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An evaluation of competing philosophical justifications of moral responsibility. Issues such as obligation, praise and blame, right and wrong, goodness and badness will likely be examined.
Course Alignment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Critical Thinking
Course information
Subject Code: PHIL
Course Number: 2523
Course Name: Ethics
Course Description:
An evaluation of competing philosophical justifications of moral responsibility. Issues such as obligation, praise and blame, right and wrong, goodness and badness will likely be examined. IAI: H4 904.
Prerequisite Narrative:
Appropriate assessment score or ENGL 0964 with a grade of C or better - Must be taken either prior to or at the same time as this course.
Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
Credit Hours Narrative: 3 Credits
Academic Division: Liberal Arts & Sciences
IAI number: H4-904
IAI title: Ethics
General Education Outcomes: Communication, Critical Thinking
Course Outcomes
Identify a variety of ethical theories and apply these ethical theories.
Identify the authors of ethical theories and their ethical theories in a comprehensive manner
Expound on particular ethical points, which you will examine, analyze, comprehend, criticize and interpret.
Define pertinent ethical terminology, which will enable you to converse and dialog with others in the arena of human ethics.
Analyze in some depth at least six ethical theories.
Analyze decision making by using particular moral theories.
Analyze how ethics affects our personal, professional, societal, and political lives.
Assess various methods of moral decision-making.
Compare and contrast ethical theories in writing
Faculty Contact Information
Reach out via email to schedule
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify a variety of ethical theories and apply these ethical theories.
- Identify the authors of ethical theories and their ethical theories in a comprehensive manner.
- Expound on particular ethical points, which you will examine, analyze, comprehend, criticize and interpret.
- Define pertinent ethical terminology, which will enable you to converse and dialog with others in the arena of human ethics.
- Analyze in some depth at least six ethical theories.
- Analyze decision making by using particular moral theories.
- Analyze how ethics affects our personal, professional, societal, and political lives.
- Assess various methods of moral decision-making.
- Compare and contrast ethical theories in writing.
Course Materials:
You do not have to purchase the book. The textbook is not required for this course -- just the ability to access Canvas for required readings and weekly submissions.
| Item | Points |
| Class Participation | 15 |
| Journal Assignment | 35 |
| Midterm Exam | 35 |
| Term Paper | 35 |
| Final Exam | 80 |
| Grading Scale | Grade |
| 90%-100% | A |
| 80%-89% | B |
| 70%-79% | C |
| 60%-69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Liberal Arts & Sciences
Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700
ATTENDANCE POLICY & MAKE-UP POLICY:
You are expected to attend classes and complete all assignments in-class and at home. It is your responsibility to get missed information/materials from other students if you are late or absent.
You are responsible for completing assignments on time. If you choose not to complete an assignment on time, you will receive a 0 for that assignment. There are no do-overs.*
- If you require additional time to complete an assignment for a personal emergency, email me to accommodate your situation.
- Make-up Exams are given with a valid reason. Please email me prior to the exam if you are not able to make it. No tests are given prior to their scheduled time.
Description of Assignments:
Journal Assignment: You will be expected to complete a journal entry for each week of this course. The content of the entries themselves are to be your reflections of the content covered to that point. No entry may be less than 600 words. Feel free to connect your thoughts to current events or other works you have explored on your own time. This assignment is intentionally open-ended, and it is my expectation that you embrace the philosophical and think both critically and creatively in pursuit of this assignment.
Class Discussion: Each class will contain sections of large and/or small group discussions regarding the material that has been covered in readings and in lecture. Your participation in these discussions is graded, both on the quality of the insights, the questions you provide, and the volume of your participation.
Exams: The midterm exam will cover the first half of the course. The final exam will cover the second half of the course, as well as select topics from the first half of the course. Exams will consist of multiple short essays.
Term Paper: This course will contain a final paper, separate from the final exam, that you will be expected to complete within a week’s time. There will be two prompts for this paper; you are free to respond to either. The paper must be between five and seven pages long, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and in Times New Roman font.
Tips for Success:
A strong grade in this course will not be attainable through lectures exclusively. You will need to be actively involved in your learning in order to succeed. Complete your readings, participate in class discussions, and ask questions to further your understanding. If you do these things, there will be no surprises in the midterm or final course examinations.
Module 1: J.S. Mill & Kant
- week 1: Utilitarianism, Chapter 1; Utilitarianism, Chapter 2
- week 2: Utilitarianism, Chapter 3; Utilitarianism, Chapter 4
- week 3: Utilitarianism, Chapter 5; Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Chapter 1
- week 4: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Chapter 2; Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, Chapter 3
Module 2: Social Contract Theory
- week 5: A Treatise of Human Nature, Book I, Part III: Sections 1-VIII; A Treatise of Human Nature, Book II, Part III: All Sections & Book III, Part III: III-VI
- week 6: Theory of Moral Sentiments, Part I & III; Leviathan, The First Part: Sections V, VI, & XII-XVI
- week 7: Leviathan, The Second Part: Sections XVII-XXII; The Social Contract, Books I and II
- week 8: The Errors of Constructivism & The Pretence of Knowledge
Important Dates:
June 1st - first day of class
June 25th – Midterm Exam
Term Paper due: Sunday, July 19th @ midnight
Course Journal due: Monday, July 22nd @ midnight
Final Exam: Wednesday, July 22nd @ 4:30PM
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.