a) Introductory reading,
Korsgaard, Christine: The Sources of Normativity, 1996, 1997, 1998 . Cambridge . (Prologue, Lectures I and IV).
Raz, Joseph: The Practice of Value. Ed. By R. Jay Wallace. With Commentaries by Christine M. Korsgaard, Robert Pippin, Bernard Williams. , 2003 . Oxford (Clarendon Press).
Williams, Bernard: Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy, 1993.
b) Further reading (preliminary),
Gauthier, David: Morals by agreement, 1986. Oxford (Clarendon Press). (Chapters I and II).
Hume, David,: A Treatise of Human Nature, Book II, Part iii and Book III, Parts i and ii.
Kant, Immanuel: Critique of Practical Reason, (§§ 1-8).
McDowell, John: Mind and the World Order, Cambridge/Mass. And London/England (Harvard University Press). Lecture VI.
McDowell, John: "Aesthetic Value, Objectivity, and the Fabric of the World". In: John McDowell, Mind, Value, and Reality, 1998. Harvard University Press .
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques: Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality Among Men (2nd Discourse). ,
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques: Of the Social Contract,
Smith, Adam: The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Part I, Section I and Part III.
Williams, Bernard: "Evolution, Ethics, and the representation problem”. In: Bernard Williams, Making sense of humanity and other philosophical papers, 1995. Cambridge . Side 100-110.
In addition to the lectures there will be an essay-writing tutorial, with a focus on how to read and think and write about philosophical texts and analyze arguments. Students are expected to attend the tutorial meetings (as well as the lectures) on a regular basis. Terje Sparby will be the tutor. He received his MA degree in philosophy in 2004. His MA-thesis on Hegel’s Wissenschaft der Logik was graded with an A. For each tutorial meeting participants have to prepare a short text (ca. 1 page) on a question related to the pensum or on a subject of their own choice (the subject they want to write their essay about, for example). Copies of all texts will be distributed to all other participants. Then, every participant can chose a commentator among the other participants. The commentators will then have time to read through their texts and prepare their comments. After that, all commentators will present their comments to the whole group and the authors of the papers have the opportunity to respond. The focus of the comments will be on writing strategies rather than on philosophical questions. Since the lectures are going to be in English (and all the reading of the pensum is in English), the short texts and the final essay have to be written in English. Hence, the tutorial also privides an opportunity to practice writing philosophy in English.
I tillegg til foredragene vil det bli holdt et skrivekurs, med fokus på å lese, tenke og skrive om filosofiske tekster og å analysere argumenter. Det forventes at studentene møter opp på skrivekurset (i tillegg til forelesningene) jevnlig. Læreren vil være Terje Sparby. Han fikk sin MA grad i filosofi i 2004, med en oppgave om Hegels Wissenschaft der Logik som ble vurdert til en A. Til hvert møte skal deltagerne forberede en kort tekst (ca. 1 side) om et spørsmål knyttet til pensum eller et tema etter eget valg (f.eks. det de vil skrive essay om). Kopier av alle tekstene vil bli delt ut til de andre deltagerne. Så velger hver deltager en kommentator blant de andre deltagerne. Kommentatorne vil så få tid til å presentere sine kommentarer til hele gruppen og forfatteren av teksten, og det vil være mulighet til å gi svar. Fokuset vil ligge mer på hvilke strategier man velger når man skriver, mer enn rent filosofiske spørsmål. Siden forelesningene vil bli holdt på engelsk (og alt pensum er på engelsk), må de korte tekstene og det endelige essayet bli skrevet på engelsk. Dermed vil skrivekurset også gi trening i å skrive filosofi på engelsk.