Syllabus
PUAF 650 - Moral Dimensions of Public Policy
Fall 2013, Thursdays 7:00-9:30 pm
University of Maryland School of Public Policy
Instructor: Thomas C. Hilde
Office: VMH 3141
Office hours: M, TH 4:30-6:30
Phone: MSPP main office (or mobile: 202-321-7384)
E-mail:
Required Texts
· Hugh LaFollette, ed. Ethics in Practice: An Anthology. Blackwell, 3rd edition.
· Jonathan Glover. Humanity. Yale University Press.
· Handouts.
Recommended Texts
· Bernard Williams. Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy. Harvard University Press.
Summary
In policy analysis and policy-making as it exists, ethics is often treated as an add-on to public policy problem-solving. That is, once a mode of policy analysis or particular policy goal or outcome is decided, some might want to consider additionally whether that outcome would be ethical or not. This assessment may be based on what policy course has the most benefit at the least cost (however that’s measured), what those involved believe is closest to the word of God, whether the outcome followed democratic procedures, what seems to be most consistent with current social norms, what is most politically feasible, what those in positions of authority claim is most moral, or what seems most intuitive. As serious ethics analysts, we might ask how a policy problem is recognized as such in the first place, by what measure, and why that ethics-as-add-on assessment takes one of the above bases for deeming a policy option to be ethical or not.
Policy questions just are normative ethical questions from the outset, however. They are questions about what we ought to do and how we ought to decide what to do. This is not only a matter of sound procedures and politically or economically feasible outcomes, but also of questions regarding good conduct and right action, individual and collective responsibility, and critical analysis of methods and goals. Policy/ethical questions are ones that recognize some existing problem as a problem that needs addressing. If we say that the US needs serious healthcare reform because the existing system is inefficient, we’re ultimately claiming that the existing system puts an undue burden on the potential provision of other public and private goods. Or we may say more directly that the existing system does not adequately address basic human rights considerations or meet a coherent ideal of the good society. But why do we and how should we determine that efficiency or human rights or some other good is the summum bonum?
This course examines moral and ethical issues underlying public policy practices, decision-making, and policy objectives. The aim of this course is to provide an overview of selected moral and political issues and methods of ethical deliberation, judgment, and argument.
Requirements
50%: Term Paper (18-20 pages, double-spaced)
Paper topics must have prior approval by the instructor at least two weeks before the due date (it is to your advantage to do this earlier).
50%: Class Participation and Analytical Reading Questions
a) 20% Participation. The course will maximize discussion and minimize lecture. Read the texts as carefully as you can for each class in order to participate fully in class discussions.
b) 30% Analytical reading questions. One-page, typed analytical questions over the readings for the day. These assignments should pose a well-developed, analytical question regarding a key argument/problem/omission in one of the texts assigned for that day. These are due at the beginning of class. I will take up the reading questions without advance notice seven times during the semester (the best five counting towards the final grade) and only from those who are in class that day.
Tentative Schedule of Readings
September 5: Introduction: Ethics, Policy, Inquiry
September 12: Moral Belief and Action
· Glover, Humanity, chapters 1-7.
· Skim: Hugh LaFollette, “Theorizing About Ethics.”
· Recommended: LaFollette, ed. Chapters 1-3.
September 19: Ethics and War
· Glover, Humanity, chapters 8-13.
· Joseph Boyle, “Just War and the Military Response to Terrorism.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 64.
September 26: Humanitarian Intervention
· Glover, Humanity, chapters
· Charles Beitz, “The Justifiability of Humanitarian Intervention.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 66.
· Handout.
October 3: Retributive Justice: Capital Punishment
· James Rachels, “Punishment and Desert.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 47.
· Louis Pojman, “In Defense of the Death Penalty.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 50.
· Jeffrey Reiman, “Against the Death Penalty.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 51.
October 10: Distributive Justice: Rawls, Nozick, and Young
· John Rawls, “A Theory of Justice.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 52.
· Robert Nozick, “The Entitlement Theory of Justice.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 53.
· Iris Marion Young, “Displacing the Distributive Paradigm.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 54.
October 17: Liberty I: Freedom of Action
· J.S. Mill, “Freedom of Action.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 28.
· Lester Hunt, “On Improving People by Political Means.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 29.
· Wilson and Husak on legalization of drugs. LaFollette, ed. Chapters 30, 31.
October 24: Liberty II: Freedom of Speech
· J.S. Mill, “Freedom of Thought and Discussion.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 34.
· Arthur and Altman on free speech, LaFollette, ed. Chapters 37, 38.
October 31: Corruption and Disobedience
· Video: “Black Money.”
· Handouts.
November 7: World Poverty
· Peter Singer, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 56.
· Thomas Pogge, “Eradicating Systemic Poverty.” LaFollette, ed. Chapter 58.
November 14: Tribalism, Speciesism
· Glover, Humanity, chapters 14-18, 42, 43, Epilogue.
· LaFollette, ed. Chapters 14, 15, 17.
November 21: Environmental Ethics
· LaFollette, ed. Chapters 60, 61, 62.
November 28: Thanksgiving Break
December 5: TBA
· Handouts.
December 12: Conclusion: Public Policy and Ethics in a Changing World
· TBA
Helpful Links
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/contents.html
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/
Ask Philosophers: http://www.askphilosophers.org/
Fallacy Files: http://www.fallacyfiles.org/