PHIL 1111 Ethics 1 Core Area Option PHIL1111

Transcription

1 Course Prefix Course Number Title SCH Component Area TCCCM PHIL 1111 Ethics 1 Core Area Option PHIL1111 (A) I. Course Description: The course is an introduction and overview to the philosophical study of right and wrong behavior and theories of value. The course not only introduces students to the well-known philosophers of ethics, it also provides an opportunity for students to develop their reading and explicating skills while critically thinking about their own ethical positions. II. Course Delivery Method: Face to Face III. Required Textbooks/Resources: Pojman, Louis P. and Lewis Vaughn. An Introductory Reader in Ethics and Literature. 4 th Ed. Oxford UP. IV. Student Learning Outcomes: Students who successfully complete PHIL 1111 will be able: 1. To use writing and research to explore ideas and solve problems 2. To gather, evaluate, and analyze sources in order to synthesize, cite, and present information. 3. To demonstrate an ability to recognize ethical reasoning in source materials and conduct ethical reasoning on their own. V. Course Outline: A. The Nature of Morality: Good and Evil B. Moral Theories and Moral Character C. Moral Issues D. Applied Ethics: Moral Problems VI. Methods of Evaluation: 4-Analytical Papers 16-Class Participation Note points (B)

2 Students will complete 4 analytical papers over the course of the semester; one from each major section of the course outline. The papers are to be at least 2 pages long, include one outside source and analyze an ethical question. A specific rubric will be given at the end of the second week. (C) (D) All assigned readings are considered required readings. PART I. THE NATURE OF MORALITY: Good and Evil Week #1 What Is the Purpose of Morality? William Golding, Lord of the Flies: A Moral Allegory Louis P. Pojman, On the Nature and Purpose of Morality: Reflections on William Golding's Lord of the Flies Thomas Hobbes, On the State of Nature Week #2 Good and Evil Herman Melville, Billy Budd Fyodor Dostoevsky, Why Is There Evil? William Styron, Sophie's Choice Philip Hallie, From Cruelty to Goodness Stanley Benn, Wickedness Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil Richard Taylor, On the Origin of Good and Evil Week #3 Is Everything Relative? Herodotus, Custom Is King Ruth Benedict, The Case for Moral Relativism * James Rachels, Why Morality Is Not Relative Jean Bethke Elshtain, Judge Not? Mary Midgley, On Trying Out One's New Sword Henrick Ibsen, The Enemy of the People PART II. MORAL THEORIES AND MORAL CHARACTER Week #4. Utilitarianism Seaman Holmes and the Longboat of William Brown, Reported by John William Wallace Jeremy Bentham, Classical Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism Refined Kai Nielsen, A Defense of Utilitarianism Bernard Williams, Against Utilitarianism Ursula Le Guin, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Aldous Huxley, The Utilitarian Social Engineer and the Savage Week #5. Deontological Ethics

3 Immanuel Kant, The Moral Law William K. Frankena, Kant's Theory W. D. Ross, Intuitionism R. M. MacIver, The Deep Beauty of the Golden Rule Richard Whatley, A Critique of the Golden Rule Ambrose Bierce, A Horseman in the Sky Charles Fried, The Evil of Lying Plato, Does Morality Depend on Religion? Thomas Nagel, Moral Luck Week #6. Virtue Ethics * Alasdair MacIntyre, The Virtues Aristotle, Virtue Ethics Bernard Mayo, Virtue and the Moral Life J.O. Urmson, Saints and Heroes Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Great Stone Face William Frankena, A Critique of Virtue-Based Ethical Systems Week #7. Virtues and Vices Jesus of Nazareth, The Sermon on the Mount; The Good Samaritan Leo Tolstoy, How Much Land Does a Man Need? Greed Immanuel Kant, Jealousy, Malice, and Ingratitude Martin Gansberg, Moral Cowardice Epictetus and Others, The Stoic Catechism Vice Admiral James Stockdale, The World of Epictetus: Courage and Endurance PART III. MORAL ISSUES Week #8. Ethics and Egoism: Why Should We Be Moral? Plato, The Ring of Gyges Ayn Rand, In Defense of Ethical Egoism Louis P. Pojman, Egoism and Altruism: A Critique of Ayn Rand James Rachels, A Critique of Ethical Egoism Week #9. Does Life Have Meaning? Voltaire, The Good Brahmin Epicurus, Hedonism Albert Camus, Life Is Absurd Louis P. Pojman, Religion Gives Meaning to Life Viktor Frankl, The Human Search for Meaning: Reflections on Auschwitz Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, The Four Noble Truths Bertrand Russell, Reflections on Suffering Week#10. Freedom, Autonomy, and Self-Respect Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream Maya Angelou, Graduation Stanley Milgram, An Experiment in Autonomy Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism

4 Thomas E. Hill, Jr., Servility and Self-Respect Kurt Vonnegut, Harrison Bergeron PART IV. APPLIED ETHICS: Moral Problems Week#11. Sex, Love, and Marriage Immanuel Kant, On the Place of Sex in Human Existence John McMurtry, Monogamy: A Critique Michael D. Bayles, Marriage, Love, and Procreation: A Critique of McMurtry Bonnie Steinbock, What's Wrong with Adultery? C. S. Lewis, We Have No "Right to Happiness" Jane English, What Do Grown Children Owe Their Parents? * Michael Levin, Why Homosexuality Is Abnormal * John Corvino, A Defense of Homosexuality Week#12. Is Abortion Morally Permissible? Don Marquis, Why Abortion Is Immoral Judith Jarvis Thomson, A Defense of Abortion Mary Anne Warren, Abortion Is Morally Permissible Jane English, The Moderate Position: Beyond the Personhood Argument Week #13. The Morality of Euthanasia Dan W. Brock, Voluntary Active Euthanasia J. Gay-Williams, The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia James Rachels, Active and Passive Euthanasia Week#14. Our Duties to Animals George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant Peter Singer, Animal Liberation: All Animals Are Equal Carl Cohen, The Case Against Animal Rights Week #15. Our Duties to the Environment Robert Heilbroner, What Has Posterity Ever Done for Me? Garrett Hardin, The Tragedy of the Commons William F. Baxter, People or Penguins: The Case for Optimal Pollution Week#16. International Justice and the Threat of Terrorism God's Command to Destroy Jericho and Ai * Stephen Nathanson, Can Terrorism Be Morally Justified? Louis P. Pojman, The Cosmopolitan Response to Terrorism Thomas Nagel, What Is Wrong with Terrorism? Justification: This survey course fits into the Core Area Option because it gives students an opportunity to develop communication, critical thinking, and personal responsibility skills. Students will critically consider traditional arguments of ethics in the first half of the semester and apply them to more personal ethical

5 questions in the second half. The course covers written communication and includes a section on how to read and write a philosophical essay. Finally, A&M-Texarkana elected to chose an ethical reasoning rubric for Personal responsibility and this course matches that fully. Next is the original submission form.

6 Course Prefix: PHIL Course Number: 1111 Title: Ethics TCCCNS: Component Area: Core Area Option Day/Time Offered: Monday 9:30-10:30 How many sections: 1 Cap: 25 Offered in two-year schedule: Fall and Spring Pod (List other courses): N/A Section A: Course Description: The course is an introduction and overview to the philosophical study of right and wrong behavior and theories of value. The course not only introduces students to the well-known philosophers of ethics, it also provides an opportunity for students to develop their reading and explicating skills while critically thinking about their own ethical positions. Course Delivery Method: Face-to-face Required Texts: Pojman, Louis P. and Lewis Vaughn. An Introductory Reader in Ethics and Literature. 4 th Ed. Oxford UP. Student Learner Outcomes: Students who successfully complete PHIL 1xxx will be able 1. to use writing and research to explore ideas and solve problems 2. to gather, evaluate, and analyze sources in order to synthesize, cite, and present information. 3. to demonstrate an ability to recognize ethical reasoning in source materials and conduct ethical reasoning on their own. Course Outline: I. The Natue of Morality: Good and Evil II. Moral Theories and Moral Character III. Moral Issues IV. Applied Ethics: Moral Problems Course Requirements and Methods of Evaluation: 1. Ethical Analysis Papers (4) A. 4 analytical papers are required over the course of the semester; one from each major section of the course outline. The papers are to be at least 2 pages long, include one outside source and analyze an ethical question. A specific rubric will be given at the end of the second week.

7 B. Students may turn in more than one paper in a given section, but only the best score will be counted. Each paper is worth 100 points 2. Participation in class sessions A. You will need a healthy stack of 3 X 5 notecards. At the end of each class, you will be evaluating the day that was and have this as a venue to ask questions that you were afraid to ask, critique what just happened, tell me how wonderful or dismal I am they basically become your ballots on the course. More on this when it comes time to vote. This will be your participation score, so things like no comment and I hate these notecards will not garner you participation points. B. Each notecard is worth 5 points and there are 16 class sessions with cards for a total of 80 points. Section B: Covered under Institutional Standard: VI. Methods of Evaluation Section C: All readings are required. Section D: PART I. THE NATURE OF MORALITY: Good and Evil Week #1 What Is the Purpose of Morality? William Golding, Lord of the Flies: A Moral Allegory Louis P. Pojman, On the Nature and Purpose of Morality: Reflections on William Golding's Lord of the Flies Thomas Hobbes, On the State of Nature Week #2 Good and Evil Herman Melville, Billy Budd Fyodor Dostoevsky, Why Is There Evil? William Styron, Sophie's Choice Philip Hallie, From Cruelty to Goodness Stanley Benn, Wickedness Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil Richard Taylor, On the Origin of Good and Evil Week #3 Is Everything Relative? Herodotus, Custom Is King Ruth Benedict, The Case for Moral Relativism * James Rachels, Why Morality Is Not Relative Jean Bethke Elshtain, Judge Not? Mary Midgley, On Trying Out One's New Sword Henrick Ibsen, The Enemy of the People

8 PART II. MORAL THEORIES AND MORAL CHARACTER Week #4. Utilitarianism Seaman Holmes and the Longboat of William Brown, Reported by John William Wallace Jeremy Bentham, Classical Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism Refined Kai Nielsen, A Defense of Utilitarianism Bernard Williams, Against Utilitarianism Ursula Le Guin, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Aldous Huxley, The Utilitarian Social Engineer and the Savage Week #5. Deontological Ethics Immanuel Kant, The Moral Law William K. Frankena, Kant's Theory W. D. Ross, Intuitionism R. M. MacIver, The Deep Beauty of the Golden Rule Richard Whatley, A Critique of the Golden Rule Ambrose Bierce, A Horseman in the Sky Charles Fried, The Evil of Lying Plato, Does Morality Depend on Religion? Thomas Nagel, Moral Luck Week #6. Virtue Ethics * Alasdair MacIntyre, The Virtues Aristotle, Virtue Ethics Bernard Mayo, Virtue and the Moral Life J.O. Urmson, Saints and Heroes Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Great Stone Face William Frankena, A Critique of Virtue-Based Ethical Systems Week #7. Virtues and Vices Jesus of Nazareth, The Sermon on the Mount; The Good Samaritan Leo Tolstoy, How Much Land Does a Man Need? Greed Immanuel Kant, Jealousy, Malice, and Ingratitude Martin Gansberg, Moral Cowardice Epictetus and Others, The Stoic Catechism Vice Admiral James Stockdale, The World of Epictetus: Courage and Endurance PART III. MORAL ISSUES Week #8. Ethics and Egoism: Why Should We Be Moral? Plato, The Ring of Gyges Ayn Rand, In Defense of Ethical Egoism Louis P. Pojman, Egoism and Altruism: A Critique of Ayn Rand James Rachels, A Critique of Ethical Egoism

9 Week #9. Does Life Have Meaning? Voltaire, The Good Brahmin Epicurus, Hedonism Albert Camus, Life Is Absurd Louis P. Pojman, Religion Gives Meaning to Life Viktor Frankl, The Human Search for Meaning: Reflections on Auschwitz Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, The Four Noble Truths Bertrand Russell, Reflections on Suffering Week#10. Freedom, Autonomy, and Self-Respect Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream Maya Angelou, Graduation Stanley Milgram, An Experiment in Autonomy Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism Thomas E. Hill, Jr., Servility and Self-Respect Kurt Vonnegut, Harrison Bergeron PART IV. APPLIED ETHICS: Moral Problems Week#11. Sex, Love, and Marriage Immanuel Kant, On the Place of Sex in Human Existence John McMurtry, Monogamy: A Critique Michael D. Bayles, Marriage, Love, and Procreation: A Critique of McMurtry Bonnie Steinbock, What's Wrong with Adultery? C. S. Lewis, We Have No "Right to Happiness" Jane English, What Do Grown Children Owe Their Parents? * Michael Levin, Why Homosexuality Is Abnormal * John Corvino, A Defense of Homosexuality Week#12. Is Abortion Morally Permissible? Don Marquis, Why Abortion Is Immoral Judith Jarvis Thomson, A Defense of Abortion Mary Anne Warren, Abortion Is Morally Permissible Jane English, The Moderate Position: Beyond the Personhood Argument Week #13. The Morality of Euthanasia Dan W. Brock, Voluntary Active Euthanasia J. Gay-Williams, The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia James Rachels, Active and Passive Euthanasia Week#14. Our Duties to Animals George Orwell, Shooting an Elephant Peter Singer, Animal Liberation: All Animals Are Equal Carl Cohen, The Case Against Animal Rights

10 Week #15. Our Duties to the Environment Robert Heilbroner, What Has Posterity Ever Done for Me? Garrett Hardin, The Tragedy of the Commons William F. Baxter, People or Penguins: The Case for Optimal Pollution Week#16. International Justice and the Threat of Terrorism God's Command to Destroy Jericho and Ai * Stephen Nathanson, Can Terrorism Be Morally Justified? Louis P. Pojman, The Cosmopolitan Response to Terrorism Thomas Nagel, What Is Wrong with Terrorism? Justification of FCA: This survey course fits into the Core Area Option because it gives students an opportunity to develop communication, critical thinking, and personal responsibility skills. Students will critically consider traditional arguments of ethics in the first half of the semester and apply them to more personal ethical questions in the second half. The course covers written communication and includes a section on how to read and write a philosophical essay. Finally, A&M-Texarkana elected to chose an ethical reasoning rubric for Personal responsibility and this course matches that fully. Assessment: The final paper a student turns in will be gathered for all three core objectives to be assessed. The paper will provide obvious assessment of written communication, and they are required to critically think about ethical issues making it an excellent way to judge the students work in the area of personal responsibility..