Session 2014-2 Summer
Online Classroom
6/30/14 – 8/24/14
Karen Winberg-Jensen
Office Hours: by appointment
kwinberg-jensen@ben.edu
217/741-1779
Pre-Assignment - To Be Completed Prior to the First Class Meeting
1. Please fill out the attached Ethics Inventory (also found in Chapter 1 of the text), and
retain it in a safe place. You will be asked to refer to it at the end of the course.
2. Read Chapter One in the textbook.
PHIL 245-70 GENERAL ETHICS
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION (3 credit hours)
A fundamental course in traditional Western ethical theories from ancient to modern,
covering basic ethical questions such as the meaning of what is good, the problem of
determinism vs. free will, the nature of social good and justice and the meaningfulness
of moral language.
II.
TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS
Hinman, Lawrence, (2013). Ethics: A Pluralistic Approach to Moral Theory, 5th ed.
Cengage Learning.
ISBN: 1-133050018 ISBN: 978-1133050018
III.
MISSION STATEMENT
Benedictine University is dedicated to the education of undergraduate and graduate
students from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. As an academic
community committed to liberal arts and professional education distinguished and
guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and Benedictine heritage, we prepare our
students for a lifetime as active, informed and responsible citizens and leaders in the
world community.
IV.
GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
A. Benedictine Core Goals
Benedictine University's core mission is to prepare students for active participation in an
increasingly interconnected world. Its Core Curriculum advances this mission by
enabling students to attain a broad range of learning goals, listed below:
1. Demonstrate an effective level of cognitive, communicative, and research skills;
2. Achieve a college level of computational skills and an ability to understand and
interpret numerical data;
3. Acquire a knowledge of the history and heritage of western civilization, to include:

the contributions of religious faith and philosophical thought to
understanding the person in community,

the relationship of the individual to society: membership and participation
in groups and institutions,

scientific literacy through a knowledge of the history, the methods, and
the impact of science on the individual, society, and the environment,
artistic and literary heritage;
4. Develop an understanding of global society: cultural diversity, mutual relationships,
interdependence of peoples and nations;
5. Apply liberal learning in problem-solving contexts as preparation for active
participation in society;
6. Make informed ethical decisions that promote personal integrity, the legitimate rights
and aspirations of individuals and groups, and the common good.
B. Course Objectives
Upon completion of the course, PHIL 245, students will be able to demonstrate their
mastery of the following learning outcomes:
1. Describe the process of ethical thinking and reasoning used by the major
philosophers of Western thought.
2. Apply philosophical thought to the study of other ethics in both an academic setting
and in the “real world”.
3. Describe and distinguish the various ethical theories.
4. Know the major figures in the history of ethics.
5. Apply ethics in analyzing the basic purpose and meaning of life.
6. Apply ethical thinking in examining one’s own life.
V.
TEACHING METHODS/DELIVERY SYSTEM
The classroom is a writing and discourse community. This class will be taught using a
variety of methods. These methods include a combination of online lectures, online
course management system discussions, online course management system, and
formal evaluations. I will employ Desire to Learn (D2L) for required postings.
Please become familiar with the discussion feature of the D2L online system. This
class is very interactive. In order to complete the course successfully, students
must be prepared to discuss the reading assignments and to do the online work.
VI.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance Policy
This course is highly accelerated, and students will need to take a great deal of
responsibility for their own learning outcomes. Any absence of required online work
must be due to extraordinary circumstances and will require documentation for it to be
considered excused. Documentation must be provided immediately in order to
determine what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or possible. Completing or
submitting online work late will directly impact your final grade, and each undocumented
absence will be considered unexcused and will result in a 20% reduction in the overall
final grade for the course.
Due to the accelerated nature of the course, should you experience a medical condition
which prevents you from completing assignments, appropriate medical documentation
must be provided immediately to the instructor so it may be determined what, if any,
accommodations are reasonable or possible.
Missing Deadlines and Its Effect on Your Grade
There will be deadlines for postings on D2L. If you miss a deadline, I will reduce your
grade for that assignment by ten percent (10%) for each day that it is late. Work will be
accepted up to two (2) days late.
Required Technology
Given the online nature of this class you are required to have the following:
 Access to a computer and a reliable internet connection. If you do not have
a computer or access to the internet, BUS provides computers with internet
access for student use in the Resource Center.

A Working Benedictine E-mail Account.
Access to Desire to Learn (D2L): I will use D2L to post material. You will also use
D2L to complete your assignments.
Reading Assignments
Advance reading as outlined in the Topical Course Outline section is expected of each
student.
Written Assignment
Each student will submit a written paper examining a topic selected from a list provided
by the instructor. Each paper must between 1400 and 2100 words in length. Each paper
must be researched and written specifically for this class - no papers will be accepted if
the instructor believes they have been prepared as an assignment for a different class.
Students should insure that the assignment complies with the highest academic,
linguistic and grammatical standards. Paper must cite at least 3 authoritative reference
sources including at least one published book, one printed journal of national circulation,
and one internet source. Note: Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable internet source! A
late penalty of 10% per day will be deducted for each day after the due date. No papers
will be accepted more than two days after the due date.
Online Discussion Questions: Participation Requirements
You must post an answer to at least one discussion question during the discussion
week. Also, you must post two substantive (on topic) discussion responses or
comments to other’s replies, per day, on a minimum of two separate days during the
discussion / participation week. To be considered substantive, the messages must be
on topic, and more than “I agree” replies. While the word count itself is not as important
as the content, try to write at least 2-3 sentences, using correct grammar, punctuation
and spelling. Only posts during the specific discussion week (Monday through Sunday)
will count towards your class participation score.
Benedictine University at Springfield Student Academic Honesty Policy
The search for truth and the dissemination of knowledge are the central missions of a
university. Benedictine University at Springfield pursues these missions in an
environment guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and our Benedictine heritage.
Integrity and honesty are therefore expected of all University students. Actions such as
cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, forgery, falsification, destruction, multiple
submission, solicitation, and misrepresentation are violations of these expectations and
constitute unacceptable behavior in the University community.
Student’s Responsibility
Though there is no formal honor code at Benedictine University at Springfield, students
are expected to exhibit academic honesty at all times. Violations against academic
honesty are always serious and may result in sanctions that could have profound longterm effects. The final responsibility for understanding the Academic Honesty Policy of
the institution, as well as the specific policies for individual courses normally found in
syllabi, rests with students. If any doubt exists about what constitutes academic
dishonesty, students have the responsibility to talk to the faculty member. Students
should expect the members of their class to be academically honest. If students believe
one or more members of the class have been deceitful to gain academic advantage in
the class, students should feel comfortable to approach the faculty member of the
course without prejudice.
Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy will be reported to the Office of the Dean of
Academic Affairs. Along with a verbal warning, the following are consequences a
student may face for academic dishonesty:
 a failing grade or “zero” for the assignment;
 dismissal from and a failing grade for the course; or
 dismissal from the Institution.
VII.
MEANS OF EVALUATION
Grading
Students will be assessed as follows:
Final exam:
Written assignment:
Weekly homework / quizzes:
In class discussions:
20%
20%
40%
20%.
A traditional grading scale will be followed:
{100-90% = "A"} { 89-80%="B"} {79-70%= "C"} {69-60%="D"} {below 60%="F"}
No credit will be given for any missed in-class quizzes, missed in-class tests, or missed
in-class discussions.
If a student believes that an error has been made in reporting a grade, an appeal must
be made in writing to the instructor and must be initiated within 60 calendar days after
the end of the term for which the grade in question was reported. The appeal should
contain specific information about why it is believed the grade reported is inaccurate.
See the Student Handbook for additional details.
Add/Drop Dates
Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for add/drop dates.
Incomplete Request
To qualify for an “I” grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed
with a “C” or better, and a student must submit a completed “Request for an Incomplete”
form to the Registrar’s Office. The form must be completed by both student and
instructor, but it is the student’s responsibility (not the instructor’s) to initiate this process
and obtain the necessary signatures.
Student Withdrawal Procedure
It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by completing the
appropriate form, with appropriate signatures, and returning the completed form to the
Advising Office. Please refer to the Student Handbook for important financial information
related to withdrawals.
VIII.
TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE
Week
1
Quiz # 1; Read Chapters 1 and 2; class
discussion of moral beliefs and two levels of
moral conflicts; review of key terms
Week
2
Quiz # 2; Read Chapters 3 and 4; class
discussion of religious diversity and egoism;
review of key terms
Week
3
Quiz # 3; Read Chapter 5; class discussion of
Utilitarianism and consequences; Written
Assignment topics assigned; review of key
terms
Week
4
Quiz # 4; Read Chapter 6; class discussion of
Immanuel Kant and the ethics of duty; review of
key terms
Week
5
Quiz # 5; Outline due for Written Assignment;
Read Chapter 7; class discussion of
contemporary theories and rights ; review of key
terms
Week
6
Quiz # 6; Read Chapter 8; class discussion of
justice; review of key terms
Week
7
Written Assignment Due with Ethics
Inventory; Read Chapter 11; class discussion
of diversity; review topics for Final
Week
8
FINAL EXAM
IX.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Benedictine University at Springfield provides individuals with disabilities reasonable
accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, and services.
Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in campus-sponsored
programs, activities, and services, or to meet course requirements, should contact the
Resource Center as early as possible: springaccess@ben.edu or (217) 525-1420,
ext. 3306.
X.
ASSESSMENT
Goals, objectives, and learning outcomes that will be assessed in the class are stated in
this syllabus. Instructor will use background knowledge probes, one-minute papers,
reflective essays and/or other Classroom Assessment Techniques as deemed
necessary in order to provide continuous improvement of instruction.
Name:________________; Pretest or Post-test (Circle One)
Ethics Inventory
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Relativism, Absolutism, and Pluralism
1.
What ‘s right depends on the culture you are in.
2.
No one has the right to judge what’s right or wrong for
another person.
3.
No one has the right to intervene when they think
someone else has done something morally wrong.
4.
It’s hopeless to try to arrive at a final answer to ethical
questions.
5.
Ultimately, there is one and only one right standard of
moral evaluation.
Religion and Ethics
6.
What is right depends on what God says is right.
7.
There is only one true religion.
8.
What my religions says (In the Bible, the Qu’ran, or
whatever its sacred text is) is literally true.
9.
All major religions have something important to tell us
about what is right and what is wrong.
10.
We do not need to depend on religion to have a solid
foundation for our moral values.
Psychological and Ethical Egoism
11.
Everyone is just out for himself or herself.
12.
Some people think that they are genuinely concerned
about the welfare of others, but they are just deceiving
themselves.
13.
People are not really free. They are just products of
their environment, upbringing, and other factors.
14.
Everyone should watch out just for themselves.
15.
You can’t be both altruistic and selfish at the same
time.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Utilitarianism
16.
When I am trying to decide what the right thing to do is,
I look at the consequences of the various alternatives
open to me.
17.
The right thing to do is whatever is best for everyone.
18.
If someone tries to do the right but it works out badly,
they still deserved moral credit for trying.
19.
Pleasure is the most important thing in life.
20.
Happiness is the most important thing in life.
Kant, Duty and Respect
21.
If someone tries to do the right thing but it works out
badly, they still deserve moral credit for trying.
22.
It is important to do the right thing for the right reason.
23.
What is fair for one is fair for all.
24.
People should always be treated with respect.
25.
We should never use other people merely as a means
to our own goals.
Rights Theories
26.
Morality is basically a matter of respecting people’s
rights.
27.
Some rights are absolute.
28.
I have a right to do whatever I want as long as it does
not impinge on other people’s rights.
29.
People have a right to health care, even if they can’t
afford to pay for it.
30.
Animals have rights.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Justice
31.
Justice is the most important characteristics of a
society.
32.
Might makes right.
33.
Justice consists of treating everybody exactly the
same.
34.
A just society is one in which everyone has the
maximal amount of liberty.
35.
Sometimes strict justice is bad for society.
Virtue Ethics
36.
Morality is mainly a matter of what kind of person you
are.
37.
Sometimes courage seems to go too far.
38.
Compassion for the suffering of others is an important
character trait.
39.
It’s important to care about yourself.
40.
Virtues are the same males and females.
Gender and Ethics
41.
Men and women often view morality differently.
42.
Emotions have no place in morality.
43.
Morality is primarily a matter of followings the rules.
44.
The more masculine someone is, the less feminine that
person is.
45.
There are often unjust relationships in the modern
family.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Undecided
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Race, Ethnicity, and Ethics
46.
Morality should reflect an individual’s ethnic and
cultural background.
47.
Some ethnic and racial groups deserve reparations for
the wrongs done to them in the past.
48.
Moral disagreement is a good thing in society
49.
Compromise is bad.
50.
Minorities have special rights by virtue of their status as
minorities.