PHIL 2306 0400 - INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

Introduction

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Course Title:

Introduction to Ethics

Course Prefix & Number: 

PHIL2306

Section Number: 

 

Semester/Year:

FA 21

Semester Credit Hours:

3

Lecture Hours:

3

Lab Hours:

0

Course Description (NCTC Catalog):

The systematic evaluation of classical and/or contemporary ethical theories concerning the good life, human conduct in society, morals, and standards of value.

Course Prerequisite(s): None

Required Course Materials:

Morgan, Michael. Classics of Moral and Political Theory.  5th edition.  Hackett Publishing Company.  ISBN 13-978-1-60384-442-0
             

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:

Dr. Jack O’Connor

Campus/Office Location:

COR 337

Telephone Number:

940-498-6258

E-mail Address:

joconnor@nctc.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

TBA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

 

Read, analyze, and critique philosophical texts.

 

Define and appropriately use important terms such as relativism, virtue, duty, rights, utilitarianism, natural law, egoism, altruism, autonomy, and care ethics.

 

Demonstrate knowledge of major arguments and problems in ethics.

 

Present and discuss well-reasoned ethical positions in writing.

 

Apply ethical concepts and principles to address moral concerns.

 

Apply course material to various aspects of life.

 

Discuss ways of living responsibly in a world where people have diverse ethical beliefs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements

Graded Course Elements

Percentage or Point Values

 

Your grade will be drawn from three things in this course:  Reading Quizzes, Papers, and a Final Exam.  The Reading Quizzes (RQ’s) will be given online in advance of our discussion on a given reading.  They are open book and the questions are aimed at a literal, reading comprehension level and so are more about what the text says rather than interpreting it.  There will be 10 RQ’s and I will drop 2 of them – so everyone can miss 2.  Since everyone gets two “freebies” please don’t ask me to open them back up if you miss them.  There will also be two Papers in the course, which will be about 3-5 pages in length, one due halfway through the semester, the other toward the end.  Part of your Paper grade will be an outline which I will have you turn in before the Paper is due.  More details will be provided later as well as a rubric.  Lastly, there will be a Final Exam during Exam Week.  Here is the breakdown of your grade:

RQ’s = 30% (10 total, with 2 dropped)

Papers = 50% (half of it is your outline)

Final Exam = 20%

A = 90-99, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = 0-32, Plagiarized Papers = F as 0 (zero)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

 

Part A – Orientation and Intro

Plato, The Apology (p.46-63)

* Socrates' defense speech in his trial, in which he discusses the difference between LIFE and the GOOD LIFE, as well as the role of philosophy in to that end

Part B – Ancient Ethics

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics BK I, II (p.255-273)

  • Ethics is a search for what is “good” and how to behave to achieve it. For this reason, analyzing and understanding “good” is actually a complex and difficult exercise – especially when we think of a universal human good that should serve to motivate our actions.  Aristotle defines human good and how to attain it

Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus & Doctrines (p.422-429)

  • This passage prescribes a simple and self-sufficient life of reason as the foundation for ethical action

Epictetus, Enchiridion (p.430-442)

  • This work is an example of Stoic ethics which holds that unemotionally looking at the world as it truly is and not being deluded by our wants and desires is the key to being good and happy

Part C – Medieval Ethics

Augustine, City of God (p.445-457)

  • Augustine was the first great Christian ethicist, and his understanding of “good” is related to God

Aquinas, Summa Theologica Q 90-96 (p.463-485)

  • Aquinas, a Christian monk, built on Augustine’s ideas and focused on the role of law in ethics

Part D – Modern Ethics

Machiavelli, The Prince 15-23 (p.534-549)

  • This work diverges from ancient and medieval ideals of rational or spiritual self-disciple and roots “ethics” in practical things especially power

Hume, Treatise on Human Nature (p.803-825)

  • This perspective is from a foundation of human nature, that we are essentially emotional not rational, and that ethics comes from “sentiment” rather than rational argument

Mill, On Utility (p.1069-1082)

  • This is work conceives of the good as what is useful to creating human happiness – but how we define “happiness” is crucial

Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality (p.1253-1265)

  • This work presents two types of ethics – one based on a strong “will to power” and the other based on a weak will. The stronger should dominate in a “good” society.

 

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.    Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy:

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is _____Nov 1__________.

 

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

 

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______       

 

o        Communication

o        Mathematics              

o        Life and Physical Science

X         Language, Philosophy & Culture

o        Creative Arts

 

o        Government/Political Science

o        Social and Behavioral Sciences

o        Component Area Option

o        American History

 

 

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)

 

X          Critical Thinking

X                Communication

o             Empirical and Quantitative

 

o             Teamwork

X                Personal Responsibility

X                Social Responsibility

 

COURSE TYPE

                  Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

X          Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

o        WECM Course

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”. 

Academic Integrity:  I believe that education serves a higher purpose and as such, I take plagiarism very seriously, and will penalize students who commit it with the full extent of NCTC policy.  I do not tolerate plagiarism because education is about “turning souls toward the truth,” as Plato explains in the Republic, and so my purpose is to open students to a higher truth.  Hence this course is a public service aimed at enlightening citizens in this republic.  Plagiarism disrespects this important mission.  I believe that the role of education is crucial to a free republic, and is about nurturing the intellect so that citizens can appreciate the Artes Liberalis (the arts of a freeperson). Thus education is about helping people to think beyond the practical and to make them aware of less obvious truths essential for a democracy; it is not something to be simply gotten through as easily as possible.  For this reason, scholastic dishonesty demonstrates that one does not care for the true value of education, but cares only for a grade, and is therefore cheating not only him or herself, but also the other students and the taxpayers of the State of Texas and Cook County who have provided the resources for students to be educated.  So, to discourage this fraudulent behavior, I will not hesitate to enforce all available consequences open to us in punishing instances of scholastic dishonesty.  You will receive a "1" (out of either 10 or 20) on the assignment in the first instance as a code for me to recognize, and I will submit a Scholastic Dishonesty Report Form (see the first module for the form) to inform the Registrar’s Office. 


Plagiarism is the appropriating of another person’s ideas or words without giving them credit.  Here is NCTC’s official definition: “Plagiarism” shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work.  Generally, in my courses, this has been copying and pasting passages from internet sources and submitting them in essays.  In this course I want you ONLY to use OUR TEXT.  You should not consult other sources except for supplemental purposes.  So, even if you do cite that places that you obtained passages from, and thereby do not plagiarize, I will still penalize the submission.  The point is this:  I want YOU to engage with the material, struggle with it, dialogue with me and others, and internalize the ideas so that YOUR mind grows.  I am not interested in your ability to google things.  In the same way that you cannot cheat your body by not doing the exercises that you are supposed to do, you cannot cheat your mind of its necessary exercises – to do so makes one weak, either physically or mentally.

 

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS

Name of Chair/Coordinator:

Crystal R.M. Wright

Office Location:

Gainesville Campus, Room 824

Telephone Number:

940-668-7731, ext. 4320

E-mail Address:

cwright@nctc.edu

Name of Instructional Dean:

Sara Flusche

Office Location:

Gainesville Campus, 1300 Building, Room 1312

Telephone Number:

940-668-3351

E-mail Address:

sflusche@nctc.edu

 

COVID-19 Specific Syllabi Statements Fall 2021

 

Syllabi statement regarding potential Conversion of Onsite Classes to Online/Remote Format: North Central Texas College students should be aware that in the event of a college closure due to COVID-19 or other health related crisis, onsite classes will be converted to an online/remote format. Students should plan ahead to ensure they have access to the computer equipment (either PC, MAC, or tablet), webcam, and internet connectivity to continue their classes in an online/remote format. Please read all your official North Central Texas College student emails as the transition from onsite to online/remote might require a reorganization in your personal situation. Students will be granted a 72-hour transition and grace period. Online classes will continue as scheduled without disruption. Contact your Instructor as the situation arises. These policies and procedures were updated on July 27, 2021 and are subject to change as conditions change.

 

Syllabi Statement Regarding Face Coverings: Per the North Central Texas College guidance on face coverings on campus, in the instructional setting, faculty and students are not required to wear face coverings, such as masks or face shields. In May, Texas Governor Gregg Abbott released an Executive Order prohibiting Government entities from mandating the use of masks. As a political subdivision of the State of Texas, NCTC will follow the Governor’s Executive Order for Government entities and effective immediately NCTC is no longer mandating the use of masks while on campus. This order does not mean that you cannot choose to wear a mask, rather it is no longer allowed to be mandated. These policies and procedures were updated on May 19, 2021 and are subject to change.

 

Return to Standard Attendance Protocol for Face-to-Face Meetings: In spring 2020, we faced an unprecedented situation in which all of us had to be flexible and make prudent decisions in the best interest of our families, our campus, and our community. In light of this, North Central Texas College is temporarily establishing the requirement that faculty keep records of student attendance for face-to-face course meetings as well as a documented seating chart. In addition, students who are sick or need to quarantine should not attend classes. Students will not be required to provide formal documentation from a health care provider and will not be penalized for COVID-19 related absences when proper notification to campus health officials is made in accordance with the guidelines stated below.

 

Faculty will:

 

  • Notify students about important course information and delivery changes through Canvas and campus email.

 

Students should:

  • Provide notification to campus officials if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have to quarantine so we can confirm reported absence with instructors, monitor, and assist the campus community.
  • Notify instructors in advance of the absence.
  • Connect with that class through Webex if the class session is being transmitted in a hybrid fashion.
  • Keep up with and/or make up missed classwork or assignments.
  • Submit assignments digitally through Canvas or other means as announced by your instructor.
  • Work with their instructors to reschedule exams, labs, and other critical academic activities described in the course syllabus.
  • Check Canvas and campus email daily to receive important announcements pertaining to the course.

During the fall 2021 semester, faculty with face-to-face meetings will establish assigned seating/work stations to facilitate roll-taking, and, if necessary, contact tracing. Additionally, we ask all members of the College community to be attentive to their health, and safeguard others, by following the CDC’s guideline to “stay home when you are sick.” You should stay home if you have symptoms. More information on what to do if you are sick is available at the CDC’s website.

Additional NCTC information is available at http://www.nctc.edu/coronavirus/index.html

 

 

Syllabus File(s)

There are no Handouts for this set.