Heartland Community College
Humanities & Fine Arts
Course Syllabus for Students
Course Prefix and Number: PHIL 114
Course Title: Ethics
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours:
0
Days and times the course meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30-10:45 in ICB 1705
Catalog Description
An introduction to the study of moral philosophy. This course will provide an
introductory historical survey of the major ethical systems and will consider their
application to contemporary moral problems.
Instructor Information
Name: Todd Kukla
Phone: (309) 268-8620 (Humanities Office)
E-mail address: todd.kukla@heartland.edu
Office: 2000 ICB Humanities Office
Office Hours: By appointment M,W
Textbook
Doing Ethics, by Lewis Vaughn, 2nd edition.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
(Indicate if course is General Education/IAI)
PHIL 114 fulfills 3 of the 9 semester hours of credit in Humanities/Fine Arts required for
the A.A. or A.S. degree. It satisfies the Humanities component of this requirement.
PHIL 101 should transfer to other Illinois colleges and universities as the equivalent of
the General Education Core Curriculum course H4 900, described in the Illinois
Articulation Initiative. However, students should consult an academic advisor for
transfer information regarding particular institutions. Refer to the IAI web page for
information as well at www.itransfer.org
Content Outline:
1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cultural Relativism
Deontological and Utilitarian Ethics
Social Issue: Punishment and the Death Penalty
Social Issue: Abortion
Social Issue: War, Torture, and Terrorism
Social Issue: Physician Assisted Suicide and Animal Treatment
Course Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
After completing this course you should be able to:
1.
Distinguish various ethical theories and recognize the ethical theory embodied in
any particular work of moral philosophy.
2.
Identify and appraise some of the most important problems and concepts from the
history of ethical theory (P1).
3.
Outline the historical development of moral philosophy, matching important
works with the philosophers who wrote them and important beliefs with the
philosophers who held them (D5).
4.
Analyze critically the extent that a philosopher's identity and assumptions
influence his or her perspective or beliefs (D4).
5.
Improve your ability to aptly interpret difficult texts in moral philosophy and
support those interpretations with reasoned arguments (C7).
6.
Define the main moral problems or dilemmas posed by current practices in the
field of applied ethics (P2).
7.
Explore the effectiveness with which various ethical theories can be utilized to
design solutions to contemporary problems in applied ethics (P3,P4,P5,P6).
8.
Demonstrate awareness of the effects of various social practices on diverse
populations in our society (D1).
9.
Appreciate the importance of cultural values, assumptions, and practical
considerations that may weigh in favor of various perspectives on a moral
problem--not just the perspective the student prefers (D2,D4).
10.
Exhibit responsibility for your learning by participating in critical and creative
dialogues about ethical theory and social issues, synthesizing diverse sources and
arguments (D6,C7).
11.
Demonstrate the ability to write critically and analytically about ethical theory
and social issues, supporting opinions with arguments, evidence, and reasoning
(C3).
Method of Evaluation (Tests/Exams)
There will be 2 exams, each consisting of both objective questions (true-false,
multiple choice, fill in the blank and/or matching) and essay questions.
Required Writing and Reading
The student will compose a debate opening statement (group project) and one
ethics paper of 5 pages in length (individual project).
2
Assignments
First exam
Second exam
Ethics paper (5 pages)
Worksheets and quizzes
Debate opening statement
Attendance/participation
25%
25%
25%
10%
10%
5%
Exams
The two exams will consist of short answer questions, such as multiple choice,
true/false, fill in the blank or matching, as well as essay questions. Study guides
will be provided in advance of the exams. The first exam will cover moral theory.
Although the second exam is non-cumulative, it covers a fair amount of material:
it covers all of the topics in the ethics of killing.
Ethics paper (5) pages
The ethics paper will be due on 11/21. I will supply a bank of questions
(approximately five or six questions) from the student can choose, and the
questions will be distributed on 10/29. You will have six weeks to complete the
paper. The questions will be based on the readings and topics we have covered in
the course, and you will pick and write on one of the questions/topics that
interests you. The questions will ask that you explain an ethical position, and that
you evaluate the position by criticizing it, supporting it, or offering your own
contributions to the topic.
Worksheets and quizzes
On various days, I will distribute an exercise sheet involving ethical questions and
case studies. We will organize into small groups, and each group will complete
the exercise sheet. Your ability to complete the assignment successfully will
depend upon having read the assignment for that day and being generally
prepared and up to date on the class material. Each group will submit the exercise
sheets at the end of the class, and your submission will be assessed points. The
exercise sheets function to promote attendance, class discussion, and active
involvement with the material. Each sheet is worth 10 possible points. Like the
quizzes, the sheets are “pop” assignments.
There will be reading quizzes regularly given throughout the course. These are
pop quizzes that for the most part will cover the reading assigned for the day. The
quizzes are designed to check if the student has done the assignment and to
promote careful reading of the material. The purpose of the quiz is to encourage
regular, attentive reading. Each quiz is worth 10 possible points.
The worksheet and quiz portion of the student’s grade will involve a total of 13
assignments. Each assignment is worth 10 points. Three quizzes and/or
worksheets will be dropped. (See below for make up policy.) Consequently, a
3
total of 100 points are earnable for this portion of the student’s grade. For
example, if you earn 90 points out of 100, it calculates to a final score of 90,
which is worth 10% percent of your final grade.
Debates
You will participate in one in-class debate. I will allow you initially to choose
your debate topic (capital punishment, abortion or interrogational torture).
However, we will need roughly an equal number of participants for each debate,
so we will need to negotiate rearrangements. The pro and con teams will be
determined by random draw. In preparation for the debate, your team will
collaboratively produce an opening statement presenting your principal arguments
in support of your assigned position. The opening statement must be completed
and printed out by the day of the debate, so that it may be read to the audience.
The opening statement will be written as a wiki document on Google docs, and
every team member must contribute to the writing and editing of the document. I
will have complete access to everyone’s contribution history, and members that
provide insufficient contributions will receive a zero for the opening statement
assignment. I will set up the document for each team, and invite the team
members. I will also provide the instructions as to the basic format of the opening
statement. It will then be your responsibility individually and as a team to write,
edit, and share with one another in jointly creating the document.
Attendance/Participation
Heartland community college requires that all instructors take attendance on a
daily basis. Accordingly I will take daily attendance. You are allowed a total of
three absences. You do not need to contact me about them. However, you cannot
make-up any further absences under any circumstances. For every class you miss
beyond the allotted three, two percentage points will be deducted from your
attendance/participation score worth 5 percentage points. This means that if you
miss six classes or three weeks total, you will receive a zero for the attendance
portion of your grade. Additional points will be awarded to your
participation/attendance score for regular and helpful participation.
Grading Scale
Grades will be determined by the following scale:
A=90%
B=80%
C=70%
D=60%
F=less than 60%
Blackboard Learning System
You can access the Blackboard website for this course through the Heartland Website.
Log in to My Heartland, and you will find a Blackboard tab on the upper left portion of
the webpage. By clicking the tab, you will be able to gain access to the course website. I
4
use Blackboard for the purpose of administrating the course and providing a centralized
place for posting course documents and grade records. If you miss a class, you can
acquire the handout used for that period on Blackboard. However, worksheets are
intended to be completed in class as part of discussion, and you will not be able to make
up a worksheet outside of class. But you will be able to view any worksheet that you have
missed.
Course Policies
Make-up of tests and assignments
Under no condition will make up quizzes and worksheets be provided. As stated
above, three quizzes and/or worksheets will be dropped in compensation. Exams
should not be missed. Late exams will be taken at a significant point penalty and
require a significant reason for the absence.
Student Conduct: Cell phone policy
Do not text during class or use your cell phone for any purpose. You must turn off
your phones and store them away in your bag. Even if you cell phone is off, it
should not be on your desk or your lap. Repeated infractions will be subject to
disciplinary action. Cell phone use is distracting to me and others, and it
contributes to a poor classroom and learning environment.
Incompletes
The official college policy, as found in the College Catalog, states the following
information regarding the conditions for giving incompletes: “An incomplete
grade may be given to a student who, by the withdrawal date, can reasonably be
expected to pass the course. Incompletes may be granted only when justified by
extreme circumstances (e.g. serious illness, accident, death or serious illness in
the immediate family).”
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community
College and is essential to the credibility of the College’s educational programs.
Moreover, because grading may be competitive, students who misrepresent their
academic work violate the right of their fellow students. The College, therefore, views
any act of academic dishonest as a serious offense requiring disciplinary measures,
including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion from the College. In addition, an
act of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen effects far beyond any officially
imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or
suborning cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of
data, falsification of academic records or documents and unauthorized access to
computerized academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these
violations may be found in the college catalog.
5
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When you write a
paper, create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all
the work, except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own.
Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
1
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source
credit.
2
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
3
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
4
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
5
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a
topic as if it were your own.
6
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another
project as if it were your own.
Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular
piece of work, failure in the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
[Adapted from the Modem Language Association’s MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
Support Services:
Heartland Library Information
The Library, located in the Students Commons Buildings at the Raab Road campus,
provides Heartland students with a full range of resources including books, online journal
databases, videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Librarians are
available to assist in locating information. For more information please call the Library
(309) 268-8200 or (309) 268-8292
Tutoring Center
Heartland Community College offers tutoring in various forms at no cost to
Heartland students at the Academic Support Center (ASC) in Normal and at the
Pontiac and Lincoln Centers. Tutors are available at convenient times throughout
the week. Study groups, group tutoring facilitated by a specially-trained tutor, are
also available by request. For more information about services available at each
location, please call the ASC in Normal (309) 268-8231; the Pontiac Center (815)
842-6777; the Lincoln Center (217) 735-1731.
Testing Center
The Testing Center provides a quiet environment for students to complete makeup exams, online exams, and exams for students with special accommodations.
Students may be able to complete exams in the Testing Center if arrangements are
made with their instructor. For more information, contact the Testing Center at
(309) 268-8231.
6
Syllabus disclaimer:
The instructor reserves the right to change any and all assignments, rules or requirements
in this class. Students will be notified of any changes in assignments, rules or
requirements at the earliest possible moment. It is possible that the schedule will be
altered at some point in the semester. If this happens, I will notify the class and provide
an updated syllabus.
Course Calendar:
The class schedule is subject to change based on class response and instructor discretion.
In the case of modifications (which may happen), I will supply an updated schedule.
Readings should be completed in their entirety by the date on which they are assigned.
For example, the first reading assignment is scheduled for 8/27. The reading should be
completed and ready to be discussed by the beginning of class that day.
SCHEDULE
Introduction
8/20
Distribute syllabus; requirements and expectations
8/22
Topic: Basic logic
Reading: No assignment
Moral Theory
8/27
Topic: Cultural relativism and subjectivism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 22-30
8/29
Topic: Cultural relativism and subjectivism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 22-30
9/3
Topic: Utilitarianism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 65-70
9/5
Topic: Utilitarianism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 82-93
9/10
Topic: Kantianism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 114-116 & 118-120
9/12
Topic: Kantianism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 120-122
9/17
Topic: Finish topics and review
Reading: No assignment
7
9/19
First Exam
Ethics of Killing
9/24
Topic: Killing Anencephalic Infants
Reading: No assignment
Capital Punishment
9/26
Topic: Capital Punishment
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 291-301 (intro)
10/1
Topic: Capital Punishment
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 327-336 (Pojman pro)
10/3
Topic: Capital Punishment
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 306-311 (Reiman con)
10/8
Topic: Capital Punishment Debate
Reading: No assignment
Abortion
10/10 Topic: Abortion
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 215-219 (Noonan con) and pp. 188-192 (Section II of Warren pro)
10/15 Topic: Abortion
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 192-204 but skip sections III and IV (Marquis con)
10/17 Topic: Abortion
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 173-183 (Thomson pro)
10/22 Topic: Abortion
Reading: Same assignment as above
10/24 Topic: Abortion Debate
Reading: No assignment
Just War and Terrorism
10/29 Topic: Just War Theory
Reading: Reading: Vaughn, pp. 608-616. Paper questions distributed
10/31 Topic: Terrorism
Reading: Vaughn, pp. 720-728 (Nathanson con)
11/5
Topic: Terrorism
Reading: “Can Terrorism be Justified?” handout (Valls pro)
8
11/7
Topic: Terrorism
Reading: No assignment
11/12 Topic: Terrorism Debate
Reading: No assignment
11/14 Topic: Torture
Reading: TBA
Physician Assisted Suicide
11/19 Movie: How to Die in Oregon
11/21 Movie: How to Die in Oregon. Ethics Paper Due
11/26 Topic: Physician-assisted suicide discussion day
11/28 Thanksgiving Break – College Closed
Killing Animals
12/3
Topic: Speciesism
Reading: Peter Singer handout, “The Place of Non-Humans in Environmental Issues”
12/5
Topic: Review Day
No assignment
FINALS WEEK
The final exam will be held during our scheduled final exam period.
9