Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2025 - PHIL 321 E100

Topics in Moral Philosophy (3)

The Philosophy of Love

Class Number: 3340

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 12 – Aug 8, 2025: Mon, 4:30–7:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Nicholas Dunn

  • 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:

Topics in Moral Philosophy: The Philosophy of Love

Course description: While most people would agree that love is a central part of what gives meaning and value to our lives, we tend to spend little time exploring what love is. In a culture that sexualizes love, the deepest our reflections on love usually go is to distinguish between erotic or romantic love, on the one hand, and platonic love, on the other—often seeing the former as the superior form of love. What’s more, in a society that genders feelings and emotions as feminine, adult males in particular face a crisis of intimacy and friendship. This past year, the United States’ Surgeon General declared the epidemic of loneliness to be one of the most pressing public and mental health issues we face today. This course aims to understand the nature of love—from a philosophical perspective and from the standpoint of our present crisis of connection. What is love? What gets in the way of love? How do we find love? We will be interested in not only the different types and expressions of love, but also its possible objects (family, friends, romantic partners, the self, as well as abstract entities like justice and one’s political community). We will examine a range of texts from philosophy, literature, drama, poetry, and contemporary psychology and anthropology. Authors include: Plato, Shakespeare, Kierkegaard, Hannah Arendt, bell hooks, Erich Fromm, and Carol Gilligan.

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.  

 

Grading

  • Questions for Consideration: You will submit a ‘Question for Consideration’ (QFC) prior to each class session; guidelines for the format, including a rubric, will be provided. 45%
  • Engagement and Participation: You are expected to regularly attend class. You are entitled to one (1) unexcused absence; additional absences will negatively impact your mark. You are expected also to regularly participate in class discussions. This includes, on at least one occasion, signing up to lead discussion on one of the assigned readings. 10%
  • Paper: This will be an argumentative essay on an issue from the course material. It will be completed in parts, with due dates staggered over the final half of the course. You will first write a short exposition of a text we have read (1,200 words, 10% of grade), followed by an intro paragraph, thesis statement, and an outline of the rest of the paper (1-2 pages, 10% of grade). You will then submit a first version and give feedback on others’ first versions. (5% of grade). The final version will be 4,500 words, and 20% of grade. 45%

NOTES:

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:


Toni Morrison, Beloved     ISBN 9780525659273

All other texts will be made available for free as PDFs through the learning management system.

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

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.