Class #14, 12/5/12

It's probably a good thing that we're taking our final a little earlier--wouldn't want to run too close to the end of the world (according to the Mayans, of course!).

A couple of reminders from last class:

------>Remember to fill out your course evaluations, if you have not already.

------>I am teaching next semester, Environmental Ethics (PHIL 3320), on Monday evenings at 5:30.  If any of you are interested and want a heads-up on the texts and other info, please e-mail me.

------>I expect to have your papers graded and to return them to you.

------>Now to the exam:

------>------>We meet at 7:00 sharp and you'll have the full 2-1/2 hours, plus a little, if you need it.  The exam will be in essay format.  You'll be allowed to use any notes and printed or handwritten materials, including copies of the on-line notes.  (Print them out as handouts rather than as slides in order to save paper.)  You will not be allowed to use your texts.

------>------>The exam will offer 6 to 8 essay questions.  You will choose 3 of these (--I may specify one of the questions that you must do, but not more than that).

------>------>Here are the basic general topics I'm looking at--

------>------>------>A question on Glover's point of view and basic assumptions.

------>------>------>Comparing/contrasting two of the moral schools, or describing one in more depth.

------>------>------>A question about Socrates.

------>------>------>Several case studies to choose from in applying one or more of the moral schools to real-life situations.

------>See you all Wednesday evening.  Please e-mail me if you have questions.

Class #13, 11/28/12

**Tonight: begin discussions on Glover.

------>What questions do you have?
------>------>"I don't get ___________". Try to identify some specific questions, historical, persons, references to ideas, etc.

------>A few things to note and identify.
------>------>Some video help--Glover himself on the task of ethics:
(There are three parts--total time is about 30 minutes.)

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9qmUBkm37o

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ncqST0zj8

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiC4a4TO9Ag

**Looking ahead--exam date and prep advice.

**For next meeting: critical passages in the book. Paper due.

Class #12, 11/21/12--IF anyone wants to come...

**Reminder and questions: Glover paper due next week.
------>Remember that standard format (MLA) is required; use parenthetical page references for citations; proofread your writing.

**Tonight: begin discussions on Glover.

------>What questions do you have?
------>------>"I don't get ___________". Try to identify some specific questions, historical, persons, references to ideas, etc.

------>A few things to note and identify. 
------>------>Some video help--Glover himself on the task of ethics:
(There are three parts--total time is about 30 minutes.)

Part 1:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9qmUBkm37o

Part 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ncqST0zj8

Part 3:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiC4a4TO9Ag

**Looking ahead--exam prep advice.

**For next meeting: critical passages in the book. Paper due.

Class #11, 11/7/2012

**Due tonight:
------>Be ready to work quickly through the virtue ethics presentation and begin with Glover. No writing assignment, but try reading the first two chapters of Glover, which set the philosophical background.

**Virtue Ethics:



**Second reflection paper:  Glover's point of view.

**No meeting next week.  Next class is November 21.  Continue reading Glover.  We'll discuss in class how far you should be by then--hopefully finished!

Class #10, 10/31/12

**Due tonight:
------>We'll conclude work on duty ethics, and begin with Virtue ethics, Chapter 8 of Pojman. ------>Writing:
------>------>On the question page for the virtue chapter, Pojman quotes Robert Fulghum on the lessons of kindergarten: "Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there, in the sandbox at the nursery. These are the things I learned: Share everything ... Play Fair ... Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess ... Don't take things that aren't yours ... Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody ... Wash your hands before you eat ... Flush ... Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you ... Live a balanced life ... Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together ... Be aware of wonder."
------>How does the statement above translate to grown-up life and responsibility? How would you restate this code of virtue for adults to live by in today's complex world?--OR, would you just say it's not relevant or too simplistic for grownups?

**Work on duty ethics presentation--see below.

**For next week, 11/7, be ready to work quickly through the virtue ethics presentation and begin with Glover. No writing assignment, but try reading the first two chapters of Glover, which set the philosophical background.

Class #9, 10/24/12

**Due Tonight:
------>Read Pojman, Chapter 7, Ethics of Duty--Deontological Ethics.
------>Write:
 ------>------>You may have heard about this case:  Read reflection question #6 on page 160, about the famous "Milgram" experiment in behavioral research.  Answer all three parts of the question.

**Discussion of assignment.

**Tonight's lesson, part 1--Continue/conclude discussion of utilitarian ethics.
------>See presentation from previous class.

**Introduction to Ethics of Duty, Deontological Ethics:




**For next class, 10/31/12 (BOO!):
------>We'll conclude work on duty ethics, and begin with Virtue ethics, Chapter 8 of Pojman.
------>Writing:
------>------>On the question page, Pojman quotes Robert Fulghum on the lessons of kindergarten:
     "Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there, in the sandbox at the nursery.  These are the things I learned:  Share everything ... Play Fair ... Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess ... Don't take things that aren't yours ... Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody ... Wash your hands before you eat ... Flush ... Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you ... Live a balanced life ... Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together ... Be aware of wonder."
------>How does the statement above translate to grown-up life and responsibility?  How would you restate this code of virtue for adults to live by in today's complex world?--OR, would you just say it's not relevant or too simplistic for grownups?

Class #8, 10/17/12

**Due this week:
------>Your papers are due.
------>Read Pojman, chapter 6, "Utilitarianism."

**Student presentations of movie reviews.

**As time permits:  begin discussion of Utilitarian moral thinking.


**For next week, 10/24:
------>Read Pojman, Chapter 7, Ethics of Duty--Deontological Ethics.
------>Write:
 ------>------>You may have heard about this case:  Read reflection question #6 on page 160, about the famous "Milgram" experiment in behavioral research.  Answer all three parts of the question.

Class #7, 10/10/12

**Q & A on project/presentation due next week.

**Due tonight: 
------>Read Pojman, chapter 5, "Religion and Ethics."
------>Writing:  Think of this as a puzzle to solve:
 ------>------>Imagine that a mysterious, superior being appears to you and says, "I am God and I am good; therefore, obey my command--torture your mother."  (Just for the sake of quieting the plausibility issue temporarily, feel free to refer to the Bible's Book of Genesis, Chapter 22, in which God very matter-of-factly tells the patriarch Abraham to kill his son as a sacrifice to God.)  How would the proponent of the divine command theory deal with this sudden order from the deity?  What would be some possible ways out of this dilemma that would not violate the intentionality of the DCT point of view?

**Discussion of the assignment question.

**Religion and Ethics:



**For next week:
------>Be prepared to turn in your movie paper, and to spend 10-15 minutes presenting a brief synopsis of your chosen story and what you thought the issues were.

------>Read Pojman, chapter 6, "Utilitarianism."

Class #6, 10/3/12

**First priority:  Be ready to sign up for your choice of film paper/presentation.  Come in prepared with a couple or three alternatives.  Project will be due on the 17th.

**Due tonight:
------>Read Pojman, Chapter 4, "Ethical Objectivism"

------>Write a page:  As best you can, make an effort to succinctly summarize the Natural Law position in morality.  Discuss Pojman's assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this position--do you agree/disagree?

**Ethical Objectivism:

**As time permits, survey some of the "classic dilemmas" from chapter 4.
------>Video/Exercise on "The tragedy of the Commons"

**For next week, Oct. 10:
------>Read Pojman, chapter 5, "Religion and Ethics."
------>Writing:  Think of this as a puzzle to solve:
 ------>------>Imagine that a mysterious, superior being appears to you and says, "I am God and I am good; therefore, obey my command--torture your mother."  (Just for the sake of quieting the plausibility issue temporarily, feel free to refer to the Bible's Book of Genesis, Chapter 22, in which God very matter-of-factly tells the patriarch Abraham to kill his son as a sacrifice to God.)  How would the proponent of the divine command theory deal with this sudden order from the deity?  What would be some possible ways out of this dilemma that would not violate the intentionality of the DCT point of view?

Class #5, 9/26/12

**Due tonight:  Read Pojman, Chapter 3--Ethical Relativism.

------> Write a page:  Re-read Heinrich Himmler's justification of Nazi racial policy, quoted on page 63 of the text.  Is someone like Himmler "entitled to his opinion"?  Explain, please.

**Hand out basic information for film paper/project.  Due Date: October 17--Change of Date!

**Tonight's lesson/discussion:


**Due Next Week:

------>Your film choice--for the sign-up!

------>Read Pojman, Chapter 4, "Ethical Objectivism"

------>Write a page:  As best you can, make an effort to succinctly summarize the Natural Law position in morality.  Discuss Pojman's assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this position--do you agree/disagree? 

Class #4, 9/19/12

**Due tonight: Read Pojman, Chapter 2, Why be moral?

------>Writing: In Chapter 1, Pojman used the examples of "Lord of the Flies" and "Leviathan" to help support his discussion of the need for the study of ethics. Write your own answer to the question of this chapter: "Why study Ethics?" Support your answer with some evidence from literature or film, or from your own experience (without getting too personal, please), that helps you understand and explain this need clearly.

------>------>Time to discuss assignment....

**Conclude discussion of "Why Study Ethics?"--(See presentation from previous class)

------>Various cases: see pp. 13-16.

**Chapter 2: Why be Moral? (OR, Are you Jack or Jim?)    

 

**For next week, Read Pojman, Chapter 3--Ethical Relativism.

------> Write a page:  Re-read Heinrich Himmler's justification of Nazi racial policy, quoted on page 63 of the text.  Is someone like Himmler "entitled to his opinion"?  Explain, please.

Class #3, 9/12/12

**Due tonight:
          ----->Re-read "The Apology", then read Chapter 1 of Pojman.

          ----->Write a page (typed, preferably)--It's sometimes hard to come to certainty about why Plato composed and left us the "Dialogues."  By inclusion, the same is true of the "Apology."  What do YOU think Plato saw in Socrates that prompted Plato to remember Socrates (lovingly?) and to honor his mentor by crafting this version of Socrates' defense at the trial.  Why is Socrates different from the cranky old uncle that shows up at family gatherings and makes everyone uncomfortable with peculiar reminiscences, raging biases and "uncensored" remarks, not to mention nosy and embarrassing questions.  Support your theory with some kind of evidence.

**Discussion and analysis of "The Apology".
          ------>A few questions....

          ------>Presentation on Socrates, etc.  (see previous post)

          ------>Discussion of the text and its place in literature/education/history.

**Begin discussion of Pojman, Chapter 1, as time permits.



**For next week:  Read Pojman, Chapter 2, Why be moral?

          ------>Write a page:  In Chapter 1, Pojman used the examples of "Lord of the Flies" and "Leviathan" to help support his discussion of the need for the study of ethics.  Write your own answer to the question of this chapter:  "Why study Ethics?" Support your answer with some evidence from literature or film, or from your own experience (without getting too personal, please), that helps you understand and explain this need clearly.

Class #2, 9/5/12

Welcome Back!

**Begin with discussion of your valedictory speeches.

**Discuss:  "All education is moral education."

**Dorothy Sayers and Leo Strauss--What does education do for us?

     --Is there a tie between education and civilization?

     --Civilization as "inheritance" and as "process."

**Background on Socrates:

      --a picture gallery;

      --Who was Socrates?
 

**If time permits, begin discussion of "Apology" and the educational value of meeting Socrates.

**For next week:
          ----->Re-read "The Apology", then read Chapter 1 of Pojman.

          ----->Write a page (typed, preferably)--It's sometimes hard to come to certainty about why Plato composed and left us the "Dialogues."  By inclusion, the same is true of the "Apology."  What do YOU think Plato saw in Socrates that prompted Plato to remember Socrates (lovingly?) and to honor his mentor by crafting this version of Socrates' defense at the trial.  Why is Socrates different from the cranky old uncle that shows up at family gatherings and makes everyone uncomfortable with peculiar reminiscences, raging biases and "uncensored" remarks, not to mention nosy and embarrassing questions.  Support your theory with some kind of evidence.

Welcome! Class #1, 29 August

This is the blog for PHIL 3301, Moral Issues:  Personal and Professional.  The agenda for each class meeting, as well as readings and assignments, will be posted here.  Please check this spot frequently for links to readings, updates to assignments and information about any schedule changes.  I try to keep last-minute information to a minimum, but sometimes they are unavoidable and so this is a good means of communication.

**Textbooks:
----->Pojman, Louis P., How Should We Live, Thompson/Wadsworth, 2005. ISBN: 0-534-55657-4.

----->Glover, Jonathan, Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century, Yale University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0-300-08715-2.
 
**Here are the links to the syllabus and calendar for the course:

Calendar:  https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2bhCDyTewNUM3ZEYzV6bU1BWHc

Syllabus: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B2bhCDyTewNUM3ZEYzV6bU1BWHc

**What is Philosophy?  Brief Presentation:



**For next class, 1/24:


Read: 

[1]  Dorothy L. Sayers, "The Lost Tools of Learning;" it's found here:  http://www.cambridgestudycenter.com/artilces/sayers1.htm

[2]  Leo Strauss, "What is Liberal Education?"  It's here :  http://www.ditext.com/strauss/liberal.html

Write a page (not more):  Suppose someone randomly picked YOU to speak for yourself and your classmates at your graduation--what would you say about the meaning and content of YOUR education, however long it's taken.