Links Worthy of a Swine

Here are some links that are very loosely related to the stuff on Utilitarianism that we are studying. Most of these deal with psychology. There's a lot of psychological research on happiness popping up lately. The first link is an overview of the psychology of happiness:

Some Dark Thoughts on Happiness

The second is a slightly optimistic take on our ability to change our baseline level of happiness. This is important to know for an ethical theory that values maximizing happiness:

The Hedonic Set Point Can Go Up

The next link deals with a famous moral thought experiment, the trolley problem. This gets brought up a lot when evaluating Utilitarianism:

Psychology of the Trolley Problem

The last link is an advanced overview of "consequentialist" ethical theories. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory:

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Entry: Consequentialism

Finally, here's a video of Steven Singer, a modern-day utilitarian, on The Colbert Report:

Paper #2

Paper #2 is due the last day of class (Monday, May 7th). It's worth 15% of your final grade.

The assignment is to write an argumentative essay on the topic below. Papers must be typed, and must be between 900-1500 words long. Provide a word count on the first page of the paper. (Most programs like Microsoft Word & WordPerfect have automatic word counts.)

Explain and critically evaluate G.W.F. Hegel’s philosophical approach to epistemology.

(1) First, set the scene by explaining the traditional approach to epistemology that Hegel criticizes. According to Hegel, what mistaken assumptions do traditional philosophers like Descartes, Hume, and Kant make when they approach the study of knowledge? What does Hegel believe is wrong with these assumptions?

(2) Second, explain the theory of epistemology that Hegel offers to replace these traditional approaches. Why does Hegel focus on the historical aspect of knowledge? What is the dialectical process he describes? Explain Hegel’s notion of the Absolute.

(3) Third, explain the various criticisms of Hegel offered by the philosophers we’ve read throughout the second half of this semester. Be sure to explain the criticisms of Marx, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Why does Marx dislike Hegel’s idealism? Why does Kierkegaard disagree with Hegel’s claim that it’s possible to come to understand the Absolute? Why does Nietzsche dislike the notion of an Absolute, and Hegel’s dependence on (dialectical) reasoning?

(4) Fourth, evaluate these criticisms. Which, if any, do you find convincing? Which, if any, do you find unconvincing? How might a defender of Hegel’s theory respond to these criticisms? Are these responses convincing?

Ultimately, do you agree with Hegel’s critique of traditional epistemology? Do you believe his historical theory of epistemology is accurate? Or do you think there is something wrong with his approach to the study of knowledge? Be sure to fully explain and philosophically defend all your answers.

Beep...Beep...Beep...

Here's a quick recap of what we've done in class this week.

Oh yeah, and this. Whatev.