| PAR 495 Seminar: The Rights of Animals Dr. Candace Gauthier Fall, 2010 |
| Course Requirements |
| 1. Attendance at every seminar is expected. The seminar only meets once a week, so missing one meeting is the same as missing two or three meetings of a regular class. |
| 2. Reading for each meeting of the seminar is essential. You will be expected to have read the essays for each meeting and to be prepared to contribute to the discussion of each essay. |
| 3. You will write a two-page paper responding to one of the essays for each seminar meeting. In this response paper, you will explain your own view of the arguments in the essay, supported by one ethical theory. This paper will prepare you to participate in the discussion of the essay you have chosen. You will be provided with a description of the specific requirements for the response papers. |
| 4.You will also write a final research paper on one issue concerning animal rights or the ethics of human involvement with animals. Preparing this paper will require reading a number of academic sources (articles and books.) In your paper you will provide a critical analysis of these sources and develop your own opinion and your own arguments, including support by at least one ethical theory. You will be provided with a description of the specific requirements for the final research paper. |
| 5. Each student will present two essays (one from each book) during the semester. In this presentation, you will explain the thesis and supporting arguments of the essay and provide a critical analysis of those arguments. You will present your own view, supported by one ethical theory. Then, you will facilitate a discussion of the essay for the whole class. For the essay that you present, you will expand your weekly response paper to include a review and critical analysis of the arguments of the essay. This presentation paper should be three-to-four pages. You will be able to use this expanded paper for your presentation. You will be provided with a description of the specific requirements for the essay presentation and presentation paper. |
| 6. Each student will present their final research paper to the seminar during the last three meetings of the seminar. |
| 7. The response papers and presentation papers will make up 50% of your grade and the final research paper will make up 50% of your grade. |
| Contacting Your Professor: | Office Hours: Tuesday 1:30 - 2 PM |
| Office: Bear Hall 272 | Wednesday 6 - 6:30 PM |
| Office Phone: 962-3558 | Thursday 1:30 - 2 PM |
| Home Phone: 256-6419 | Other times by appointment |
| E-mail: gauthierc@uncw.edu | |
| Website: http://people.uncw/edu/gauthierc/ |
| Required Texts: In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave, edited by Peter Singer |
| In Defense of Dolphins: The New Moral Frontier, Thomas I. White |
| Wed. Aug. 18 | Introduction and Syllabus |
| Ethical theories | |
| Presentation and Paper Handouts | |
| Wed. Aug. 25 | In Defense of Animals |
| Introduction, pp. 1-10 | |
| 1. Utilitarianism and Animals, pp.13-25 | |
| 2. The Scientific Basis for Assessing Suffering in Animals, pp. 25-39 | |
| 3. On the Question of Personhood beyond Homo sapiens, pp. 40-53 | |
| Wed. Sept. 1 | 4. The Animal Debate, pp. 54-68 |
| 5. Religion and Animals, pp. 69-83 | |
| 6. Speciesism in the Laboratory, pp. 87-103 | |
| Wed. Sept. 8 | 7. Brave New Farm? pp. 104-122 |
| 8. Outlawed in Europe, pp. 123-131 | |
| 9. Against Zoos, pp. 132-143 | |
| 10. To Eat the Laughing Animal, pp. 144-154 |
| Wed. Sept. 15 | 11. How Austria Achieved a Historic Breakthrough for Animals, pp. 157-166 |
| 12. Butchers' Knives into Pruning Hooks, pp. 167-173 | |
| 13. Opening Cages, Opening Eyes, pp. 174-180 | |
| 14. Living and Working in Defense of Animals, pp. 181-186 |
| Wed. Sept. 22 | 15. Effective Advocacy, pp.187-195 |
| 16. Moving the Media, pp. 196-205 | |
| 17. The CEO as Animal Activist, pp. 206-213 | |
| 18. Ten Points for Activists, pp. 214-224 | |
| Final Word, pp. 225-227 |
| Wed. Sept. 29 | In Defense of Dolphins |
| Preface, pp. ix-xi | |
| Prologue, pp. 1-6 | |
| 1. Dolphins: The philosophical questions, pp. 7-14 | |
| 2. The Anatomy and Physiology of Living in the Water, pp. 15-45 |
| Wed. Oct. 6 | 3. Do Dolphins Think and Feel? pp. 46-80 |
| Wed. Oct. 13 | 4. Can Dolphins Solve Problems and Understand Language? pp. 81-116 |
| Wed. Oct. 20 | 5. Dolphin Social Intelligence, pp. 117-154 |
| Wed. Oct. 27 | 6. What Kind of Being are Dolphins? pp.155-184 |
| Wed. Nov. 3 | 7. Ethics and Human/Dolphin Contact, pp. 185-220 |
| Epilogue, pp. 221-222 | |
| Wed. Nov. 10 | Presentation of Final Research Papers |
| Wed. Nov. 17 | Presentation of Final Research Papers |
| Wed. Dec. 1 | Presentation of Final Research Papers |