Phil.244 Main Page

College of San Mateo

Contemporary Social and Moral Issues

Course Info


Course Description	Readings/ Assignments	Required Materials	Other Resources	Grading Info	Other Info

Course Description

This is a course on ethics. We will examine in depth the complexity of Ethical issues and decisions. We will look at the philosophic grounds for making certain ethical decisions. Most of the time we will examine and discuss a variety of practical ethical concerns, situations that call for an ethical response.

The course will consist of some lectures, in-class discussions of issues and discussion of articles written on these issues. During the course you will be participating in small/large group discussions. And you will participate as a member of a group project.

The goal of this course is not to try and change anyone's views about any of these issues. Rather it is an attempt to broaden our understanding of the issues, and gain an awareness of the complexity of the decisions connected with these issues. Since the topics are connected very closely with values and beliefs, the class is designed to allow persons to hear other points of view as well as express their own views.

Against the Cuts in Community College Funding

CSM Facebook Teach-In page

For a copy of the Syllabus click here.TTH Class,

Notebook update

Logic Handout Logic Worksheet

Writing Center Workshops

ESL Workshops

Death Row Kids USA Video

Multitasking Article

[back to the top]

Readings

The readings for the class are listed on the syllabus which you can download above. The readings for each week ought to be read before the first class of the week. This will allow discussion on the topics. The homework assignments are due on Thursdays except where indicated in class.

Ethical Theories – Here are links to very good explanations of the theories. Dr. Sandra LaFave’s site.

Utilitarianism

(Here is a review of Guitar Hero 3 which is relevant to Mill.)

Kant’s Deontological Theory

Aristotle's Virtue Ethics

Jon Stewart interrogating Chris Matthews on the Daily Show

Lawrence Hinman, Univerity of San Diego speaking on Aristotle's Ethics

A podcast on Aristotle's concept of Happiness

Office Discussion

Each student will write a summary of one of the articles we read on one of the topics, e.g. Euthanasia, and read the summary to me in the office. The summary should be two pages long and all in your own words. Do not quote the original article. Bring two copies of the summary, one for me, one for you. I want a summary, not an essay.

Service Learning

The Service Learning assignment is an opportunity for you to work in some area that is related to Ethics, or deals with a moral issue. These can be quite broad in interpretation. The goal is for you to find some place to work for 7 - 10 hours which will broaden your awareness of services and opportunities in the community. There are several websites below that can aid you in finding service opportunities. While you are working, please record your experiences in the notebook. At the end of the semester, there will be two options for the assignment. 1) Write a 1 - 2 page summary of what you did, where you did it, and what you learned. or 2) Give a short presentation on what you did etc. on the date of the final exam.

An good way to find out Service Learning opportunities

http://www.volunteermatch.org/ another site is

http://www.smccd.net/accounts/csmconnects/organizatn_list.htm

http://www.volunteerinfo.org/index.htm

and another at http://www.goserv.ca.gov/index.asp

Here is a nice distinction between Helping and Serving. by Rachel Naomi Remen M.D.

Caille Millner on Karma Kitchen

Our Basic Human Pleasures: Food, Sex, and Giving, Nicholas Kristof

[back to the top]

Required Materials

Required Text: Today's Moral Issues, Bonevac Amazon (Correct edition)

Recommended Text: How to Get the Most Out of Philosophy, Soccio (ABE Books)

Recommended Text: Ethical Insights: A Brief Introduction, Birsch (ABE Books)

Philosophy Notebook

You will also need to keep a philosophy notebook. We will be discussing this in class regularly. The 1st 10 minutes of each class will be spent writing. The initial assignment can be downloaded here. Notebook

There is also a website devoted to The Work of Byron Katie. It's well worth looking at for a way to avoid suffering.

[back to the top]

Other Resources

Below are some websites that may be of help during the semester.

An article entitled “Everybody Does It.” This is about cheating.

Charity Navigator

This is a link to the Josephson Ethics Institute http://josephsoninstitute.org/

This is a link to Ethics on the Web. http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/ethics/ethics_list.html

This is a link to a Philosophy Encyclopedia. http://plato.stanford.edu/

This is a link that has a comprehensive list of philosophy websites. http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/philinks.htm

Death Penalty Site

Interesting Prison Story

Economic Equality

A film on Really Rich People

Inside the Meltdown - Frontline

The Roots of the Financial Crisis

Who Shredded our Saftey Net - Mother Jones

Mike Burke's Graph Article

Buy Nothing Day

Christmas Gift Exemption Voucher

Bankruptcy and Health Care

America is without a Middle Class

This site - Kiva - allows you to make microloans to people in 3rd World Countries.

Sex Slaves - Frontline •(Whole Program)

Child Prostitution NOW program

•Not For Sale

A site that has a slide show of lynching photos. Here.

[back to the top]

Grading Information

Grades:

* There will be two mid-term exams and a final. The 1st exam is worth 10%, the 2nd is worth 25% and the final is worth 15%. Total = 50% of the final grade.

* There will be homework/ in-class writing assignments based on the readings, video clips and the lectures. Total = 24% of the final grade. [The first assignment is included below.]

* There will also be a philosophy notebook to complete worth 7%.

* There is a office discussion / summary worth 7%.

* There is a Service Learning project worth 7%

* The last 5% of the grade are based on attendance and participation.

A good reference on Plagiarism is located HERE

Other Information

Please make an effort to be on time. Arriving late disrupts the learning environment. If you need to leave a little earlier please do so. The classroom will always be open early so there will be a place to come and study, read, or write in the notebook.

[back to the top]

Philosophy Department
Date of last update1/12/10
Direct Questions or comments about this page to danielson@smccd.net
This page was developed and is maintained for the Collegeof San Mateo by the Philosophy Dept.