PHILOSOPHY 490

Ethics & Public Policy

Division of Distance Education

Dr. Jeff Johnson

Philosophy 490 supports the PPE concentration in Public Administration.  The course is largely "independent study" or "reading and conference."  Every attempt will be made to identify students with an interest in the course and put them in a cohort so that we can utilize the discussion board in Blackboard.  The course is available "by arrangement" through DDE.  If you have an interest in taking this course please contact me, Jeff Johnson,  or your DDE advisor.  Since the course is "by arrangement" it will not appear in the DDE schedule, but depending on my on and off campus responsibilities, it should be available to you at least a couple of quarters each academic year.

The course consists of two distinct parts.  The first is a careful study of a major work in contemporary normative theory.  Students and the instructor will identify a significant work of mutual interest.  We will work through the book together, and a major analytical paper, a number of shorter papers, or an essay exam will document the successful completion of this first half of the course.  Here is a partial list of some important books in contemporary normative theory, but I am open to other suggestions.

The second part of the course will be independent research on a significant public policy issue to be discussed from a "candidly normative" point of view.  A research paper will document the successful completion of this part of the course.