COURSE OUTLINE. Philosophy 116 (C-ID Number: PHIL 120) Ethics for Modern Life (Title: Introduction to Ethics)

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1 Degree Applicable Glendale Community College November 2013 I. Catalog Statement COURSE OUTLINE Philosophy 116 (C-ID Number: PHIL 120) Ethics for Modern Life (Title: Introduction to Ethics) Philosophy 116 is an analysis of the concept of the good, the scope of morality, the deterministic controversy, the ethical yardsticks, and the major ethical systems and their roots. Attention is given to contemporary positivism, John Dewey, Marxist ethics, authority as an ethical principle, intuitionism, egoistic hedonism, utilitarianism, ethical idealism, Immanuel Kant, modern Aristotelianism, existentialism, and recent ethical theories. The nature and scope of contemporary moral problems are also examined. Total Lecture Units: 3.0 Total Course Units: 3.0 Total Lecture Hours: 48.0 Total Faculty Contact Hours: 48.0 Requisite skills: eligibility for English 101 II. Course Entry Expectations Skill Level Ranges: Reading 5; Writing 5; Listening/Speaking 5; Math 1 Prior to enrolling in the course, the student should be able to: 1. organize and write thesis-based essays; 2. use detailed examples, facts, logical explanations, and other appropriate support or thesis statements; 3. critically analyze selected prose works dealing with important contemporary issues; 4. summarize, analyze, and synthesize information, express and apply standards for judgment, compare and contrast, and evaluate evidence in order to form and state reasoned opinions; 5. gather and organize information through library research; 6. demonstrate a command of grammar, diction, syntax, and mechanics sufficient for college level work: control of standard English at the sentence level, with few major errors in grammar and punctuation. III. Course Exit Standards Upon successful completion of the required coursework, the student will be able to: 1. discuss problems relating to the scope of morality, limited morality, freedom, and

2 Page 2 moral principles; 2. assess the classical viewpoints of hedonism and utilitarianism, idealism, Aristotle, and Immanuel Kant; 3. demonstrate a knowledge of the contemporary ethical theories of positivism, John Dewey, Marxism, and intuitionism; 4. discuss existentialism, recent ethical theories, and contemporary moral issues. IV. Course Content Total Faculty Contact Hours = 48 hours A. The Problem of Ethics 2 hours 1. Moral principles 2. Moral obligation 3. Freedom 4. Casuistry 5. Conduct B. The Problem of the Scope of Morality 2 hours 1. The concept of value 2. Ethics and morals 3. Conditions of morality 4. Morality as a human phenomenon 5. Morality as part of life 6. Morality as universal or relative C. Limited Morality 2 hours 1. Linguistic confusions in defining morality 2. Private and public morality 3. Moral provincialism 4. Morality and social policy D. The Problem of Freedom 2 hours 1. Freedom of action and freedom of decision 2. The dilemma of moral responsibility 3. Determinism 4. Libertarianism 5. Psychological egoism E. The Problem of Moral Principles 2 hours 1. Types of justification 2. Casual or conditioning factors 3. Authoritative agencies 4. Future satisfaction 5. Development criterion 6. Rationality of decision 7. Oneself as criterion

3 Page 3 F. The Types of Ethical Theory 1 hour 1. Definition of terms 2. Caution about isms G. The Ethics of Contemporary Positivism 3 hours 1. The principle of verifiability 2. The rejection of traditional ethics 3. Emotive theories of moral behavior 4. Valuations as expressions of attitudes 5. Beyond positivism: the good reasons approach H. The Ethics of John Dewey 3 hours 1. Technical and moral problems 2. Problems of means and ends 3. Relation of the self to nature 4. Relation of habit to impulse 5. Reflective choice as moral goodness I. Marxist Ethics 3 hours 1. The background of Marxist economics 2. The inevitability of the class struggle 3. The collective good vs. freedom from the state J. Authority as an Ethical Principle 3 hours 1. The ethics of custom 2. Supernatural authoritarianism K. Intuitionism in Ethics 3 hours 1. The uniqueness of the phenomena of morality 2. The independence of morality from sense data 3. Attitudes toward ethical relativity 4. Attitudes toward the freedom of the will 5. Axiological intuitionism 6. Deontology L. Egoistic Hedonism 3 hours 1. The Cyrenaic ideal 2. The Epicurean ideal 3. Altruism as a source of personal satisfaction 4. Science as an ally of hedonism 5. The good as a democracy of pleasures M. Utilitarianism 3 hours 1. The satisfaction principle

4 Page 4 2. The utilitarian formula 3. The hedonic calculus 4. The doctrine of sanctions 5. Higher and lower pleasures 6. External and internal sanctions 7. The principle of fairness N. Ethical Idealism Background: The Ethics of Plato 3 hours 1. Spiritual progress 2. Unity of self 3. Unity of society 4. Objectivity of value 5. Conservatism O. The Ethics of Immanuel Kant 3 hours 1. The formula of universal law 2. The formula of the law of nature 3. The formula of the end in itself 4. The formula of autonomy 5. The formula of the kingdom of ends P. The Ethics of Modern Aristotalianism s Background: The Ethics of Aristotle 3 hours 1. The existence of God 2. The purposive order of nature 3. The rational character of people 4. Obedience to the natural law 5. Obedience to the civil law 6. Good actions, circumstances, and intentions 7. Cardinal virtues Q. The Ethics of Existentialism 3 hours 1. The subjectivity of our inner life 2. The freedom to create oneself 3. Existing authentically and unauthentically 4. Existence and essence 5. Death as the limit of human existence 6. The choice of freedom for all persons 7. Secular and religious existentialism R. Recent Ethical Theories 3 hours 1. United States 2. Europe 3. Situation ethics 4. French Nietzscheism

5 Page 5 S. Contemporary Moral Problems 1 hour 1. Their nature 2. Their scope V. Methods of Instruction The following methods of instruction may be used in the course: 1. lecture and class discussions; 2. group discussions; 3. small group projects and presentations; 4. documentaries. VI. Out of Class Assignments The following out of class assignments may be used in the course: 1. essays (e.g. an essay discussing the impact of Judeo-Christian tradition on the western culture, its attitude towards animal rights and environment); 2. group project (e.g. on the argument for and against human cloning). VII. Methods of Evaluation The following methods of evaluation may be used in the course: 1. two to three one hour class examination; 2. written assignments demonstrating the critical analysis of the theory and its supporting argument; 3. group discussions; 4. class participation demonstrating course exist standards; 5. final examination requiring demonstration of course exit standards. VIII. Textbook(s) Barry, Vincent. Applying Ethics. 10 th ed. Boston: Wadsworth Publishing, Print 14 th Grade Reading Level. ISBN: Other Appropriate Reading Hinman, Lawrence M. Contemporary Moral Issues: Diversity and Consensus. 4 th Edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc., th Grade Reading Level. ISBN: IX. Student Learning Outcomes Upon successful completion of the required coursework, the student will be able to: 1. identify and explain the historical development of the predominant concepts/theories of ethics in classical and contemporary western philosophy; 2. critically evaluate the moral reasoning of various ethical standpoints;

6 Page 6 3. apply ethical theories to contemporary moral issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, cloning, terrorism, animal rights, and environmental ethics, etc.; 4. demonstrate the ability to compose ethical and analytical responses in writing to the philosophical issues/ideas related to contemporary moral debates.