MIAMI DADE COLLEGE HIALEAH CAMPUS
PHI 2604 CRITICAL THINKING / ETHICS
MWF 10am-10:50am
3 CREDITS
Instructor: H.E. Whitney, Jr.
Telephone: Office: TBD (best to contact me via email for now)
Dept : Liberal Arts and Sciences
Office Hours: by appointment
Email: hwhitney@mdc.edu
Course Wordpress site: https://ethicsandcriticalthinking10am.wordpress.com
Course Blackboard site: you will get an invitation to join in your MDC email
Textbooks: Elements of Moral Philosophy, by Rachels. 4th ed. McGraw Hill. 1998. The pdf file for this book is located
here:
http://vulms.vu.edu.pk/Courses/ETH202/Downloads/The%20Elements%20of%20Moral%20Philosophy.pdf
but I will post the file in several other places (including on our course websites)
Critical Thinking and Ethics PHI 2604, Melissa Lammey
Additional readings to be posted online; movies and video will be shown in class.
Language of instruction: English with bits of Latin and Greek thrown in from time to time
Course Description
This course develops skills in critical thinking by examining various topics in ethics. This course is designed to achieve
two broad objectives: first, to enable students to reason more effectively, enhancing their problem-solving abilities: and
second, to provide students with a foundation in ethics, enabling them to think more constructively about ethical issues.
This course combines these two objectives by using ethics as a vehicle for developing critical thinking skills. In
accomplishing the course objectives, students will study methods of effective reasoning and reflect critically upon their
own values and ethical standards. With this foundation, students will apply their critical thinking skills to various issues
that arise in ethics, such as abortion, the death penalty, discrimination, affirmative action, environmental ethics, and
ethics in higher education (note: these issues will not be the only ones we will tackle; there are many more).
That being said…
Philosophy/ethics is a social enterprise. What does this mean? It means that one of the principal methods of studying
and doing philosophy is with each other. Thus, this class will consist of interactive lectures which of course opens the
door to classroom discussions. Some of these discussions may get heated and intense as some issues are emotionally
charged. However, we will always maintain respect for our interlocutors and challenge them with the reasoning skills
we will learn.
You are REQUIRED to come to class fully prepared, that is, having read all materials in a serious manner. This will also
require your attendance to each class and strong participation. An important note on participation: sometimes, even for
me, this can be hard and intimidating. I understand this. We will be covering some difficult and sensitive issues. In
philosophy and even ethics, there are no exact answers, like in math, [2+2 may equal 5 in this subject, if you know what I
mean].
But we will be learning how to defend our opinions with well-reasoned arguments! So go ahead and feel free to share
your own and unique thoughts with the class!! If you don’t understand something, please ask, I guarantee you that at
least 3 other people in the class also don’t understand! On the lighter side…From time to time, I may (by accident)
sprinkle in a bit of my own views. Generally, however, I will refrain from this activity since that is not the goal of this
course. But as you will find, while doing philosophy it is hard not to express your own views while in discussion.
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In this class, we will be learning how to argue! But not the way you think. There will be no fists thrown in this class,
(hopefully ;), and no yelling back and forth. No, we will learn another, calmer, more reasoned way to argue, and you will
see that it is even more effective than yelling, and fist throwing!! I also hope to be showing you some interesting and
thought-provoking websites, clips from films, etc. Hopefully these will spark discussion and thought!
Assignments
There will be two tests: one midterm (written) and one final (online). For the midterm, please bring a #2 pencil or black
pen to class.
There will be 5 in class quizzes. They will cover material that was presented the previous classes. (note: studying for
these quizzes will significantly help prepare for the midterm and final.) They will be either multiple choice, true false,
short essay, and/or a combination thereof. This quizzes will be announced one class day in advance. Please bring a #2
pencil or black pen to class.
The midterm will take the form of the quizzes, only longer to complete.
Student debates. About two weeks after the midterm, we will start the student debates, which will last for about three
class days. Students will be put in teams that will debate each other on a pre-designated topic. In the past, topics
included abortion, euthanasia, wage theft/worker exploitation, and animal rights. I plan to employ similar topics as well
as some new ones this go around.
There will be 5 in class writing assignments. They will cover material that was presented the previous or present classes.
In a couple of paragraphs you might, for example, be asked to define a particular philosophical concept and think about
where its application might be useful (or not useful) in solving an ethical dispute in contemporary society, for example,
the ethics of downloading YouTube music videos as mp3s and transferring them to your IPod. You will need to give
reasons for your answer(s). The writing assignments are to be at least 12 sentences. These assignments are closed book;
however, you can use your notes to answer the question. ALWAYS take and keep notes and bring them to class with
you every day.
The Final. The final will be a multiple choice examination that will be completed online at our Blackboard site.
Grade Distribution (cumulative point system)
5 quizzes 20 pts each (closed book, closed notes) = 100 points
5 in class writing assignments 20 pts each (closed book; open notes) = 100 pts
Debates=100 pts
Midterm (closed book, closed notes) = 100 pts
Final (online) = 100 pts
Total=500 points
Grade Scale
401-500=A
301-400=B
201-300=C
101-200=D
Below 101=F
Policies and Classroom Rules
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As stated above, attendance is mandatory, yet I do know things pop up and life is very messy. You will only be allotted
TWO unexcused absences. On a third unexcused absence, your final grade will be dropped by a letter grade, and each
subsequent unexcused absence will lower your final grade by an additional letter grade. IF YOU MISS CLASS, then it is
YOUR responsibility to acquire notes from your classmates; it is not my responsibility to provide you with information
that was discussed in class on the day that you were absent. I am not your note taker. Many times, you can get info on
the course websites.
Absences will only be excused with doctor’s notes, court appearance letters, etc: something on paper with a phone
contact that I can verify.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated (will receive no credit) and will be reported to the Dean. If in your writing assignments
use text from a website or book, please indicate where you obtained it and identify the author.
Cheating is unacceptable in this course.
Late work will not be accepted unless cause can be shown for the same reason as legitimate absences (e.g., doctor’s
notes, etc.)
Cell phones: Please leave them on vibrate or silent and take the call outside down the hallway. Please, no texting or
netsurfing in class unless approved. No cell phones can be used for quizzes and writing assignments.
Eating/Drinking: I don’t think I can police this but make sure you do not make a mess and remember to discard in the
class waste bin any trash.
Format: This syllabus can be provided in alternative formats; and should it be necessary, with the unanimous consent of
the class, the syllabus may be edited for time/textual adjustments deemed necessary, natural disasters, acts of God,
death of instructor, etc.
Accommodations: Any students needing special accommodations should see me and have a note from the student
resources center or the college entity that handles those matters.
August schedule (note: each month’s schedule will be given a week before the month
begins)
8/24-Introduction to the course; meet and greet. Logistics.
8/26-Lammey, Chapters 1 and 2. September schedule will be posted on the website and given
out in class in paper format.
8/28-Lammey, Chapter 3
Rachels, Chapter 1
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