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Active as of Fall Semester 2010
I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Honors Ethnics
2. Course Prefix & Number:
PHIL 2421
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 0
4. Course Description:
Course content will focus on examination of basic ethical considerations as presented in primary writings of major philosophers. Concentrated analysis of problems of good and evil and theories of human moral conduct will form the basis of writing assignments and class discussion forums.
5. Placement Tests Required:
6. Prerequisite Courses:
PHIL 2421 - Honors Ethnics
There are no prerequisites for this course.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
PHIL 2421 - Honors Ethnics
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
III. Course Purpose
Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):
|
Name of Program(s)
|
Program Type
|
|
Central Lakes College Honors Program
|
|
MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
- Goal 6 – Humanities and Fine Arts
- Goal 9 – Ethical and Civic Responsibility
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
| College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
| Demonstrate oral communication skills |
Write four argumentative essays derived from reading assignments (primary works of major philosophers) and related discussion forums (i.e. derived from topics introduced by the major philosophers). Write a term paper based on individually selected areas of ethical concern. |
| Demonstrate reading and listening skills |
Read primary works (of major philosophers) and reflect on the meaning of those works in terms of their logical strength and meaning. Formulate responses to discussion questions on issues derived from the reading assignments for students based on an accurate understanding of the principles of informal logic and the relevant philosophical underpinning. |
| Assess alternative solutions to a problem |
Accurately reconstruct the manner in which various ethical theorists would resolve controversial ethical issues. |
| Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations |
Originate solutions to resolve controversial ethical issues using premises that are warranted, sufficient and logically relevant. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
|
Expected Outcome
|
MnTC
Goal Area
|
- Examine, articulate, and apply their own ethical views.
- Understand and apply core concepts (e.g. politics, rights and obligations, justice, liberty) to specific issues.
- Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of legal, social, and scientific issues.
- Recognize the diversity of political motivations and interests of others.
- Identify ways to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
- Students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of the scope and nature of ethical investigation —“Knowledge” is here defined as the ability to recall and make factually accurate statements about course subject matter.
- Students will be able to summarize and respond to arguments formulated by philosophers studied in the course.
|
9
|
- Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in philosophical literature (a category of the humanities).
- Demonstrate an understanding of those works as expressions of individual and human values within a historical and social context.
- Respond critically to philosophical works.
- Students will be able to identify historical developmental factors and key figures involved in the evolution of philosophical ethical thought.
- Students will be able to summarize and respond to arguments formulated by philosophers studied in the course.
|
6
|
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
|
INTRO: What is Ethics?
|
|
Are Morals Relative?
- Classical Moral Relativism
- Problems for Classical Moral Relativism
- Moral Realism and Moral Pluralism
|
|
Egoism
- The Nature of Egoistic Thinking
- Contrasting Psychological Egoism and Moral Egoism
- Arguments in Opposition to Ethical Egoism
- Arguments in Support of Ethical Egoism
- Case Studies Using Ethical Egoism
|
|
Divine Command
- The Nature of Religion
- Contrasting Religions and Natural Law
- Arguments in Opposition to Divine Command Theory
- Arguments in Support of Divine Command Theory
- Case studies
|
|
Utilitarianism
- Historical Background
- The Principle of Utility
- Act-Utilitarianism and Rule-Utilitarianism
- Arguments in Support of Utilitarianism as a Normative Theory
- Critique of Utilitarianism as an Ethical Theory
- Case Studies Using Utilitarianism
|
|
Kantian Moral Theory
- Historical Background
- The Categorical Imperative: Universalization
- The Categorical Imperative: End-Means Principle
- Arguments in Support of Kantian Ethical Theory
- Critique of Kantian Ethical Theory
- Case Studies Using Kantian Theory
|
|
Rights Ethics
- Historical Background
- The Meaning and Basis of the Social Contract
- Arguments in Support of Social Contract
- Critique of Social Contract
- Case Studies using selected theories.
|
|
Virtue Ethics
- Historical Background
- The Meaning and Basis of Virtue Ethics: Philosophical and Religious
- Arguments in Support of Virtue Ethics
- Critique of Virtue Ethics
- Case Studies Using Virtue, Utilitarian and Duty Ethics
|
I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Honors Ethnics
2. Course Prefix & Number:
PHIL 2421
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 0
4. Course Description:
Course content will focus on examination of basic ethical considerations as presented in primary writings of major philosophers. Concentrated analysis of problems of good and evil and theories of human moral conduct will form the basis of writing assignments and class discussion forums.
5. Placement Tests Required:
6. Prerequisite Courses:
PHIL 2421 - Honors Ethnics
There are no prerequisites for this course.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
PHIL 2421 - Honors Ethnics
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
III. Course Purpose
1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course fulfills a requirement for the following program(s):
|
Name of Program(s)
|
Program Type
|
|
Central Lakes College Honors Program
|
|
2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
- Goal 6 – Humanities and Fine Arts
- Goal 9 – Ethical and Civic Responsibility
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
| College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
| Demonstrate oral communication skills |
Write four argumentative essays derived from reading assignments (primary works of major philosophers) and related discussion forums (i.e. derived from topics introduced by the major philosophers). Write a term paper based on individually selected areas of ethical concern. |
| Demonstrate reading and listening skills |
Read primary works (of major philosophers) and reflect on the meaning of those works in terms of their logical strength and meaning. Formulate responses to discussion questions on issues derived from the reading assignments for students based on an accurate understanding of the principles of informal logic and the relevant philosophical underpinning. |
| Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations |
Originate solutions to resolve controversial ethical issues using premises that are warranted, sufficient and logically relevant. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
|
Expected Outcome
|
MnTC
Goal Area
|
- Examine, articulate, and apply their own ethical views.
- Understand and apply core concepts (e.g. politics, rights and obligations, justice, liberty) to specific issues.
- Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of legal, social, and scientific issues.
- Recognize the diversity of political motivations and interests of others.
- Identify ways to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
- Students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of the scope and nature of ethical investigation —“Knowledge” is here defined as the ability to recall and make factually accurate statements about course subject matter.
- Students will be able to summarize and respond to arguments formulated by philosophers studied in the course.
|
9
|
- Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in philosophical literature (a category of the humanities).
- Demonstrate an understanding of those works as expressions of individual and human values within a historical and social context.
- Respond critically to philosophical works.
- Students will be able to identify historical developmental factors and key figures involved in the evolution of philosophical ethical thought.
- Students will be able to summarize and respond to arguments formulated by philosophers studied in the course.
|
6
|
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
|
INTRO: What is Ethics?
|
|
Are Morals Relative?
- Classical Moral Relativism
- Problems for Classical Moral Relativism
- Moral Realism and Moral Pluralism
|
|
Egoism
- The Nature of Egoistic Thinking
- Contrasting Psychological Egoism and Moral Egoism
- Arguments in Opposition to Ethical Egoism
- Arguments in Support of Ethical Egoism
- Case Studies Using Ethical Egoism
|
|
Divine Command
- The Nature of Religion
- Contrasting Religions and Natural Law
- Arguments in Opposition to Divine Command Theory
- Arguments in Support of Divine Command Theory
- Case studies
|
|
Utilitarianism
- Historical Background
- The Principle of Utility
- Act-Utilitarianism and Rule-Utilitarianism
- Arguments in Support of Utilitarianism as a Normative Theory
- Critique of Utilitarianism as an Ethical Theory
- Case Studies Using Utilitarianism
|
|
Kantian Moral Theory
- Historical Background
- The Categorical Imperative: Universalization
- The Categorical Imperative: End-Means Principle
- Arguments in Support of Kantian Ethical Theory
- Critique of Kantian Ethical Theory
- Case Studies Using Kantian Theory
|
|
Rights Ethics
- Historical Background
- The Meaning and Basis of the Social Contract
- Arguments in Support of Social Contract
- Critique of Social Contract
- Case Studies using selected theories.
|
|
Virtue Ethics
- Historical Background
- The Meaning and Basis of Virtue Ethics: Philosophical and Religious
- Arguments in Support of Virtue Ethics
- Critique of Virtue Ethics
- Case Studies Using Virtue, Utilitarian and Duty Ethics
|