El Paso Community College
Syllabus
SPRING 2011
Instructor's Course Requirements
I.
Course Number and Instructor Information
PHILOSOPHY 2306 – 20110: Ethics, Rio Grande, Room B205- MWF@
10:00 - 10:50 AM
INSTRUCTOR'S NAME
Robert Ferrell
II.
CAMPUS:
Rio Grande
OFFICE LOCATION:
Rm 402-RG
OFFICE HOURS:
MWF 08:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and 12:00 to 02:00 PM
TR 10:00 to 12:00 or by appointment
TELEPHONE:
(915) 831 – 4184
Text and Materials
Doing Ethics by Lewis Vaughn , Second Edition, New York: W. W. Norton & Company
Publishing, 2011.
Additional material will consist of class handouts and items on reserve in the library. There are
multiple resources in the reference section of the library, such as the Macmillan Encyclopedia of
Philosophy, dictionaries of philosophy, Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy and
others. Other sources are at the instructor’s web site.
III.
Course Requirements
There will be four examinations and a Final. These exams will be of the essay form generally, with
additional short answer and definition questions. A term paper will be due April 14, 2011. It should
follow the APA standard and be 5 to 8 pages in length. The topic, of course, should have to due with
ethical philosophy and its problems. Feel free to discuss the topic selection in class or in conference.
In addition, the student is required to participate in a collaborative learning experience in which a
group project results in class presentations. Each of the exams will be worth 15% of the total grade.
The final exam will be worth 20%. The term paper will count for 10% of the total grade. The group
presentation will be worth 05 % extra credit. Short quizzes will be introduced to encourage the
student's being current on the assigned reading. These scores, along with class participation, will
make up the final 05% of the final grade. The final exam will be comprehensive.
Grading Scale:
100 – 90 = A
89 – 80 = B
79 – 70 = C
69 – 60 + D 59 - 0 = F
There will be no retakes on exams or quizzes. Makeup exams will be allowed only when a good
reason for missing the scheduled exam can be confirmed by the instructor. Documentation that can
be checked will be required for a makeup, and the makeup will be more difficult than the original
exam. It is the student's responsibility to request a makeup exam prior to the date of the scheduled
exam. Ignorance of the scheduled exam date is never acceptable for missing any exam. No make ups
will be given on quizzes, since that would defeat their purpose; i.e., to encourage the student to stay
current in the readings. Plagiarism will not be permitted. Steps are being taken to expel and even to
prosecute students found to have committed this offense.
IV.
Instructor's Policies
A.
Attendance and Drops
Students are required to attend classes regularly. A record of class attendance will be kept. It is the
student's responsibility to consult with the instructor regarding excused absences. The instructor will
allow three absences (based on a 50 minute class period) before giving serious consideration to
dropping the student. a student can be dropped for excessive absences insofar as these indicate a
failure in course pursuit. On the other hand, if the student has decided to drop the course, for
whatever reason, it is his or her responsibility to inform the instructor and to turn in a drop
form. The student should not assume that the instructor would automatically drop him or her before
the drop deadline. Instructors are authorized to deal appropriately with students who are persistently
late to class. THE ATTENDANCE POLICY MUST BE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY AND
FAIRLY. EVEN IF YOUR GRADE AVERAGE IS GOOD, YOU ARE STILL REQUIRED TO
ATTEND CLASSES REGULARLY. AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS OF
LEARNING IS THE QUESTION AND ANSWER DIALOGUE THAT TAKES PLACE IN
CLASS.
B.
Classroom Decorum
The purpose of a course in philosophy is to encourage student interest. This goal is completely
frustrated by diversions. Students constantly coming and going, talking in small groups,
allowing cell phones and beepers to go off, and other such distractions prevent the necessary
attention to the subject and will not be tolerated by students who wish to fulfill their
educational goals. Remember that class participation, whether positive or negative, is a part of
your grade, and, please, be considerate of your fellow students.
V.
Calendar:
This calendar may be subject to adjustment and changes. The test dates are tentative, and any
changes will be announced.
Week
One:
Two:
Three:
Chapter One : Warrior ethics to Religion
pp. 1 – 23
Overview and introduction: Theories, principles, codes.
Chapter Two:
Theory; Normative and non-normative; Critical thinking
pp. 23-43
Chapter Three: Theory analyzed and applied, fundamental principles.
Moral Reasoning
pp. 43 – 65
Test One: February 3, 2011
Religion; God’s Will and Divine Command
Chapter Four: Moral Theory
pp. 65 – 76
Chapters Five: Consequentalism
pp. 76 – 85
Utilitarianism
pp. 82 - 99
Seven: Chapters Six: Non-Consequentalism
pp. 100 - 134
Mid-Term Exam: February 17, 2011
Eight: Chapter Seven: Virtue, Stoicism, Epicurianism,
Cynicism
pp. 134 – 150
Nine:
Existentialism, Buddhism, Emotivism
Test Three: April 5, 2011
Ten:
Feminism.
Eleven: Ethics of Care:
Twelve: Animal Rights and Environmentalism
Test Four: April 21, 2011
Thirteen: Right to Life issues:lication of Moral and Responsibility
Reasoning in Case Studies: Presentations
pp. 161-540
Fourteen:
Current Issues and Presentations:
Free Will/Determinism
Fifteen:
Continued:
War, Capital Punishment, Euthanasia, Biomedical
Issues, Abortion, Affirmative Action, Workplace Ethics
(Rawls and Nozick) Normative and Non-Normative.
Final Review and Presentations
Four:
Five:
Six:
The class will be viewing various audio-visual presentations supplemental to the textual
material. We will also be discussing and viewing feature films as appropriate. Please feel
free to refer to this important cultural means of dissemination of ideas. The philosophy club
will be meeting on a weekly basis to
view films as a springboard to meaningful discussion. Please inquire about the Honors
Program and the Service Learning opportunity.
Final Exam will be on Wednesday -May 11, 2011 @ 09:00 - 11:00 AM.
The real idea of life is about celebrating the gift we have been given
if we live in vision; that is, as poets/human beings; our lives are not
easier but harder. There is no reward for shining brightly, only the
brightness itself. Once we accept the concept that life does not owe
us anything, we owe it to life to live to our fullest potential every day
we live; no matter what we get in return.
William Parker, jazz musician