MIAMI DADE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
KENDALL CAMPUS
ARTS & PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT
PHI 2604
CRITICAL THINKING/ETHICS
3 CREDITS
Reference #: Class#6018, Section#0030
Time: TR 2:05 –3:20pm, Room M237
Instructor: Dr. Mark Neunder
Office: M 310
Semester/Year: 2016-1, Term 2167
Phone: 305-237-2652
Office Hours: As posted on office door and webpage
E-mail:
Webpage: http://faculty.mdc.edu/mneunder/
Course Description: This is a foundation course in philosophy. Students will learn critical thinking skills and will study major theories of ethics. Students will use methods of effective reasoning to reflect critically upon their values, ethical standards, and the ethical permissibility of topics such as euthanasia, animal rights, and environmental ethics. Prerequisite: ENC 1101.
Course Mechanics: Class time will be spent discussing the topic material designated for that day by the lesson plan. The discussion will be directed toward clarifying the major issues of the subject matter and will presume that the student has already read the assigned material. It is imperative that students be prepared for each class discussion not only to get the most out of the class but also to contribute their own insights and criticisms and thereby demonstrate their depth of comprehension and critical capacities.
Purpose: The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to both the methods of critical thinking and of applied ethics as well as the fundamental theories of ethics. Students need to understand the basic techniques of critical reasoning and of ethical deliberation.
How does this course advance/fit the College mission? Because this is a course in philosophy, it necessarily requires that students become acquainted with the perennial questions of ethics that have been treated in the history of Western culture. Beyond that, students will learn to sharpen their reasoning skills, analytic as well as synthetic thinking, and writing abilities and communication skills. It is precisely this kind of breadth of knowledge and intellectual maturity that is expected of college graduates.
Attendance and make-ups:
1. Consecutive absence of 3 or more days may result in removal from class roll.
2. There will be no make-ups for quizzes missed.
3. A documented emergency will be dealt with on an individual basis; documents must be submitted within two weeks of the date of the class missed. Vacations are not excused.
Disability Statement: Students with documented special learning needs are asked to have the Access Department inform the instructor so that accommodations can be made when necessary for testing, note taking, or paper writing.
Drops/Incompletes: If students are unable to continue the course, they must notify the instructor. It is their responsibility to fill out an official withdrawal form with the Registrar’s office. If they are absent for 3 or more consecutive days, they may be purged from the class roll and receive an instructor withdrawal.
Incompletes are generally not given; emergencies will be dealt with on an individual basis and only in lieu of one major piece of coursework being unfinished.
Writing Across the Curriculum Component: Students will be required to write regular essay quizzes commenting on philosophical issues raised in the readings. These essays will involve close readings of the text as well as critical reflection upon them.
Skills Component: As with any philosophy class, there will be heavy emphasis on clear articulation skills, the ability to reason and justify one’s own assertions, and to see the implications and ramifications of theoretical positions. Developing these skills will be a major focus of the course and, indeed, will be necessary for passing the course.
Objectives: It is the objective of this course to acquaint the student with ethics by giving them a deeper appreciation of social controversies. It is also an objective to develop the student’s critical thinking skills so as to evaluate claims made in business, politics, ethics, and other cultural areas. More generally, it is the aim of this course to familiarize students with the discipline of philosophy, its ubiquitous presence in all areas of reflective human experience and the value of the examined life. Finally, it is the aim of this class to equip students with the tools necessary to make informed and intelligent judgments. Students will need to hone their skills as both analytic and synthetic reasoners as well as their observation and communication skills. This course will involve experiencing, thinking, talking and ultimately writing about philosophical issues.
Learning Methods: The course will be primarily lecture and discussion in format. Students will learn reasoning skills in debates with the instructor. They will learn close reading skills through essay quizzes on the readings. Students will be tested on comprehension of lecture material on the exams. Lastly, they will exercise their own philosophical and reasoning skills in all these modes.
Academic Integrity: You are expected to adhere to the policies of academic integrity as outlined in the Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Violation of the policies will result in disciplinary action also outlined in the handbook. Cheating may result in an automatic F for the course.
Grading and Evaluation:
Essay Quizzes: During the first fifteen minutes of class there may be a written essay quiz on the reading assigned for that day. Students must write in answer to at least one of the quiz questions. A total of 20 quizzes will be given; together, they will count for 20% of the final grade. Essay length must be at least ½ of a standard loose-leaf sheet; when a quiz is announced, talking must cease, reading must stop, with only a single piece of paper on the desk; otherwise, the student will receive a zero for the quiz. Lateness, and skipping class, which causes you to miss the quizzes, will adversely affect your grade.
Exams: There will be two multiple-choice exams, a mid-term and a final, based on the lecture notes, and only the lecture notes. Each will be worth 40% of the final grade. The final exam is not cumulative.
Extra Credit: There is NO extra credit.
Grading Scale:
A = 90-100 D = 60-69
B = 80-89 F = below 60
C = 70-79
Measures of Evaluations (ongoing feedback to the student): This will be done through regular essay quizzes on the readings, which will be returned at the next class meeting. Exams will also be returned at the class meeting immediately following the exam day.
CLASSROOM RULES:
1. All students must come to class prepared with their own books and materials. In the interest of fairness to all students who desire a classroom environment conducive to learning, no students will be allowed to share books. If students come to class without their own books, they must not infringe upon the rights of those who do come prepared.
2. All cell phones, and ipods, must be turned off prior to class.
3. You may NOT be late to exam.
COURSE COMPETENCIES:
Competency 1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the principles of critical thinking by:
1. Defining key vocabulary terms relating to critical thinking.
2. Identifying the structure of arguments.
3. Applying various logical techniques to evaluate ethical issues
such as those found in professional ethics, medical ethics, or
environmental ethics.
4. Identifying various examples of logical fallacies.
Competency 2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of ethics by:
1. Defining key vocabulary terms relating to ethics.
2. Identifying and explaining issues in meta-ethics such as moral
realism, relativism or skepticism.
3. Identifying and explaining issues in normative ethics such as
Kantianism, utilitarianism, or hedonism.
4. Identifying and explaining issues in applied ethics such as the
various positions on such as euthanasia, animal rights, and
environmental ethics.
5. Describing different theoretical frameworks for resolving
ethical dilemmas.
Competency 3: The student will apply critical thinking to the study of ethics
by:
1. Examining and evaluating arguments for and against various
ethical issues that arise in society, such as those found in
professional ethics, medical ethics, or environmental ethics.
2. Examining and evaluating the arguments for and against the
positions and theories discussed.
3. Applying personal values and ethical standards to the issues
discussed and defending these views with philosophical arguments.
COURSE OUTLINE: PHI 2604 16-1 (2167) #6018 TR 2:05 -3:20 M237
Texts: (1) The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 8th edition, by James & Stuart Rachels, McGraw Hill, 2014
(2) The Right Thing to Do, 7th edition, by James & Stuart Rachels, McGraw Hill, 2014
(3) A Rulebook for Arguments, 4th edition, by Anthony Weston, Hackett, 2009
Websites: As indicated in the reading outline below; links available at: http://faculty.mdc.edu/mneunder/
This schedule is subject to change by the instructor.
Aug 23: Introduction
25: Moral Theory: EMP Cultural Relativism 15-32
30: Moral Theory: EMP Subjectivism 33-48
Sep 1: Moral Theory: EMP Egoism 64-81
6: Moral Theory: EMP Religion 49-63; RA xi-xiv
8: Moral Theory: EMP Utilitarianism 99-125
13: Moral Theory: EMP Kantianism 126-146
15: Sexual Ethics: Smith: http://www.goodmorals.org/smith5.htm
20: Sexual Ethics: Soble: http://www.iep.utm.edu/s/sexualit.htm
22: Gay Marriage: Lee, George, and Bradley: Marriage and Procreation:
Part One: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2638
Part Two: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2011/03/2637
RTD: Sullivan 276-7
27: Abortion: RTD Marquis 99-105; RA 1-7
29: Abortion: Sagan/Druyan: http://www.2think.org/abortion.shtml
Part 2 http://www.2think.org/sagan_abortion.shtml
Part 3 http://www.2think.org/carl_sagan_abortion.shtml
Part 4 http://www.2think.org/science_abortion.shtml
Oct 4: Abortion: RTD Warren 87-98; RA 9-17
6: Euthanasia: RTD Gay-Williams: 353-357; RA 19-30
11: Euthanasia: RTD Rachels 348-352; RA 31-36
13: Review
18: MIDTERM EXAM
20: Death Penalty: RTD Pojman 182-190
25: Death Penalty: RTD Bright 191-203
27: Drugs: Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization:
http://www.justice.gov/dea/pr/multimedia-library/publications/speaking_out.pdf (2-14)
RA 81-86
Nov 1: Drugs: RTD Huemer 255-266
3: World Hunger: Hardin:
http://www.garretthardinsociety.org/articles/art_lifeboat_ethics_case_against_helping_poor.html
8: World Hunger: RTD Singer 154-163; RA 37-47
10: Animals: RTD Machan 141-152
15: Animals: RTD Singer 123-132; Norcross 133-140
17: Cloning: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cloning/
22: Cloning: RTD Robertson 365-371; RA 73-79
29: Genetic Engineering: Sandel, The Case against Perfection:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/04/the-case-against-perfection/2927/
Dec 1: Genetic Engineering: Singer: Shopping at the Genetic Supermarket: http://www.utilitarian.net/singer/by/2003----.htm
6: Review
8: FINAL EXAM
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