Essays

Course Itinerary of Assignments and Exams for 103:

Introduction to Ethics 103 Date Schedule

Week 1: May 6-11th: Review Syllabus to understand expectations and requirements.

Read Chapter 1 and 2

Chapter 1: Ethics An Overview – read and study all of chapter 1

Difference between Moral, Immoral and Amoral.

Determinism versus Freedom

Allegory of the Cave, pp.33-34.

Chapter 2: What is Moral Reasoning or Good Sound Thinking in contrast to

to Fallacious Thinking. Healthy & Unhealthy Defense Mechanisms.

Skip pp. 52-65 Will not be tested on Different Kinds of Fallacious Thinking.

Responsible for all other pages of Chapter Two.

What is a Moral Dilemma? How to resolve a Moral Dilemma?

Prescriptive versus Descriptive Statements Homework work on Resolving Moral Dilemma’s

REQUIRED: FRI, May 10th by 11:59 1st Essay on “THE VALUE PHILOSOPHY”

REQUIRED: SAT, May 11TH by 11:59 2nd Essay on “Getting to know you/yourself

Week 2: May 12th-May 19th

REQUIRED: MON, May 13th 11:55 p.m. 2nd Essay Moral Dilemma due Drop box

REQUIRED: WED, May 15th by 11:55 1st Exam on Chapters 1 and 2

Read Chapter 3, 4, 5 and 6

Chapter 3 What is Conscience. Two sides to Conscience. How to have

Balanced Consciences.

How is our Conscience? Or put differently, how do we become the person that we are?

Three Factors Effect our Conscience or who we are and who we continue to become.

Skip pp. 90-98 Will not be tested on these pages.

Four Components of Moral Behavior

Chapters 4, 5 and 6 on Relative Theories of Ethics, not Universal. Important

Chapter 4 Ethical Subjectivism. What is it? How it differs and compares

With Emotivism and Skepticism. (see Table 4.1 Summary of Three Theories).

Foundation of Subjectivism with Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Kittty Genovese Syndrome and Deletha Wood. Both examples of Bystander Effect.

What is it?

Student Relativism. What is it? SR. pp. 131-2

Chapter 5 Divine Command Theory. What is it? Religion/Ethics dependent on God.

A form of Determinism and not Free choice of the Will.

Morality is Independent of Religion. Why?

Chapter 6 Cultural Relativism. Religion/Ethics is Dependent on Culture.

Skip pp. 168-176 Distinction of Cultural and Sociological Relativism

Moral Community: What is the Mandala? What is a Marginalized group

In relation to the moral Community?

Week 3: May 19th to May 25th Chapters 7, 8 and 9

Chapter 7 Ethical Egoism: Acting in Our Best Rational Interest (following reason and

Free choice of the will to make decisions on how to act) leads to final end of Happiness

Founder of this theory: Thomas Hobbs, a British Empiricist of 19th century

Another type of Egoism is Rational Egoism by Ayn Rand novelist, 20th century

Both are opposed to Altruism, putting others first. Egoism always puts self first

Ayn Rand is most radical.

Skip pp. 204- 207 Not tested on Psychological Egoism of Hobbs

Chapter 8: Utilitarianism. Different Kinds of Utilitarianism including

Greatest Happiness Principle, Principle of Utility.

Two main founders are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill

Two contemporary views: Rule Utilitarianism and Act Utilitarianism

Skip pp. 239-251 Not tested on the specifics in this area.

Chapter 9: Natural Law Theory. What is Natural Law theory.

Nature Law is equivalent with Reason; it is inborn in us. What makes us

Moral or Immoral? We do and God has nothing to do with it.

Founder is Thomas Aquinas – Medieval Period of Philosophy 13th century

For Aquinas, we need more than Nature Law/Reason to reach God and

Our enlightenment/wisdom, we need to ask for God’s help.

REQURED: SUN., MAY 19TH EXAM II ON Chapters 3, 4. 5 and 6 by 11:59 p.m.

REQUIRED: SAT, May 25th Exam III on Chapters 7, 8 and 9 by 11:55 p.m.

Week 4: May 26th to June 1st

Skip pp. 34-382 Chapter 11 Rights Ethics (not a separate theory).

Not tested on this chapter.

Rights Ethics is part of Deontology; not a separate theory of Ethics.

Chapter 10: Deontology. Two theorists here to focus upon:

1. Kant’s Ethics of Duty

Not focusing on Consequences as before. Focus on For duty’s sake.

Two duties: The Categorical Imperative and Hypothetical Imperative

Founder is Immanuel Kant,

2. W.D. Ross’ Primae Facie Ethics. Seven duties connected with Time:

Past, Present/Ongoing and Future Duties

Chapter 12: Virtue Ethics. Aristotle and Confucius on The Doctrine of Mean.

Virtue and Moral Education. Strengths and Weaknesses of Virtue Ethics.

Three parts of Soul: important. 4th century BCE Ancient Period of Philosophy

Founder: Aristotle, most famous student of Plato, first philosopher to divide subject

Matters. Thus separating Ethics from science, mathematics, epistemology, metaphysics

and Logic. Taken from Aristotle’s book: NICOMACHEAN ETHICS

List of Moral Virtues on pp. 392 Table 12.1

This table Shows Virtue/Mean and the two extremes or vices of Virtue for 11 virtues.

End goal of life is Happiness (Eudaimonia) contentment, not temporary Happiness

BONUS Assignment Essay #2: due Friday, MAY 31ST by 11:59 p.m. Assignment Box

(25 pts.)

Choose ONE from following 5 choices of topics:

1. Chapter 5, p. 139, Exercise #1 on Andrea Yates.

2. Chapter 7, p. 203, Exercise #1 on Pursuit of Self Interest

3. Chapter 7, p. 219, Exercise #3 on Illegal Alien Adults Working in US.

4. Chapter 10, p. 327, Exercise #7, Choose between A-D on Resolving Moral Dilemma’s

5. Chapter 12, p. 402, Exercise #4, Imagine you are a Nurse….

REQUIRED: Saturday, June 1th Objective Exam #4 Final on Chapters 10 and 12

Due Assignment box by 11:55 p.m.