PHI 5627 Theoretical and Applied Ethics

Th, 6-8:50, Com 147

Section 0001

Dr. Nancy Stanlick

CNH 411-I/Phone: 407-823-2273

e-mail: stanlick@mail.ucf.edu

Fall Term 2006

Office Hours: Tu 1:30-2:30, Th 4:30-5:30

Course Description and Objectives:

Theoretical and Applied Ethics is a graduate course dealing with the intersections of theory and application in ethics. For this term, the topics are the ethics of care and its application to the concepts of forgiveness and mercy. Although this is the case, it does not mean that other ethical theories and other applied/practical issues are not relevant to the course. It is the case, however, that the primary emphasis will be on the aspects of the ethics of care as a moral theory on a par with traditional theories such as virtue ethics, Kantian deontology, Utilitarianism, and contractarianism.

The course is designed so that you may concentrate your research in some specific area consistent with your own interests and the primary points of focus of course content. So, for example, if you are interested in or work in the field of criminal justice, you may be interested in the application of the ethics of care in the realm in which you work while considering the theoretical issues involved in some of the seminal work on the moral concepts of forgiveness and mercy. Alternatively, you may be interested in what may appear to be a concept opposed to mercy, and instead research the problematic aspects of revenge and punishment through the lens of the ethics of care. Another example of the combination of your interests and course content is a person whose interest is in nursing and who would attempt to work through problematic aspects of geriatric medical issues using some aspects of the ethics of care.

To achieve the goal of ensuring that your interests converge with course content, it is necessary for you to go beyond the content of course texts and engage in research in ethics concerning the topic in which you are interested. To that end, graded course requirements will be heavily concentrated on close analysis of texts for the course, presentation of summaries and analysis of argumentation in those texts, presentation of your own original research, evaluation of the research presentations of others, and the production of a major research paper at the end of the term.

Texts:

Online works and works on reserve, as noted in the schedule
Virginia Held, The Ethics of Care
Jean Hampton and Jeffrie Murphy, Forgiveness and Mercy

Grading, Assignments, and Related Information

Grades are based on the +/- system with the following divisions:

A, 95-100; A-, 90-94 (Superior)
B+, 87-89; B, 84-86; B-, 80-83 (Excellent)
C+ 77-79; C, 74-76; C-, 70-73 (Average)
D+, 67-69; D, 64-66; D-, 60-63 (Below Average)*
F, 0-59 (Failing)

*Remember that in a graduate course for graduate students, anything below a “C” is a failing grade.

Plagiarism or cheating of any kind on any graded element of course work will result at least in an “F” for that assignment and may, depending on the severity of the case, lead to an “F” for the entire course. Instances of plagiarism or cheating may result in referral to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. See the UCF Golden Rule for further information.

I will assume that you will adhere to the academic creed of this University and will maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. I will also do this, so please do not ask me to change (or expect me to change) your grade illegitimately or break or bend rules for one person that will not apply to everyone. It is not possible to offer any course credit to anyone that is not available to everyone. Changes of grade are made only for legitimate reasons (e.g., clerical errors) after the semester has ended. Incomplete grades are assigned only for appropriate reasons.

All written work in this course is subject to submission to turnitin.com.

Because this class has very small enrollment, your presence in class on a very regular basis is an absolute necessity. Presentations require evaluations by others in the class, and if you are not in class, you will be unable to do one (or more). Please also keep in mind that there is no extra credit available.

Using e-community is recommended. I have set it up so that when you log in, you can see the e-mail addresses of other people in this class. This will be useful when or if you need to send files to each other for presentations or presentation evaluations.

Assignments are the following:

· 15% -- 3 presentations[*] (5% each) on texts and argumentation of approximately 20-30 minutes each. Here, application of theory to some “applied” issue is expected, but is not absolutely necessary.

o One on traditional ethical theories, and

o One on the ethics of care, and

o One on forgiveness and mercy

· 20% -- 2 sets of evaluations[†] (10% each) of the presentations of others

o Any two (TBA in class) of:

§ presentations on traditional ethical theories, and

§ either presentations on the ethics of care, or

§ presentations on forgiveness and mercy

· 15% -- 3 essays[‡] (5% each) of approximately 5-7 pages each on course content in texts and additional readings that are related to an “applied” ethical issue for the ethics of care and on forgiveness and mercy.

o One on traditional ethical theories

o One on the ethics of care

o One on forgiveness and mercy

· 40% --1 final research paper[§][**] of 10-20 pages

· 10% -- attendance. Your grade for attendance will be lowered by 50% (i.e., half of the attendance grade) for each class absence exceeding 2. That is, you can miss 2 classes throughout the term without a reduction in this element of your grade. The third reduces it by 50%, and four or more absences eliminate the entire 100% of your attendance grade (which is 10% of your grade for the course). However, if you are truly ill, or if there is some legitimate and verifiable emergency that arises, and if you can and do provide appropriate documentation/reasons, such absences will not be considered in the attendance grade.

· Important Notes: All assignments are to be submitted in both hard copy form and by e-mail on the due date no later than the beginning of the class meeting on the date the assignment is due, unless otherwise indicated in the schedule. Due dates for these graded assignments are in the schedule, below.

o Presentation assignments from 9/21 to the end of the term will be determined by or before 9/14.

o Presentation evaluation assignments from 9/21 to the end of the term will be determined by or before 9/14

o Presentation assignments and evaluations for the first two presentation days (8/31 and 9/14) are determined alphabetically such that people whose last names begin with any letter from A-M do presentations on 8/31 on virtue ethics or Hobbes, and last names beginning with N-Z do presentations on Kant or Mill on 9/14. Evaluations are done on presentations from 8/31 by people whose last names begin with any letter from N-Z and are due on 9/7. Evaluations of presentations done on 9/14 are due on 9/21 from letters A-M.

Schedule: The schedule of readings and assignments appears below. Changes and alterations in the schedule of topics, examination dates, paper due dates, assignments and other schedule-related information may be made from time to time to facilitate completion of all major sections listed. As an electronically enhanced syllabus, additional readings/links may appear at any time in relevant sections.

Date	Readings	Lecture Topic	Assignments Due
Aug 24	Syllabus & Requirements	Syllabus & Requirements, General Overview of course content	None, but you should look at this site on argumentation. http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/mathew/logic.html
Aug 31	Virtue Ethics & Hobbesian Contractarianism · Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Bks. I, II, III , V, and VIII. · The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy has an entire article on virtue ethics. This link takes you to a general statement of the theory inside the larger article: http://www.iep.utm.edu/e/ethics.htm#Virtue%20Theories · From the Ethics Updates site, browse through and see what you may find useful regarding Aristotle's ethics (http://ethics.sandiego.edu/theories/Aristotle/index.html). I suggest Hinman's PowerPoint Presentation on Aristotle and Virtue theory (http://ethics.sandiego.edu/presentations/Theory/virtue/index.html). · Hobbes, Leviathan, Chs. 10, 13-19 at http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/thomas_hobbes/leviathan.html · http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~stanlick/hobbeseth&pol.bmp · http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/	Virtue Ethics & Hobbesian Contractarianism	Presentations on VE and HC (Letters A-M)
Sep 7	Continue Virtue Ethics & Hobbes, Begin Kant and Mill	Using electronic resources/library instruction in class	Presentation evaluations, assigned on 8/31 – send by e-mail only (Letters N-Z)
Sep 14	Kantian Deontology & Utilitarianism · Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, at least the preface and part I: http://philosophy.eserver.org/kant/metaphys-of-morals.txt · From Ethics Updates (choose a resource that suits you): http://ethics.sandiego.edu/theories/Kant/index.asp · Mill · Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy article on Utilitarianism at http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consequentialism/ · Resources from Ethics Updates: http://ethics.sandiego.edu/theories/Utilitarianism/index.asp · Text of Utilitarianism: Chapters 1-5: http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill1.htm	Kantian Deontology & Utilitarianism	Presentations on Kant and Utilitarianism (Letters N-Z)			Essay 1 is due. Topic: The problem(s) with applying ethical theories to practical problems[††]
Sep 21	· The Ethics of Care · Introduction, pp. 3-5 · Part I, The Ethics of Care as Moral Theory, pp. 9-29 · Care as Practice and Value, pp. 29-43	The Ethics of Care	Presentations on pp. 9-29 and 29-34			Presentation evaluations assigned on 9/14 (Letters A-M)
Sep 28	· The Caring Person, pp. 44-57 · Justice, Utility, and Care, pp. 58-75	The Ethics of Care	Presentations on pp. 44-57 and 58-75			Presentation evaluations assigned on 9/21
Oct 5	· Liberalism and the Ethics of Care, pp. 76-90 · Caring Relations and Principles of Justice, pp. 90-106	The Ethics of Care	Presentations on pp. 76-90 and 90-106			Presentation evaluations assigned on 9/28
Oct 12	· Care and the Extension of Markets, pp. 107-124 · Civil Society, Rights, and the Presumption of Care, pp. 125-137	The Ethics of Care	Presentations on pp. 107-124 and 125-137			Presentation evaluations assigned on 10/5
Oct 19	· Power, Care and the Reach of Law, pp. 138-153 · Care and Justice in the Global Context, pp. 154-168	The Ethics of Care	Presentations on pp. 138-153 and 154-168	Presentation evaluations assigned on 10/12			Essay 2 is due. Topic: The critique of a moral theory using the ethics of care
Oct 26	Forgiveness and Mercy Introduction, pp. 1-13 Forgiveness and Resentment, Murphy, pp. 14-34	Forgiveness and Mercy	Presentations on pp. 14-34		Presentation evaluations assigned on 10/19
Nov 2	· Forgiveness, Resentment, and Hatred, Hampton, pp. 35-87	Forgiveness and Mercy	Presentations on pp. 35-87		Presentation evaluations assigned on 10/26
Nov 9	· Hatred: A Qualified Defense, Murphy, pp. 88-110	Forgiveness and Mercy	Presentations on pp. 88-110		Presentation evaluations assigned on 11/2
Nov 16	· The Retributive Idea, Hampton, pp. 111-161	Forgiveness and Mercy	Presentations on 111-161		Presentation evaluations assigned on 11/9		Essay 3 is due. Topic: Practical application or analysis of concept using the ethics of care
Nov 23		Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov 30	Mercy and Legal Justice, pp. 162-186	Forgiveness and Mercy	Presentations on pp. 162-186		Presentation evaluations assigned on 11/16
Dec 7		Course overview	*Final papers are due*

Essay Topics and Descriptions

Due	Topic
9/14	The problem(s) with applying ethical theories to practical issues. There are articles on this issue. Find and review/summarize at least two of them and include your critical analysis of the claim(s) and problem(s).
10/19	The ethics of care and its critique of a specific moral theory of your choice. There are lots of things written on this. Find and review/summarize at least two articles or book chapters on this issue and include your critical analysis of the claims.
11/16	A practical application or analysis of a concept or argument regarding forgiveness, mercy, revenge, or related issue using the ethics of care. Use at least two articles or book chapters on this, justifying your position regarding the issue you have chosen.

Format for papers and assignments

This is a graduate course, so make sure that the work you submit is consistent with that designation. In other words, make sure that you proofread your writing so that you eliminate errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Make sure that your paper or essay has a thesis statement at or near the beginning. Get to the point immediately.
Write with conviction when you are stating your own position. Write with care. Use references when you need to do so, and make sure that you do not accidentally or intentionally plagiarize since they are equally serious in either case.
Here are some technical details

Your paper MUST have a 1.5” margins at the left and right and 1.5” at the top and bottom. This leaves room for comments in hard copy form, and it provides a more professional appearance.
Use 1.5 spacing between lines.
Use a font that is legible. Scripted fonts are hard to read, so choose one (such as Times New Roman, Garamond, Arial, or some similar type) that is easy to see. Use 11-14 point font ONLY.
When your paper requires references, use MLA, Chicago, or APA style, whichever you prefer. But be consistent – that is, don’t mix them in the same paper.
Use footnotes sparingly. When you need to use them, make sure that they are relevant and are consistent with the style you have chosen to use.
Artwork on title pages is a waste of time and space. In fact, you don’t even need a title page. Just put your name and the date somewhere on the top of the paper.
For whatever you write, make sure it has a title. Snappy titles are nice, but if your paper is about Descartes’ epistemology, you could just call it “Descartes’ Epistemology” if you can’t think of something catchy.
In cases in which your paper is to be submitted to me electronically, use .doc format ONLY. When you submit a paper of any kind in hard copy form, please staple the pages together so I don’t lose them.

Be sure to provide a copy of the relevant document or documents to the person who will evaluate your presentation both electronically (by e-mail) and in hard copy form (if requested by that person). See the presentation and evaluation schedule.
When you are doing a presentation in class, using the equipment in the room is a good idea. Audio and visual files often help to make your presentation more clear. Electronic document presentation formats are encouraged in this course, but they are not absolutely necessary.
The University Writing Center has many resources that may be of use to you.

See http://www.uwc.ucf.edu/Writing%20Resources/writing_resources_home.htm