Summer Ethics class

Intro to Philosophical Ethics - 42527 - HPHI 302G - 01
Associated Term: Summer 2019 Registration Dates: Apr 01, 2019 to Jul 06, 2019 Levels: Undergraduate Morehouse College Campus Lecture Schedule Type 3.000 Credits View Catalog Entry Bookstore(change me) Scheduled Meeting Times Type Time Days Where Date Range Schedule Type Instructors Class 10:30 am - 11:50 am MTWRF Sale Hall 106 Jun 04, 2019 - Jul 05, 2019 Lecture Nathan M. Nobis (P)

Integrity and Eating

For an integrity in higher education conference.



Link here.

A Letter to the Editor on Abortion

A letter to the editor: "Dear Decaturish - Thinking Critically About Abortion"

Two additional readings on the issues:

• An overview of many of the arguments: "Ethics and Abortion" at 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology. 
• An argumentative chapter for a forthcoming Oxford University Press textbook: "Early and Later Abortions: Ethics and Law" 

VEGANISM: Arguments, Concerns & Objections

Notes for a presentation for a university's vegan organization:

VEGANISM: Arguments, Concerns & Objections

Question-Begging Arguments on Abortion

Many arguments about abortion are bad. Sometimes this is because they “beg the question,” or assume the argument’s conclusion as a premise. Question-begging arguments against abortion assume that abortion is wrong or that fetuses are wrong to kill; question-begging arguments in favor of abortion assume that abortions are not wrong or that fetuses are not wrong to kill. This is circular reasoning and must always be dismissed.

1000-Word Philosophy

My essays at 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology:

• Euthanasia, or Mercy Killing  
• Responding to Morally Flawed Historical Philosophers and Philosophies (with Victor Fabian Abundez-Guerra)
• Ethics and “Extra Credit”  
• The Ethics of Abortion  

New writings

Here are some new things by me and writings in progress, although I feel like I'm missing something:

• A paper on euthanasia, in a variety of lengths (4000-ish words; 2500-ish words).
• A 1000-word version, Euthanasia, or Mercy Killing at 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology.
• Something reflective on philosophy of religion. 
• I was asked to write something introductory on abortion, again.
• Why animal ethicists should serve on IACUCs, since animal experimentation might be morally wrong and they may have special skills in identifying this and explaining why this is so, and a personal moral dilemma for such ethicists. 
• Something on activism and philosophy. 

Free OER (Open Educational Resource) Textbooks in Philosophy

I recent saw these two calls for contributions to two Free OER (Open Educational Resource) Textbooks in Philosophy in development in (1) Ethics and (2) Philosophy of Religion. 

Spring 2019 Courses

Introduction to Philosophical Ethics

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art

Philosophy of Religion

An Argument for “Passive” and “Active” Mercy Killing, or Euthanasia

An Argument for “Passive” and “Active” Mercy Killing, or Euthanasia

Nathan Nobis, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA

nathan.nobis@gmail.com www.NathanNobis.com

Written for this open-access ethics textbook.

Draft 2/7/19; Current: 3577 words; can easily be cut down to the sought 2500.

1. Introduction 1

2. Definitions 2

3. An Argument for Passive Euthanasia 5

4. An Argument for Active Euthanasia 7

5. Objections: Potentially Relevant Differences Between Active and Passive Euthanasia 7

6. Conclusions 10 

Aesthetics

I am teaching an "Aesthetics & Philosophy of Art" class this spring. Here are is an in-progress set of resources:

“What norms or values define excellent philosophy of religion?”

“What norms or values define excellent philosophy of religion?”

Final version here: http://philosophyofreligion.org/?p=525361

Here as a Google Doc.

“Excellent philosophy of religion” is, unsurprisingly, excellent philosophy, about religion.

But what’s excellent philosophy and what are the norms and values associated with it? And what are the philosophical aspects of religion, whatever religions are?

To begin answering these questions, I suggest that philosophy of religion that emphasizes at least these features tends to be more excellent: (1)  experiential, (2) integrated, (3) truthful and fair, and (4) done from a sense of wonder.

Philosophical Community Service Assignment

Posted at the Philosophers' Cacoon!

I teach an "Introduction to Philosophical Ethics" course in an interactive, discussion-based and skills-focused manner. The core skills involve trying to figure out whether a reason given in support of some conclusion on a moral issue is a good one or not. We start with common arguments, things that ordinary people often say, and then move onto arguments that philosophers focus on. Here's my simplification of what we do:

Writing Coach

If you are seeking someone to help you with your writing, I am available as a "writing coach" or consultant: I can help you plan, get organized and stay on task. I'm also available as editor, for anything from "big picture" organizational guidance to a detailed review of your manuscript.

I'm happy to help you make any writing project – dissertation, article, chapter, book, essay or anything else – more clear, vivid, organized and concise.

To get a better sense for whether I can help you, you might want to read some of my writings to get a sense for my writing style. You could also check out the more recent essays at 1000-Word Philosophy: I've helped guide the production of the last 30 or so essays. And here are three posts by me on better writing:

·         Organization and Clarity in Writing: Seeing the Forest Through the Trees

·         Writing Tips

·         Essay Evaluation Sheet

Please contact me to discuss your needs. Thank you!

Keywords: philosophical writing coach, humanities writing coach, social science writing coach, non-fiction writing coach

Philosophy at HBCUs

Phhilosophy programs at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Decatur FM

Reply to Christopher Tollefsen on Abortion

Reply to Christopher Tollefsen on Abortion

Abstract: Are you the same thing as your body? Did you begin at conception? Do you have a rational and free “nature” or “essence”? Some answer ‘yes’ to all and argue that this means that abortion is wrong: 

your "essence" is that of a free and rational being; that essence *makes* it wrong to kill you; you have always existed whenever your body existed; your body began at conception; and so you existed at conception and were wrong to kill; and the same is true for all other human fetuses. 

This argument is discussed here. 

For Ethics: Left and Right, edited by Bob Fischer (Oxford University Press, 2019). By Nathan Nobis. Below is a response to Christopher Tollefsen’s essay on abortion, which is a perspective from “the Right.” Please see my contribution from a perspective from “the Left,” “Early and Later Abortions: Ethics and Law.”

Word count: 999

"Cultural Relativism" or "Moral Relativism" or "Ethical Relativism" or "Relativism"

Here is a short writing to better understand a moral theory called "Cultural Relativism" or "Moral Relativism" or "Ethical Relativism." See below the fold for the details:

"Don't Hide your Light Under a Bushel" - On Trying to be a Scholar for the Public

1. "Don't hide your light under a bushel"



See below the fold for more:

Decatur FM

A version of this will be out in the October Decatur Focus. Need something written? Contact me!

“Good morning, DE-CA-TUR!!!”

Where do you get your Decatur news? Blogs? City publications? Facebook? Talking to people?

There’s a new option in town: radio!