Steven Viner
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Email: sviner@middlebury.edu
Phone: work802.443.5708
Office Hours: Monday 11-12:15, Wednesday 11-12:15, and by appointment
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Courses
Courses offered in the past four years.
▲ indicates offered in the current term
▹ indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]
FYSE 1317 - The Philosophy of Human Rights
The Philosophy of Human Rights
What are human rights? If there are human rights, what duties or responsibilities, if any, follow from them, and who is morally obligated to bear those duties? In this seminar, we will investigate the philosophical origins and development of the concept of human rights. We will critically analyze both historical and contemporary moral perspectives on the existence and nature of human rights. What does it mean to say that one possesses a human right? In addition to examining the existence and nature of human rights, we will take a close look at the issue of human rights related to world poverty and minority group rights.
Fall 2010
INTD 1126 - Philanthropy Ethics Practice
Philanthropy: Ethics and Practice
In this course we will explore important philosophical, political, and practical questions concerning philanthropy. We will ask philosophical questions about altruism and justice. We will examine organizations within the American charitable sector and the political, material, and cultural forces that shape them. We will combine these two perspectives—philosophical and structural—to gain a better understanding of what philanthropy is or means today. We will then put these perspectives into action: through a generous donation from the Once Upon a Time Foundation, students will have a unique opportunity to award sizeable grant(s) to the charity or charities that the class selects.
Winter 2013
PHIL 0206 - Contemporary Moral Issues
Contemporary Moral Issues
We will examine a selection of pressing moral problems of our day, seeking to understand the substance of the issues and learning how moral arguments work. We will focus on developing our analytical skills, which we can then use to present and criticize arguments on difficult moral issues. Selected topics may include world poverty, animal rights, abortion, euthanasia, human rights, just and unjust wars, capital punishment, and racial and gender issues. You will be encouraged to question your own beliefs on these issues, and in the process to explore the limit and extent to which ethical theory can play a role in everyday ethical decision making. 2 hrs.lect., 1 hr. disc.
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Fall 2011
PHIL 0208 - Morality & War
Morality & War
Are there any Just Wars? What would make a war a Just War? In the first part of this course we will investigate the historical origins of Just War Theory. In the second part, we will analyze contemporary moral perspectives on whether war can be morally justified and if so, what actions in war are morally justified or prohibited. In the final part, we will read articles concerning war and humanitarian intervention and on what actions, e.g. punishment, are morally permissible or demanded after war. Authors will include Augustine, Grotius, Nagel, Walzer, Luban. 3 hrs. lect.
Spring 2011, Spring 2013
PHIL 0209 - Philosophy of Law ▲
Philosophy of Law
In this course, we shall consider a number of questions concerning law and its institution in human society. What is the origin and authority of law? What is legal obligation? What is the connection between law and coercion, between law and morality, and law and rights? Are laws merely conventions or is there a law of nature? What is the role of law in judicial decisions and the effect of these on the law? We shall also consider and evaluate various theories of law: natural law theories, utilitarian theories, analytical philosophy of law, critical legal studies, feminist theories. 3 hrs. lect.
Fall 2009, Fall 2011, Fall 2013
PHIL 0322 - Liberalism and Its Critics ▲
Liberalism and Its Critics
Liberal political thought is widely touted and accepted in Western societies. In this course, we will take a close look at what liberalism is by investigating the origins of liberalism in the writings of John Locke and John Stuart Mill and by evaluating the thought of contemporary liberal political philosophers, e.g. John Rawls and Will Kymlicka. We will also analyze the arguments of those like Michael Sandel and Yael Tamir who have criticized liberalism as misguided or incomplete. We seek to gain an understanding of the political and moral principles that give priority to liberty and related values or concepts like toleration, autonomy, and fairness. (One course in philosophy or waiver) 3hrs.
Spring 2010, Fall 2013
PHIL 0408 - Global Justice
Global Justice
In this course, we will investigate questions of justice that arise in
global affairs. We will inquire into whether there are moral principles that
constrain the actions of states and how these principles support a
conception of global justice. Also, we will seek to understand what global
responsibilities are entailed by global justice. Specific topics that will
be considered include global distributive justice, world poverty, human
rights, humanitarian intervention, and the relationship between global
justice and nationalistic moral concerns. Authors will include Beitz,
Nussbaum, O'Neill, Pogge, Rawls, Singer, Miller, and Walzer. 3 hrs. sem.
Spring 2009, Spring 2011, Spring 2013
PHIL 0500 - Resrch In Philosophy ▲ ▹
Research in Philosophy
Supervised independent research in philosophy. (Approval requiredl.
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
PHIL 0700 - Senior Thesis ▲ ▹
Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
PHIL 1009 - Self-Defense and War
Self-Defense and War
Self-defense is widely accepted as the sole justification for war. In this course we will investigate moral and legal justifications for self-defense on both the individual and collective levels. We will consider questions such as: Why is self-defense justified between individuals? Can similar justifications be used to justify self-defense between states? Can appeals to self-defense be extended to modify international legal policies to include, for example, humanitarian intervention and/or preemptive strikes? In exploring these questions, we will read historical and contemporary authors such as Augustine, Grotius, Walzer, McMahan and Buchanan. Students will pursue independent research for a final project.
Winter 2010
