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New Study Abroad Opportunity: Ethics and Literature in London
Dear philosophy student,
I’m writing today to tell you a bit about a Studies Abroad opportunity upcoming this summer in London.
From May 17th through June 25th (six weeks) I’ll be co-leading (with Hilde Lindemann, Professor of Philosophy here at MSU) “Ethics and Literature in London,” a 7-10 credit program that deals with a clash between two visions of what is of the greatest value in human life: Should we strive to maximize the happiness of people impartially¬“each to count for one, and no one for more than one”¬prepared to set aside time-honored traditions and familiar conventions if they stand in our way? Some of the greatest British philosophers, such as Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, thought so. Their system of ideas¬often labeled “utilitarianism”¬has influenced reform in areas such as politics and education, welfare economics, and health care and security policy that help make up the character of contemporary life in (and outside of) Britain.
Or are there important values other than maximizing the happiness of the whole? Are there crucial moral virtues that necessarily involve the particular and the partial? Is true impartiality even a possible aim for us? The work of some of the greatest British novelists, such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, whose stories still speak powerfully to many people today, suggest that moral life may be much more complicated that the classical utilitarians¬and their contemporary descendants¬believed.
In addition to reading (and watching) several novels by Austen, Dicken’s Hard Times, and important essays by David Hume, John Stuart Mill, Harriet Taylor, and contemporary thinkers, we’ll explore this struggle of ideas in a program that uses major English cities, such as London and Bath, and humble villages such as Chawton as our expanded classroom, and that draws on the expertise of prominent British philosophers and literary scholars as guest speakers. You’ll be able to fulfill your IAH B course requirement, if you like, and credit is available for introductory and advanced work in ethics (PHL 340: Ethics and PHL 440: Topics in Contemporary Ethical Theory; PHL 490: Independent Study: possible topics include metaethics, feminist thought in the UK, British bioethics, or the philosophy of literature).
You’ll also have an unforgettable time.
The text of a program flyer is attached to this note, but if you’re interested at all, I urge you to try and come to an informational meeting on the program on Thursday, October 8th , at 5:00, in South Kedzie Hall--room 530. Come, grab a snack, and find out more about “Ethics and Literature in London,” and how you can become a part of it. If you’re interested in finding out more, but that date doesn’t work for you, e-mail me, and I’ll be sure you get more information.
James Lindemann Nelson
Professor
Department of Philosophy
512 S. Kedzie Hall
jlnelson@msu.edu
