CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMS

PHIL 2350/50: SPRING 2001 (II)

Bob Corbett, instructor>

MEETS: 10 A.M. - NOON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY

For external links and related material, please click here.

BELOW YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION ON:

Course Objectives
Readings
Syllabus
Course Requirements and Grading

Course Objectives (short version).
Contemporary moral problems is an introductory course in moral philosophy. Rather than take a theoretical approach to introducing ethics, this course explores contemporary ethical disagreement on issues of importance in contemporary society. Students will read authors who present dramatically different conclusions concerning such issues as capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia, poverty, war and the like. All authors studied will approach these disagreements from the perspective of philosophical morality. In the process of delving into these disagreements students should also get a inside view of what philosophical morality is all about.
Readings
- Corbett will post readings on his web site.
- Students will also be expected to do internet research finding suitable position papers for study.
EXTRA CREDIT POSSIBILITIES
The Syllabus

Date	General topics	Class	Readings, assignments and expectations
March 20, Tues.	General introduction.	1	Lecture on general nature of moral philosophy and how it differs from other forms of moral thinking.
March 22, Thur.	Problem of privacy and autonomy	2	First written paper.
March 27. Tues.	Meet in main computer lab at 10:30 A,M. for computer guidance	3	Meet in main computer lab at 10:30 A,M. for computer guidance. Internet research work on smoking is due.
March 29, Thur.	Conclusion of discussion of privacy and autonomy	4	First group discussions.
April 3, Tues.	General discussion of moral philosophy -- revisited	5	Recommended readings on smoking from student enhanced list.
April 5, Thur.	Beginning of discussion on smoking	6	Paper # 2 on smoking is due.
April 10, Tues.	Continuation of discussion of smoking	7	Internet research work on the question: Do richer nations have moral obligations to poorer nations? is due.
April 12, Thur.	Conclusion of discussion of smoking	8	Second set of group discussions. And also: Recommended readings on our third issue.from student enhanced list.
April 17, Tues.	Mid-term examination.	9	Mid-term examination.
April 19, Thur.	Beginning of discussion of the question: Do richer nations have moral obligations to poorer nations.	10	Paper # 3 due on the issues of Do richer nations have moral obligation to poorer nations? is due.
April 24, Tues.	Continuation of dicussion of issues of richer/poorer nations.	11	Internet research work on the topic: The morality of selective engineering of people -- is due.
April 26, Thur.	Group discussions on issues of richer/poorer nations.	12	Third set of group discussions. And also: Recommended readings on the issue.from student enhanced list on the moral issue of the genetic engineering of people.
May 1, Tues.	Beginning of the discussion of the morality of selective engineering of people.	13	Paper # 4 due on is due on the topic: The morality of genetic engineering.
May 3, Thur.	Continuation of discussion of the morality of genetic engineering of people.	14
May 8, Tues.	Group discussion on the morality of genetic engineering of people.	15	Fourth set of group discussions.
May 10, Thurs	Final Examination	16	Final examination

Course Requirements and Grading
Specific course requirements will be:
1. Regular attendance is expected. Missing excessive classes will be penalized.
2. Each student will have to prepare one class presentations with others students on issues being studied.
3. Each student will write 4 short (2 page papers).
4. Class participation.
5. Students will have research responsibilities to find web-based papers of philosophical significance on the topics studied in class.
6. Mid-term and final exam.
Grading: While I will grade each individual assignment, the grade of the course will not be mere the sum of the individual grades. Rather, I will take into account an overall sense of quality in the general tone of one's work. However, the sum of one's individual grades will certainly be a strong indication of where one stands. In a rough sense the assigments will be valued in this fashion:
- Attendance: This will be only a negative possibility. You begin will full credit.
  - If you miss more than 2 classes your grade will be lowered one full letter grade.
  - If you miss more than 3 classes your grade will be lowered two full letter grades.
  - If you miss more than 4 classes your grade will be lowered three full letter grades.
  - If you miss 6 classes you will receive a grade of F.
- General work required and graded
  - Class group discussion is 15%
  - Class participation: 15%
  - Short papers: 20%
  - Research work: 10%
  - mid-term exam: 20%
  - final exam: 20%
  - total:
  - ......................100%
  Four important additional notes:
  1. I will only give a grade of incomplete in a very unusual circumstance, one in which the student was doing all work in a timely and acceptable fashion and then some major catastrophe strikes, one for which the student can give evidence of and which is seriously debilitating. Even then, an incomplete would be negotiated toward the shortest reasonable time to fulfill the work with no extensions. In only the rarest occasions would a grade for a fulfilled incomplete ever be higher than a C.
  2. On-time work is crucial. Each written assignment will have a due date and NO LATE WORK will be accepted for credit. Period. None. So please face that issue as we get started.
  3. Alternative grading procedure is possible: Were any student unhappy with the above grading procedure, the student is welcome to begin discussion with Corbett toward forming an alternative grading procedure. This would take an initial discussion with the Corbett which would be initiated by the student. Were an agreement reached then the student has the responsibility to write up the new grading contract and have it signed by both Corbett and the student. Such a contract would have to be signed and finished, and a copy given to Corbett, before the third week of classes had ended.
  4. A statement on plagiarism. Plag1arism is turning in any written work as one's own which was written by someone else. This is a completely unacceptable behavior in the academic world and is counted as a clear case of cheating. Any student caught plagiarizing in this class will be given an F for the entire course. No second chances will be given. The policy is firm and absolute.

My Philosophy Page

Webster U. Philosophy Department

Philosophy for Children	Critical Thinking	Current Semester	Education	Existentialism
Miscellaneous Topics	Moral Philosophy	Peace Issues	Voluntary Economic Simplicity

HOME

Bob Corbett corbetre@webster.edu