Sample Syllabus: Contemporary Moral Issues1
1. Method & Course Description------------------------------To be in a position to determine the moral status of specific actionsor persons, one must understand ethical theories: general explanations of why, and guidelines for, what sorts of actions are morally permissible, morally required or morally impermissible. Is an action morally requiredbecause the outcome of that action is the greatest good for the greatestnumber? Or is an action morally permissible because it has a certain form common to all morally tolerable actions? Should we, on the other hand, useas our model for morally permissible actions the behavior of those we taketo be paragons of virtue?Only after we have understood the fundamental ethical theories can webegin to approach the contemporary moral issues which might be decided asconsequences of these theories. Even though the issues of pressingimportance often rouse the passions of proponents of particular views (andthe critics of those views), thought and discussion are most productive when passions and excitements have cooled. We can keep clear and cool headsin matters of contemporary issues by letting the ancient philosophical method of
dialectic
and
argument
set the parameters for our investigation.When someone holds a particular view they take to be the correct one(perhaps in terms of a specific issue of morality) and that person wishesto convince someone else of the correctness of that view, the best methodis
not
an appeal to
emotion
, but rather an appeal to
reason
. An argument(philosophically speaking) is the clear and concise presentation of one of more starting points (or premises) from which, by the process of sound andcareful reasoning, one can come to a conclusion. The process of reasoningrepresented by an argument should be such that if the premises from whichone logically infers the conclusion are good ones, a rational person willaccept that conclusion. We test the strengths of premises and arguments byengaging in dialectic or
Socratic dialogue
– the process of careful,dispassionate examination of premises and the steps by which we reason to aconclusion. Dialectic is most productive when the participants take eachother seriously, listen to one another carefully, think carefully about what is being said, think carefully before speaking in response, try tocriticize constructively every aspect of any position that is put forward,yet refrain from personal attacks or criticism of a person rather than aposition. We shall engage in dialogues of this sort in this class.2. Instructor Information-------------------------Dr. Jesse Butler<dept. info><contact info><office hour info> Appointments: Please set up an appointment if you're confusedabout something, need help getting started on an assignment or would like to receive feedback for what you've written.
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