Defining Our Terms

1. Tool: Here's one Urban Dictionary definition of "tool," the one I had in mind when referring to Dane Cook:

someone who tries too hard. a poser. one of those chic's who holds the sign saying "Carson Daly is Hot." the asstard who goes to a rock show because they heard one of the songs on the radio or mtv. or someone who insists on wearing velour sweat suits. Avril Lavigne.

To find out more, I suggest watching Tool Academy to see our heroes in action:

2. Fugly: uh, rather ugly. Moe Szyslak has been called a few variations of this term.

3. Emo Kid: "Emo" has a ton of meanings. The wikipedia article on "emo" has a nice history of the term.

4. Lame: South Park usually nails this term.

Did I forget any terms? Let me know!

Snow Day!

Our class is cancelled today, Wednesday, January 28th, because of the snow. All morning classes at Camden County College are cancelled today. The college opens at noon.

Enjoy!

Three-Year-Old Philosophers

Here's comedian Louis CK's take on the broad, fundamental questions that toddlers ask (the routine starts 2:40 into the video).

Louis CK - Why?WHY? WHY? WHY?

Email Subscriptions

So why does this course have a blog? Well, why is anything anything?

A blog (short for “web log”) is a website that works like a journal – users write posts that are sorted by date based on when they were written. You can find important course information (like assignments, due dates, reading schedules, etc.) on the blog. I’ll also be updating the blog throughout the semester, posting interesting items related to the stuff we’re currently discussing in class. I used a blog for this course last semester, and it seemed helpful. Hopefully it can benefit our course, too.

Since I’ll be updating the blog a lot throughout the semester, you should check it frequently. There are, however, some convenient ways to do this without simply going to the blog each day. The best way to do this is by getting an email subscription, so any new blog post I write automatically gets emailed to you. (You can also subscribe to the rss feed, if you know what that means.) To get an email subscription:

1. Go to http://cccethics09.blogspot.com.

2. At the main page, enter your email address at the top of the right column (under “EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION: Enter your Email”) and click the "Subscribe me!" button.

3. This will take you to a new page. Follow the directions under #2, where it says “To help stop spam, please type the text here that you see in the image below. Visually impaired or blind users should contact support by email.” Once you type the text, click the "Subscribe me!" button again.

4. You'll then get an email regarding the blog subscription. (Check your spam folder if you haven’t received an email after a day.) You have to confirm your registration. Do so by clicking on the "Click here to activate your account" link in the email you receive.

5. This will bring you to a page that says "Your subscription is confirmed!" Now you're subscribed.

If you are unsure whether you've subscribed, ask me (609-980-8367; slandis@camdencc.edu). I can check who's subscribed and who hasn't.

Course Details

Introduction to Ethics
Camden County College, Blackwood Campus
Philosophy 131, Section 02
Spring 2009
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Section 04: 9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. in Madison Hall, Room 311
Section 01: 10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. in Madison Hall, Room 311
Section 02: 11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. in Madison Hall, Room 311

Instructor: Sean Landis
Email: slandis@camdencc.edu
Phone: 609-980-8367
Course Website: http://cccethics09.blogspot.com

Required Texts
Vice & Virtue in Everyday Life, 7th Edition, Christina & Fred Sommers (VV)
Do the Right Thing, 2nd Edition, Francis J. Beckwith (DTRT)

About the Course
This course is split into two halves: theory and practice. During the first half, we will study several ethical theories that attempt to answer broad questions about the nature of morality. What are the various ways that philosophers describe the difference between things that are morally right and wrong? Are the consequences of what we do more important than the motivation behind our actions, or vice versa? Does morality require God? Are ethical theories nothing more than cultural conventions?

In the second half of the course, we will apply these theories to particular ethical problems. Topics include abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, world hunger, and animal rights. The goal of this course is to develop a philosophical understanding of what underlies moral claims and apply this understanding to our own ethical beliefs.

Grades
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
below 60% = F

Midterm 15%
Final 25%
Quizzes (2) 7.5% each (15% total)
Oral Report 15%
First Paper 5%
Second Paper 15%
Homework 5% total
Attendance/Participation 5%

Exams: There will be a midterm and a final exam. The midterm tests everything covered during the first half of the course, and will last the full period (50 minutes) on the scheduled day. The final exam is cumulative—that is, it tests everything covered throughout the whole course. The final will also last 50 minutes, and will take place during Finals Week.

Quizzes: Unlike the exams, quizzes will not be cumulative. That is, quiz #1 will test you on everything covered during the first 4 weeks of class, and quiz #2 will test you on everything covered after exam #1 (weeks 7 through 9). Quizzes will last 20 to 25 minutes, and be held at the beginning of the period on the scheduled day.

Oral Report: The oral report will be a group project presented in front of the class toward the end of the semester. Each group of 3-5 students will research a topic in ethics not discussed in class, and present a 10- to 15-minute lesson on it to the rest of class.

Papers: There will be two papers, the first a short one on ethical theory and the second a longer one on one or more of the applied topics we discuss.

Homework: Homework assignments are due at the beginning of class the day they are due.

Attendance/Participation: Most of this will be based on your attendance. If you’re there every class, you’ll get full credit for your attendance grade. Also, there will be a lot of informal group work throughout the semester. Group work can impact your attendance grade.

Extra Credit: There will be some optional extra credit assignments available throughout the semester.

Classroom Policies
Academic Integrity: Cheating and plagiarism (using someone else’s words or ideas in a paper or assignment without giving credit to the source) will not be tolerated in the class. Students found guilty of either will definitely fail the exam or assignment—and possibly the entire class. FYI: I’m pretty good at catching plagiarists. I recommend not trying it!

Excused Absenses: Make-up exams, quizzes, in-class projects, and oral reports will only be rescheduled for any excused absences (excused absences include religious observance, official college business, and illness or injury – with a doctor’s note). An unexcused absence on the day of any assignment or test will result in a zero on that assignment or test.

Important Dates
January 20th: Last day to drop a course & receive a 100% refund.
February 3rd: Last day to drop a course & receive a 50% refund.
February 10th: Last day to sign up to audit a course.
April 23rd: Last day to withdrawal from Fall Classes.

Course Schedule

January 21—23: Intro to Class/Doing Philosophy
Wednesday Introduction to Class (no reading)
Friday Intro to Doing Philosophy (no reading)

January 26—30: Arguments
Monday Understanding Arguments (no reading)
Wednesday Evaluating Arguments (group work)
Friday Are Moral Claims Facts or Opinions? (handout)

February 2—6: Relativism/Divine Command
Monday Relativism: Herodotus, Benedict (VV 134 -143)
Wednesday Relativism: Nagel (VV 174 – 178)
Friday Divine Command: Mortimer (VV 79-83)

February 9—13: Divine Command Theory/Utilitarianism
Monday QUIZ #1; Divine Command: Arthur (VV 83-91)
Wednesday Utilitarianism: Mill (VV 95-100)
Friday Utilitarianism: Williams (VV 100-107)

February 16—20: Utiliarianism/Kant
Monday Utilitarianism: group work (no reading)
Wednesday Kant’s Ethics: Kant (VV 113-123)
Friday Kant’s Ethics: group work (no reading)

February 23—27: Kant/Natural Law
Monday Kant’s Ethics: Taylor (VV 128-133)
Wednesday Natural Law: Dimock (DTRT 43-51)
Friday Natural Law: group work (reread Dimock [DTRT 43-51])

March 2—6: Virtue Ethics
Monday Virtue Ethics: Aristotle (VV 193-208)
Wednesday Virtue Ethics: Rachels (VV 251-265)
Friday Virtue Ethics: group work (catch up on the week’s readings)

March 9—13: Ethics of Care/Review
Monday Ethics of Care: Kohlberg (handout) & Gilligan (handout)
Wednesday PAPER #1 due; Ethics of Care & review for Midterm (no reading)
Friday MIDTERM

March 16—20: Spring Break
SPRING BREAK! (no class) (woo?)


March 23—27: Abortion
Monday Abortion: Warren (DTRT 183-189)
Wednesday Abortion: Schwarz (DTRT 190-202)
Friday Abortion: group work (catch up on the week’s readings)

March 30—April 3: Euthanasia
Monday Euthanasia: Rachels (DTRT 255-267)
Wednesday Euthanasia: Chamberlain (DTRT 268-276)
Friday Euthanasia: group work (catch up on the week’s readings)

April 6—10: Euthanasia/The Death Penalty
Monday Euthanasia: Quill (DTRT 284 -288)
Wednesday Death Penalty: Pojman (DTRT 361-370)
Friday Death Penalty: Bedau (DTRT 371-383)

April 13—17: The Death Penalty/Relief Aid
Monday Death Penalty: group work (catch up on readings)
Wednesday QUIZ #2; Relief Aid: Singer (VV 365-374)
Friday Relief Aid: Arthur (VV 375-380) & Shikwati (VV 381-384)

April 20—24: Relief Aid/Animal Ethics
Monday Relief Aid: group work (catch up on readings)
Wednesday work on group presentations (no reading)
Friday Animal Ethics: Rachels (VV 467-473)

April 27—May 1: Animal Ethics
Monday Animal Ethics: Scruton (VV 496-500)
Wednesday catch up day (no reading)
Friday prepare for group presentations (no reading)

May 4—8: Group Presentations
Monday group presentations
Wednesday group presentations
Friday group presentations

May 11—13: Review/Final
Monday review for Final Exam
Wednesday FINAL EXAM