Contemporary Moral Dilemmas:
Syllabus

 

Course Details:

 

PHIL 111 Contemporary Moral Dilemmas	Section 001
3 credit hours	no prerequisites
Meeting times: 12:00 – 12:50	Meeting place: Griffin Hall, HLG 503

           

How To Contact Professor Korcz:

 

You are supposed to have questions! Ask them! In addition to class, here are some good times to do so: My office hours are MWF 11:00 – 12:00, MW 1:00 - 3:00, and Th 12:00 – 3:00. We can also meet at other times by arrangement - just ask. My office is in H. L. Griffin Hall, rm. 563. My office phone number (a landline) is (337) 482-6806. Another good way to contact me (or ask questions) at any time is by e-mail at keithk@louisiana.edu.

 

Required Texts:

 

  1. "Contemporary Moral Issues" Course Pack (available only via the Moodle course page at https://moodle.louisiana.edu/).

 

2. Animal Liberation Now by Peter Singer (Harper Perennial, 2023)

 

Your Course Objectives:

 

This course is designed to give you an opportunity to acquire, at an introductory level, an understanding of:

(1) the subject matter of philosophy, and how philosophy is done,

(2) some fundamental logic, critical thinking, and research skills,

(3) the nature of morality, problems with some naive views of morality, and familiarity with a few more sophisticated moral theories,

(4) the reasoning behind different viewpoints on issues in applied ethics including Artificial Intelligence, Animal Rights, Abortion, and the Death Penalty,

and to (5) help you develop more advanced reading and note-taking skills.

 

Achieving Your Course Objectives:

 

Exams: There will be three in-class exams, the two during the semester each worth 25% of your course grade, and the cumulative final exam worth 30% of your course grade. The in-class exams will consist primarily of short answer and multiple-choice questions. However, all make-up exams will be primarily long-essay. The exams will cover both lectures and assigned readings (material in lectures and assigned readings will not always overlap). All exams are closed book/closed note. I will hand out a study guide prior to each exam. The exams are designed to help you achieve all five course objectives.

 

Paper: The paper will be 6 – 8 pages long and be completed in two drafts. The paper is worth 20% of your course grade. The paper is designed to help you achieve objectives (1) through (4). 

 

Required Extra-Credit Assignment: You will complete an appeal to experts argument and document your findings, as described in class. Worth up to 30 points. Details will be given later on a separate handout This assignment is designed to help you achieve course objective (2).

 

Reading and Note Taking:Though not separately counted for points, these are essential to achieving objectives 1 – 4, and especially objective 5. You should complete each of the readings before they are discussed in class. Some of the readings are difficult, and you may find that you need to re-read them after they have been discussed in class in order to fully understand them. A major portion of your education in college comes from reading.

 

Grading:

 

The course grades will initially be determined according to the standard scale, i.e., 90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, 70-79% = C, 60-69% = D, 59% and below = F, and then may be modified as follows:  Course grades might be curved, but, if so, the curve would not be such that any student's grade is lowered. Such factors as improvement over the length of the course, class participation, etc., may be taken into consideration, especially where doing so may improve a borderline grade. You must complete all course assignments (namely all exams and both drafts of the paper) to receive a passing grade (i.e., a grade other than F, NC, or U).

 

Class Policies:

 

Missing Class: If you must miss class, for whatever reason, it is your responsibility to get class notes from another student. If you wish your absence to be excused, promptly provide me with an appropriate excuse, e.g., illness requiring medical attention, participation in certain university-sanctioned events, dangerous weather, etc. We cover something important every day, so for every five unexcused absences or partial absences, your course grade will be dropped by a letter grade. Skip class, and you won’t pass!

 

Cell Phones: Cell phones, earbuds, smart watches, etc., must be turned off and remain out of sight during class and exams.  

 

Missing Assignments: If you miss an assignment due date, you must notify me within one week of either the due date or the cessation of a medically documented persistent vegetative state in order to make up the assignment. Missed assignments can be made up for full credit only if an appropriate excuse is promptly provided. An unexcused late assignment will be dropped 2/3 of a letter grade per day it is late.

 

Classroom: In class discussions, it is perfectly fine to disagree with your classmates or myself, but you should do so respectfully and with reasoning. Philosophy is all about intellectual controversy and debate! However, disruptive or persistent distracting classroom behavior may result in your being asked to leave (counted as an unexcused absence), and/or losing a letter grade in the class, and/or failing the class, at my discretion.

 

Ethics Policy: All assignments for this class must be completed individually, and any instance of academic dishonesty (e.g., cheating, plagiarism, using AI to complete papers, furnishing false information regarding absences, etc.) will be sufficient to fail the course.

 

Unauthorized Websites: Neither lectures nor any class materials may be posted on the internet or otherwise published. Students who rely on internet sites (other than my own, listed below), search engines, or AI for class notes, study guides, etc., tend to do poorly in my classes. Such sites are often unreliable (which is why I use them to create the wrong answers for multiple-choice questions). Do not use them. Relying on such sites prevents you from acquiring valuable note taking, study, and learning skills that you will need after graduation.

 

University Policies: Be sure you are familiar with all university policies described in the UL Lafayette Undergraduate Catalog and Code of Student Conduct.

 

Disability Accommodations:

 

Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first be registered with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) to verify the disability and to establish eligibility for accommodations. Students may call 337-482-5252 or visit the ODS office in Agnes Edwards Hall (Conference Center), room 126 (the ODS website address is: https://disability.louisiana.edu/). Once registered, students should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements. If your needs are not being met for any reason, inform the instructor and ODS as soon as possible so that we may rectify the problem.

 

Some Helpful Tips For A Successful And Happy Course Experience:

 

1. If you are just looking for an easy class, please do not take any of my classes - you will fail them. Taking only easy classes is a reliable indication that you lack the skills needed to succeed in the workplace, in college, and in life in general. The only thing of any value in an education comes from the work you put into it. To minimize your workload is to minimize your education and your job prospects after you graduate.

 

2. On class evaluations, students often state that they would tell friends planning to take my classes that good class attendance and good class notes are essential to doing well on the exams. In addition, they would like to advise you that you will not pass if you just wing it.

 

3. There is a very strong correlation between reading the required articles listed on the syllabus and passing the tests. Virtually no one who ignores the readings passes the class.

 

4. I strongly recommend taking advantage of the following resources I have created for you!

My Philosophy 111 Home Page contains links to an on-line syllabus (which contains links to relevant sites), study aids, and other resources you will find helpful. The address is: https://www.userweb.ucs.louisiana.edu/~kak7409/111Home.html.

My How To Survive Your First Philosophy Class pages contain useful information about what I look for when grading papers, how to study for my exams, reading philosophy, taking notes, doing research in philosophy, etc. The address is: https://userweb.louisiana.edu/~kak7409/Survival.html.

My home page contains links to all my course home pages, extensive links pages on philosophy, general research, fun sites, and lots of other information. The address is: https://userweb.ucs.louisiana.edu/~kak7409.

A Moodle page for the course will be activated at the beginning of the semester. You’ll be able to contact each other and download the course pack here (https://moodle.louisiana.edu/).

 

5. Philosophy differs from other disciplines, and it’s common to have difficulties figuring it all out. If you are having difficulty with course material or assignments, let me know so I can help you out!

 

Emergency Evacuation Procedures:

 

A map of this floor is posted near the elevator marking the evacuation route and the Designated Rescue Area. This is an area where emergency service personnel will go first to look for individuals who need assistance in exiting the building. Students who may need assistance should identify themselves to the teaching faculty.

Course Calendar and Planned Reading Assignments

NOTE:

(1) Assignment due dates, topics, readings, and procedures, are tentative and may change at my discretion. However, we can negotiate due dates for assignments if most students in the class prefer a change.

(2) Follow where we are on the list of topics in class and try to read ahead a bit.

(3) The course pack is only available on Moodle (https://moodle.louisiana.edu/).

 

(AL) = Animal Liberation Now by Peter Singer

(CP) = Course Pack, available via the Moodle course page at (https://moodle.louisiana.edu/)

 

Topic 1: Moral Reasoning and Ethical Theory

 

a. Cultural Relativism

(CP): “0. Introduction” and “1. Moral Relativism” of Ethics: You’re Doing It Wrong.

 

Monday, January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – No Classes.

 

b. Understanding Philosophy and Ethics

(CP): “2. Philosophy and Moral Reasoning" of Ethics: You’re Doing It Wrong.

 

c. Religion and Ethics

(CP): “3. The Divine Command Theory” of Ethics: You’re Doing It Wrong.

 

d. Philosophical Ethics I: Utilitarianism & Value

(CP): “4. Utilitarianism” and “5. Theories of Value” of Ethics: You’re Doing It Wrong.

 

e. Philosophical Ethics II: Moral Rights

(CP): “6. Moral Rights” of Ethics: You’re Doing It Wrong.

 

f. Where Does Morality Come From? Why Be Moral? & Other Issues

(CP): “7. Where Does Morality Come From?” and “8. Why Be Moral” of Ethics: You’re Doing It Wrong.

 

Topic 2: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence

 

a. Factual Background

(CP): “A Short Introduction to the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence” by S. Matthew Liao

 

b. Self-Driving Cars & The Trolley Problem

(no additional readings)

 

c. Cheating

(no additional readings)

 

EXAM #1: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21.

 

Monday, March 3 – Wednesday March 5 – Mardi Gras Holiday – No Classes.

 

Topic 3: Ethics and Animals

 

a. Animal Suffering & The Overall Good

(AL): Preface to the 2023 edition, Chapters 1-4 and Chapter 6.

 

Monday, March 17: Advising for SU/FA 25 begins.

 

b. Replies To Singer

(CP): “The Replaceability Argument in the Ethics of Animal Husbandry,” by Nicolas Delon; “The Importance of Animal Models in Biomedical Research: Current Insights and Applications,” by Adriana Dominguez-Oliva, et al.; "Darwin, Species and Morality" by James Rachels.

 

FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE: FRIDAY, MARCH 21, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

 

Topic 4: Abortion

 

a. Factual Background + Abortion & The Rights Of Persons

(CP): "Reproductive Rights and Women’s Mental Health" by Nada Stotland; "I Was Once A Fetus: That Is Why Abortion Is Wrong,” by Alexander Pruss; "On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion" by Mary Anne Warren (Sec. II & Postscript only).

 

b. Abortion and Indirect Strategies

(CP): "An Argument that Abortion is Wrong" by Donald Marquis; "A Defense of Abortion" by Judith Jarvis Thomson, "On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion" by Mary Anne Warren (Intro. and Sec. I only).

 

EXAM #2: FRIDAY, APRIL 4.

 

Topic 5: The Death Penalty

 

a. Factual Background

(no readings).

 

b. Arguments For The Death Penalty

(CP): "A Defense of the Death Penalty" by Louis Pojman; "Aggravated Murder and Capital Punishment" by Tom Sorrell.

 

FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

 

Friday, April 18 – Sunday, April 27 – Spring Break – No Classes – Use Sunscreen.

 

c. Arguments Against The Death Penalty

(CP): "The Case Against The Death Penalty" by ACLU; "Rights and Capital Punishment" by Thomas Hurka.

 

LAST DAY OF CLASSES: FRIDAY, MAY 2.

FINAL EXAM: FRIDAY, APRIL 9, FROM 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM, IN OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM.