Spring 2019 Courses

Introduction to Philosophical Ethics

Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art

Philosophy of Religion

Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide or Mercy Killing

A short paper in progress on euthanasia, assisted suicide or mercy killing.

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?”

Forthcoming, I hope!

Word count: 1057

“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.

Spring 2019 Oakhurst Choir songs, maybe

For lack of anywhere better to post, these are the Spring 2019 Oakhurst Choir songs, maybe (below the fold):

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

Second Conference on Bioethics Issues in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research

Second Conference on Bioethics Issues in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research
January 23-25, 2019

Call for Abstracts and Manuscripts

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!

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

Philosophy papers, or philosophical presentations (talks or lectures, audio or video presentations, which are usually based on something written in preparation for the talk), typically attempt to do a number of things, such as:

1. State a view or claim.
2. State and explain a view or claim. 
3. State and explain a view or claim, and explain an argument(s) or reason(s) given in its favor, e.g., that the view is true or reasonable to believe, or state and explain a view or claim, and explain an argument(s) or reason(s) given against it, e.g., that the view is false or unreasonable to believe.  
4. State and explain a view or claim, and explain an argument(s) or reason(s) given in its favor or against it, and state and explain some objection(s) to that (or those) argument(s) - that is, a reason to think that the initial argument is somehow faulty - and explain whether that objection(s) is strong or not.  

And there are other tasks that one might do in a philosophy paper or presentation. It's important that whatever you decide you are going to do, you do it. See below the fold for more:

Moral Experts, Deference & Disagreement

I (we) have a chapter in this book "Moral Experts, Deference & Disagreement": 

Moral Expertise: New Essays from Theoretical and Clinical Bioethics

Editors: Watson, Jamie Carlin, Guidry-Grimes, Laura K. (Eds.)

• Contains all new essays that engage with a growing body of scholarly literature on moral expertise
• The first anthology on moral expertise since Lisa Rasmussen’s excellent 2005 collection, Ethics Expertise
• Brings together both academics and clinical ethicists on the contentious question of moral expertise

Fall Classes

Intro to Philosophical Ethics - 44370 - HPHI 302G - 01 SYLLABUS
Associated Term: Fall 2018 Registration Dates: Apr 09, 2018 to Aug 24, 2018 Levels: Undergraduate 3.000 Credits Scheduled Meeting Times Type Time Days Where Date Range Schedule Type Instructors Class 10:00 am - 10:50 am MWF Sale Hall 105 Aug 15, 2018 - Dec 07, 2018 Lecture Nathan M. Nobis (P)
Intro to Philosophical Ethics - 44371 - HPHI 302G - 02 SYLLABUS
Associated Term: Fall 2018 Registration Dates: Apr 09, 2018 to Aug 24, 2018 Levels: Undergraduate 3.000 Credits Scheduled Meeting Times Type Time Days Where Date Range Schedule Type Instructors Class 11:00 am - 11:50 am MWF Sale Hall 105 Aug 15, 2018 - Dec 07, 2018 Lecture Nathan M. Nobis (P)

Topic:Metaphysics - 45789 - HPHI 475 - 07 SYLLABUS
Associated Term: Fall 2018 Registration Dates: Apr 09, 2018 to Aug 24, 2018 Levels: Undergraduate 3.000 Credits Scheduled Meeting Times Type Time Days Where Date Range Schedule Type Instructors Class 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm MWF Sale Hall 109 Aug 15, 2018 - Dec 07, 2018 Lecture Nathan M. Nobis (P)

Laptops and Phones in classrooms

Andrew Mills has compiled a nice overview of the research on the typical educational impact of phone and laptop usage in classrooms: 

What this suggests is that students need some special reason for any phone and laptop use to be justified.

Early and Later Abortions: Ethics and Law

Early and Later Abortions: Ethics and Law

Early Abortions Are Not Wrong, Late Abortions Could Be Wrong,

but probably All Abortions Should Be Legal

For Ethics, Left and Right, edited by Bob Fischer (Oxford University Press, 2019)

For a reply to the "opposing side" essay, see my (9/26/18) "Reply to Christopher Tollefsen on Abortion"

Nathan Nobis; Philosophy, Morehouse College; nathan.nobis@gmail.com

Draft 7/31/18 ; Google doc; Also available at Academia.edu and Dropbox

Abstract

Most abortions occur early in pregnancy. I argue that these abortions, and so most abortions, are not morally wrong and that the best arguments given to think that these abortions are wrong are weak. I also argue that these abortions, and probably all abortions, should be legal.

I begin by observing that people sometimes respond to the issue by describing the circumstances of abortion, not offering reasons for their views about those circumstances; I then dismiss “question-begging” arguments about abortion that merely assume the conclusions they are given to support; most importantly, I evaluate many arguments: both common, often-heard arguments and arguments developed by philosophers.

My defense of abortion is based on facts about early fetuses’ not yet possessing consciousness or any mental life, awareness or feeling, as well as concerns about rights to one’s own body.

How to Deal with Kant's Racism—In and Out of the Classroom

Victor Fabian Abundez-Guerra's, "How to Deal with Kant's Racism—In and Out of the Classroom," Teaching Philosophy, Volume 41, Issue 2, June 2018, Pages 117-135. 

A follow-up article:

Responding to Morally Flawed Historical Philosophers and Philosophies by Victor Fabian Abundez-Guerra and Nathan Nobis, at 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology.