General Information

Contact Information

Professor:
 Abe Stone (abestone@ucsc.edu)
Office:
 Cowell Annex A-106
Phone (office):
 459-5723
Website:
 https://people.ucsc.edu/~abestone/courses
Zoom link:
 https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/96773759792?pwd=U2dmOU10WEhIeFBQemJjTm9PMDQvdz09
Office hours:
 T.B.D.

Course Description

Readings from the history of philosophy (and religion, and law) on the nature and source of the obligation created by a promise, if indeed a promise can create an obligation. This will necessarily involve a certain amount of discussion of other things. For example: special types of promise such as vows, oaths, and contracts; virtues and/or duties that may be related to the obligation of promises, meaning, for the most part, the virtues and/or duties of justice and veracity (truthfulness); and, because promises are usually (always?) expressed in language, general issues about the force and function of language.

Course Requirements

Seminar participation. One in-class presentation (approximately 15 minutes for presentation and 15 minutes for discussion). One final paper (approximately 10–20 pages), due Wednesday, December 7.


Creative Commons License This document, and all other instructor-generated material in this course, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.