**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.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
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."
**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."
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
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?
**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?
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
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?
------> 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?
Monday, September 17, 2012
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.
------>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.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
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.
----->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.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
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.
**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.
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