PHILOSOPHY 102 – CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMS - Spring, 2010
SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR – Steven M. Duncan, Ph.D. Adjunct Philosophy
Faculty,
Office: C207 E-Mail:sduncan@bcc.ctc.edu
Office Hours: By App't
TEXT – Barbara MacKinnon, Ethics: Theory and
Contemporary Issues, fifth edition,
COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK ONE - Ethics and Moral Reasoning (M, Chapters 1-3, Hobbes)
WEEK TWO - Moral Theory (M, Chapters 4-7, as directed)
WEEK THREE - Euthanasia (M, Chapter 8) Gay-Williams, Rachels)
WEEK FOUR - Pornography (M, Chapter 10)
WEEK FIVE - Animal Rights (M, Chapter 17, Singer, Steinbock)
WEEK SIX - Equality and Discrimination (M, Chapter 12, Fullinwider,
WEEK SEVEN - Economic Justice (M, Chapter 13, Rawls, Nozick),Environmental Ethics (M, Chapter 15, Baxter, Devall and Sessions, Supplementary Essay: A Native American Perspective on the Environment)
WEEK EIGHT – Legal Punishment and Human RIghts (M, Chapter 14, Bedau, Ernest van den Haag)
WEEK NINE - Environmental Ethics (M, Chapter 15, Baxter, Devall and Sessions, Supplementary Essay: A Native American Perspective on the Environment)
WEEK TEN - Violence, Terrorism and War (M, Chapter 18, Ehlstain, Walzer, supplementary essay: Frantz Fanon on Revolutionary Violence)
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING- Assignments will be listed weekly in the Assignments area for each week. Grading will be based on the quality of student answers to the review and discussion questions and on the frequency and quality of student contributions to class discussion via the bulletin board.In addition, there will be a 3-5 page term paper required of each student. Topics are to be approved no later than the end of week VII; the completed paper is due at the end of Week X. The text of the Paper Topic Assignment can be found in the Week III classroom. There will also be Midterm and Final assignments to be determined at the discretion of the instructor; consult the class calendar for information concerning specific dates, etc.