Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
2015-01-30, 11:29 AM
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE • EUROPE • SYLLABUS •
PHIL 140 E122 CONTEMPORARY MORAL ISSUES (2152) PHIL-140 Spring 2015 Section E122 3 Credits 01/13/2015 to 03/05/2015 Modified 01/30/2015
CLASS SUMMARY T TH 06:00:00 PM 09:00:00 PM
FACULTY CONTACT Sheena Chamberlin
[email protected]
COURSE DESCRIPTION An exploration of how philosophical analysis can serve as a foundation for thinking clearly about moral issues. The aim is to offer rational argument about ethical problems. Problems analyzed include such widely debated issues as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, homosexuality, pornography, reverse discrimination, business ethics, sexual equality, and economic equity. Students may receive credit for only one of the following courses: HUMN 300 or PHIL 140.
COURSE INTRODUCTION PHIL 140 will help you develop your ability to identify and distinguish different types of moral problems and offer justifiable solutions to those problems. You will combine examination of current and historical moral principles with engagement with issues that are currently morally important. You will have the opportunity to discuss your findings in detail in the conferences. You will also get practice in working out your views in a rationally justifiable manner in weekly essays. In this course, we will emphasize the development of critical thinking skills. These skills will help you formulate your views clearly; back them up with facts, evidence, and sound moral principles; and organize them in a logically coherent manner. https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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COURSE OUTCOMES After completing this course, the student should be able to: 1. Select a moral issue, consider and fairly state opposing views on this issue and offer a clear argument in support of one of those views 2. Comprehend moral theories using logical analysis, in order to better understand complex real world moral issues, and 3. Use the elements of philosophical reasoning to identity and analyze a moral issue in the local community, to show the relevance of philosophical thinking to everyday life.
COURSE MATERIALS Click to access your course materials information (https://webtext.europe.umuc.edu/)
CLASS GUIDELINES Preparation For an eight-week course, students should expect to spend about six hours per week in class discussion and activities (online or on-site) and two to three times that number of hours outside the class in study, assigned reading, and preparation of assignments. Classroom Management Instructor will maintain an active presence in the classroom, visiting and participating in discussions at least every other day. Extra Credit No extra credit will be given in this class. Late Assignments Assignments may be accepted late at the discretion of the professor. If an assignment is accepted late, a point penalty will be applied of 5% per day. Supplemental Materials NA Contacting your Faculty Member You can use the Pager feature within the classroom to send a message to your faculty member.
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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Click the Classroom Walkthrough Videos link below, and then click The Pager link, to view a how-to video on how to use the Pager function within the classroom: Classroom Walkthrough Videos Link (https://learn.umuc.edu/content/Classroom%20Walkthrough/Class roomWalkthroughToC.html) Within the Content section of your classroom, view the Start Here section or Additional Course Information section within the Syllabus to learn more about contacting your faculty member. Advice for Student Success This course may be your first online course experience. A certain amount of uncertainty and frustration is to be expected during the first weeks as you learn to use the technology. It's important you recognize that this online classroom retains many of the requirements of the traditional classroom, such as lectures, class discussions, assignments, and required readings, while offering you greater control over your time as well as access to the all instructional resources available through the World Wide Web. Please always remember that the course is tied to an academic calendar, with weekly required activities, clear due dates for assignments, and an end to the term. Even if you are an experienced online student, this may be your first experience with the eight-week term. Please keep in mind that these courses are still just as intensive as they were in the longer format, so you should plan on having twice as much work to do each week and adjust your schedule accordingly. In addition to being more fast-moving than the previous format, the eight-week classes will hit the ground running, so plan accordingly. It's important to avoid falling behind in any given week. If you do find yourself running into a scheduling problem, contact your instructor immediately. If your time is limited, you need to be very self-disciplined as a class member. Be prepared to visit the online classroom daily and to fulfill each of the assignments your instructor requires. During your preparation time outside the classroom, study the readings carefully and engage in any research or writing activities assigned. And of course, avoid the temptation to procrastinate: not preparing for or not logging in to class regularly, or postponing large projects until the end of the term, will almost certainly lead to unnecessary stress later and probably be reflected in your final grade. Although online courses do retain many of the same schedules and requirements of a classroom-based course, there are some important differences. In an asynchronous course such as this one, class members may literally be scattered around the world, and instructors and students are not simultaneously logged in to the class. The class discussions deserve your particular attention, as you'll have the time to contribute in a thoughtful and reflective manner. Your instructor will log in regularly to respond to e-mail and to grade submitted assignments as well as to upload course materials. He or she will inform you of the planned schedule for the term and if any changes are necessary. Instructors are not online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and need time to read and grade assignments before returning them to you. Please be patient and any questions you might ask will be answered and your work graded. Submission of Original Work
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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All work submitted must be written for this course during the term in which the course is being completed. Work from other courses or from other academic or non-academic settings, past or present, is not acceptable and may be subject to immediate failure. No opportunities for resubmission or revision will be granted. When assignments involve research, students may make reference to work originally submitted for other courses or other settings. If students wish to submit extensively revised or expanded work previously submitted in this or another course, they must obtain the approval of the class instructor in advance. Turnitin.com UMUC has a license agreement with Turnitin, an educational tool that helps identify and prevent plagiarism from Internet resources. Your instructor may use the service in class by requiring you to submit assignments electronically to Turnitin, by submitting assignments on your behalf, or by providing the option for you to check your own work via Turnitin for originality. The Turnitin Originality Report will indicate the amount of original text in your work and whether all the material that you quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or used from other sources is appropriately referenced. If you or your instructor submits all or part of your assignment to the Turnitin service, Turnitin will by default store that assignment in its database. The service will check for any matches between your work and the other materials stored in Turnitin's database. If you object to the long-term storage of your work in the Turnitin database, you must let your instructor know no later than one week after the start of class. You have three options regarding the storage of your assignment in the Turnitin database: You can do nothing; your assignment will then be stored in the Turnitin database for the duration of UMUC's contract with Turnitin. You can ask your instructor to have Turnitin store your assignment only for the duration of the term or term; then have your assignment deleted from the Turnitin database once the class is over. You can ask your instructor to change the Turnitin settings so that your assignment is not stored in the Turnitin database at all. Please note: Your instructor may use other services in addition to or in place of Turnitin to check your work for plagiarism. Plagiarism Prevention Assignment All students are required to complete the Plagiarism Prevention Assignment by the end of Week 1. Students can find the assignment by clicking on the "Content" tab in the course toolbar, then by going to "Course Content" and finally click on Week 1, where the assignment will be located. This is a pass/fail assignment and does not have a point value toward the students final grade. Eight-Week Class Schedule
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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This three-credit course is offered on an intensive eight-week class schedule. It covers material appropriate to any three-credit university course, be it 10-, 12-, or 14-weeks long. The UMUC accelerated eight-week schedule requires that learners remain engaged throughout the course. This is not a “correspondence course,” in which learners might post material at the last possible moment with no expectation of their work being critiqued by peers. Here, discussions are designed to be interactive, and learners should participate online throughout the week (and not just on weekends), to allow course members ample time to read each other’s work and respond to it. Modern Language Association Style (MLA) In past writing courses, you’ve likely been introduced to the fundamentals of research writing and to different forms of bibliographic and note citation, for example the MLA style, as developed by the Modern Language Association. For assistance with developing your paper and also using the MLA style, consult the following sites: http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/onlineguide/index.cfm (http://www.umuc.edu/writingcen ter/onlineguide/index.cfm) http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/mla_examples.cfm (http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow /mla_examples.cfm) http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch08_o.html (http://bcs.bedfordstmartins .com/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch08_o.html) https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/res ource/747/01/) What Is the EWC? The Effective Writing Center (http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter) (EWC) provides online services and resources for helping you to improve your writing. How Do I Use the EWC? You can submit any piece of writing to the EWC (http://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/writingadvising/su bmityourpaper.cfm) for feedback by a trained, experienced writing advisor. Information and Library Services Information and Library Services (ILS) provides access to a vast array of library resources and services to UMUC students in order to meet their research needs. Full-text access to a wealth of journal and newspaper articles as well as book chapters and some complete books is offered via 110 databases (ht tp://www.umuc.edu/library/database/) in a wide variety of topic areas. ILS is here to help you to be academically successful! ILS offers a variety of contact methods via the As k a Librarian (http://www.umuc.edu/library/help/ask.shtml) service to provide assistance to students worldwide including 24/7 e-mail and chat as well as telephone, instant messaging, and walk-in during regularly-scheduled hours.
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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UMUC Online Resources Assignment This assignment is due before your final paper and will orient you to the UMUC online library, and resources necessary to complete your papers.
GRADING INFORMATION Grading Information and Criteria This course consists of the following graded items: Plagiarism Prevention Assignment
Pass/Fail
UMUC Online Resources Assignment
Pass/Fail
Discussion Participation/Attendance
40%
Midterm Paper
20%
Final project
40%
Total
100%
The grading scale, based on 100 points, is as follows: A=
90-100
B=
80-89
C=
70-79
D=
60-69
F=
0-59
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS More detailed and specific instructions regarding assignments for this course will be provided within the course classroom. Plagiarism Prevention Assignment
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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Before your work can be graded, your plagiarism prevention assignment must be submitted. You will find the description of the assignment in this classroom under Week 1. This is a pass/fail assignment and no points will be added to your final grade, however it must be completed to receive a grade on your papers. UMUC Online Resources Assignment Before your papers can be graded, you must complete this assignment, which orients you to the UMUC online library. This is a pass/fail assignment and no points will be added to your final grade, however it must be completed to receive a grade on your papers Participation (Discussions/Attendance) Students are expected to participate actively in class discussions, and attend all classes. In class writing assignments, and homework assignments will also be counted towards this grade (see class schedule). Midterm Paper The midterm paper is worth 20% of the final grade. Students must write a formal paper in response a prompt that will be provided by the faculty (other topics are allowed, if approved by the instructor). Length: 3-5 pages, double spaced. Final Project (in 3 parts) Part 1: Topic Selection Isolate a moral issue in your local community. You may find this in a number of ways, including direct experience in your local community, a local newspaper, local radio, etc. Part 2: Paper Development In no more than one page, provide the following paper overview: 1. State the position you will support. 2. Sketch the relevant background for the issue. 3. Sketch the argument you will make in the paper that supports your position. Mention authors/ideas/theories we have explored in this course that you will use in the final composition. 4. Give at least one objection that an opponent to your position may offer and sketch briefly how you will respond. Part 3: Final Composition The Guidelines for the Final Composition will be given in the classroom. Length: 6-10 pages, double spaced (not including title page and bibliography).
ACADEMIC POLICIES https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Academic Policies and Guidelines ACADEMIC INTEGRITY As a member of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) academic community that honors integrity and respect for others you are expected to maintain a high level of personal integrity in your academic work at all times. Your work should be original and must not be reused in other courses. CLASSROOM CIVILITY Students are expected to work together cooperatively, and treat fellow students and faculty with respect, showing professionalism and courtesy in all interactions. Please review the Code of Civility for more guidance on interacting in UMUC classrooms: http://www.umuc.edu/students/support/studentlife/ conduct/code.cfm (http://www.umuc.edu/students/support/studentlife/conduct/code.cfm). POLICIES AND PROCEDURES UMUC is committed to ensuring that all individuals are treated equally according to Policy 040.30 Affirm ative Action, Equal Opportunity, and Sexual Harassment (http://www.umuc.edu/policies/adminpolicies/a dmin04030.cfm). Students with disabilities who need accommodations in a course are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) at
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected] du), or call 800-888-UMUC (8682) or 240-684-2287 (tel:240-684-2287). The following academic policies and procedures apply to this course and your studies at UMUC. 150.25
Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism (http://www.umuc.edu/policies/academicpolicie s/aa15025.cfm) – UMUC defines academic dishonesty as the failure to maintain academic integrity. All charges of academic dishonesty will be brought in accordance with this Policy. Note: Your instructor may use Turnitin.com, an educational tool that helps identify and prevent plagiarism from Internet resources, by requiring you to submit assignments electronically. To learn more about the tool and options regarding the storage of your assignment in the Turnitin database go to: http://www.umuc.edu/librar y/libresources/turnitin.cfm (http://www.umuc.edu/library/libresources/turnitin.cfm). The following policies describe the requirements for the award of each degree:
Degree Completion Requirements for the Graduate School (http://www.umuc.edu/poli cies/academicpolicies/aa17040.cfm) 170.40 170.41 170.42
Degree Completion Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree (http://www.umuc.edu/poli cies/academicpolicies/aa17041.cfm) Degree Completion Requirements for an Associate’s Degree (http://www.umuc.edu/p olicies/academicpolicies/aa17042.cfm)
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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170.71
Policy on Grade of Incomplete (http://www.umuc.edu/policies/academicpolicies/aa17 071.cfm) - The grade of I is exceptional and only considered for students who have completed 60% of their coursework with a grade of B or better for graduate courses or C or better for undergraduate courses and request an I before the end of the term.
170.72
Course Withdrawal Policy (http://www.umuc.edu/policies/academicpolicies/aa17072. cfm) - Students must follow drop and withdrawal procedures and deadlines available at http://www.umuc.edu/ (http://www.umuc.edu/) under Academic Calendar.
130.80
Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading (http://www.umuc. edu/policies/academicpolicies/aa13080.cfm) – appeals may be made on final course grades as described herein.
205.06
Calculation Of Grade-Point Average (GPA) for Inclusion on Transcripts and Transcript Requests (http://www.umuc.edu/policies/academicpolicies/aa20506.cfm) – Note: Undergraduate and Graduate Schools have different Grading Policies (i.e. The Graduate School does not award the grade of D). See Course Syllabus for Grading Policies.
COURSE EVALUATION SURVEY UMUC values its students' feedback. You will be asked to complete an online evaluation toward the end of the term. The primary purpose of this evaluation process is to assess the effectiveness of classroom instruction in order to provide the best learning experience possible and make continuous improvements to every class. Responses are kept confidential. Please take full advantage of this opportunity to provide your feedback. LIBRARY SUPPORT Extensive library resources and services are available online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at http: //www.umuc.edu/library/index.cfm (http://www.umuc.edu/library/index.cfm) to support you in your studies. The UMUC Library provides research assistance in creating search strategies, selecting relevant databases, and evaluating and citing resources in a variety of formats via its Ask a Librarian service at https://www.umuc.edu/library/libask/index.cfm (https://www.umuc.edu/library/libask/index.cf m). LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SUPPORT To successfully navigate the online classroom new students are encouraged to view the Classroom Walkthrough under Help in the upper right menu of the LEO classroom. Those requiring technical assistance can access Help@UMUC Support directly in LEO under the Help menu. Additional technical support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via self-help and live chat at http://www.umuc.e du/help (http://support.umuc.edu/) or by phone toll-free at 888-360-UMUC (8682).
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
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SYLLABUS CHANGES All items on this syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor and the Office of Academic Affairs.
CLASS & ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Dates
Topic
Required Readings
Introductions
“What is Ethics?” Syllabus “What is the Socratic Method?”
Cultural Relativism
"A Description of Ethical Egoism " "James Rachels on Cultural Relativism" “A Look at Ethical Subjectivism,” by Villanova Professor Richard Jacobs Case Study: Cultural Relativism
January 27/29
Ethical Theories
"Utilitarianism" “Utilitarian Theories" “Deontology” Virtue Ethics
February 3/5
World Poverty & Buying the Human Body
Garret Hardin's Lifeboat Ethics “Is Women's Labor a Commodity?” “An ethical market in human organs”
The Death Penalty
"Internet Encyclopedia on Punishment” “Bright’s Yale Course” “Oklahoma’s Botched Lethal Injection marks new front in battle over executions”
Euthanasia & Physician Assisted Death
“Case Study: Right to Die at 29” "Rachels Active and Passive Euthanasia” “Brittany Maynard died in a philosophically responsible way”
January 13/15
January 20/22
February 10/12
February 17/19
"Marquis” https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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Concourse | PHIL 140 E122 Contemporary Moral Issues (2152)
7
February 24/26
Abortion
8
March 3/5
Ethics & Non-Human Animals
https://umuc.campusconcourse.com/view_syllabus?course_id=16327
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“Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defense of Abortion” " Supreme Court Allows Texas Abortion Clinics to Stay Open” "PETA and Sea World” “Singer on Animal Rights”
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