islam, pp. 13-27, 44-60
W 11/29 Islamic Beliefs and Practices: Elias, Islam, pp. 61-81
F 12/1 Small group discussion: Islam and women: Smith, “Islam” (packet)

Islam and Modernity
M 12/4  Islam and the Modern World: Elias, Islam, 83-97
W 12/6  Contemporary problems: Elias, Islam, 98-109
F 12/8  Small group discussion: the Salman Rushdie controversy (see Elias, Islam, 99-102)

Conclusion: Should Religion Inform Ethics?

M 12/11 The relation of religion to ethics (no reading)
W 12/13 Discussion of final paper (no reading)

W 12/20 Final Paper Due