Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2023 - PHIL 321 D200

Topics in Moral Philosophy (3)

Ethical Issues in Art

Class Number: 7190

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 4 – Apr 11, 2023: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Jan 4 – Apr 11, 2023: Wed, 2:30–3:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    One of PHIL 120, 120W, 121, 220, 221, 270, SDA 270, ENV 320W, or REM 320W.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An advanced investigation of central issues and theories in moral philosophy. In any given term, the course may focus on a general theory or concept or concern, for example meta-ethics, utilitarianism, or theories of rights. Sometimes it will focus on a particular problem or problems, such as medical ethics, moral personhood, or free will and moral responsibility. May be repeated for credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Selected Topics: Ethical Issues in Art - the Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful


Your aesthetic styles and preferences say a lot about you. But what do they reflect about your moral code? Does it mean something bad if you prefer certain body types? Or if you laugh at a racist joke? Or if your favorite artist has been cancelled? Questions like these exist at the intersection of ethics and the philosophy of art. This course will examine such questions as well as others having to do with intellectual property, cultural appropriation, and political art. The aim of the course is to introduce the variety of different ways that ethical issues affect art and aesthetic experience.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

PHIL 321 may be applied towards the Certificate in Ethics and the Concentration in Law and Philosophy. This course may be repeated for credit if the topic is different, but not in the same term.  

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

  •  Identify and reconstruct philosophical arguments
  •  Write upper-level undergraduate persuasive papers containing a core thesis and argument in support of that thesis
  •  Engage with fundamental philosophical issues in contemporary ethics
  •  Be able to connect those issues to applied contexts in aesthetics and the artworld

This course is excellent preparation for: law school, graduate school in philosophy, public policy degrees, business school, or for anyone wishing to participate in public deliberation with their fellow citizens.

Grading

  • Participation 10%
  • Short assignments 50%
  • Short papers (two 1,200-word papers - 20% each) OR one long paper (one 2,400-word paper - 40%) 40%

REQUIREMENTS:

Written work for this course will be submitted via Turnitin, a third party service licensed for use by SFU. Turnitin is used for originality checking to help detect plagiarism. Students will be required to create an account with Turnitin, and to submit their work via that account, on the terms stipulated in the agreement between the student and Turnitin. This agreement includes the retention of your submitted work as part of the Turnitin database. Any student with a concern about using the Turnitin service may opt to use an anonymous identity in their interactions with Turnitin. Students who do not intend to use Turnitin in the standard manner must notify the instructor at least two weeks in advance of any submission deadline. In particular, it is the responsibility of any student using the anonymous option (i.e. false name and temporary e-mail address created for the purpose) to inform the instructor such that the instructor can match up the anonymous identity with the student.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All readings will be made available via Canvas.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

Thinking of a Philosophy Major or Minor? The Concentration in Law and Philosophy? The Certificate in Ethics? The Philosophy and Methodology of Science Certificate?
Contact the PHIL Advisor at philcomm@sfu.ca   More details on our website: SFU Philosophy

New elective grade policy : P/CR/NC, pilot project in place from Spring 2021 to Summer 2023. List of exclusions for the new policy. Specifically for Philosophy: 

  • Students can use a P or CR to satisfy any requirement for a major, joint major, honours, or minor in Philosophy (with the exception of Honours tutorials).
  • Students can use a P or CR to satisfy any prerequisite requirement for any PHIL course.
  • Students can use a P (but not a CR) to satisfy any requirement for the Ethics Certificate, or the Philosophy and Methodology of Science Certificate.
  • Philosophy Majors and Honours students can use a P (but not a CR) to satisfy any WQB requirement.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html