PHL103 - Introduction to Ethics

Outline information
Semester
Schools offering this subject
Last revision date 2019-09-30 00:09:48.3
Last review date 2019-12-02 00:15:05.766

Subject Title
Introduction to Ethics

Subject Description
Is adultery immoral? Is masturbation sexually deviant behaviour? Can we eat our pets? How does one justify one?s moral beliefs? We will examine the philosophical foundations of contemporary moral issues such as abortion, pornography, capital punishment, sexism, human cloning, and others. While disagreement among reasonable people regarding such matters is seemingly intractable, this course explores the possibility of resolving such disagreement. Thus the principal aim of this course is to teach students how to critically evaluate their opinions concerning controversial issues in order that they may secure a better understanding of their own cherished beliefs as well as those that oppose them.
Applied ethics is the study of the values and principles by which we live. As a branch of philosophy, ethics (or moral philosophy) is concerned with the question "How ought we to lead our lives?" and hence is the study of right and wrong, good and bad. To this end, there will be a focus on moral theory which offers conceptual frameworks for structuring our value judgments, deepest intuitions, and personal opinions. A moral theory such as Aristotle's or Utilitarianism is both explanatory and normative in scope; that is, moral theories examine the underlying nature of right and wrong and prescribe general principles and rational decision procedures for arriving at logically sound positions.
The value of philosophy lies not so much in the answers it proposes but in the questions it raises and its ability to provoke rational and logical dialogue among persons and groups with divided opinions over contentious issues. Philosophy enlarges the realm of possibilities by training the mind to think critically; but critical thinking is not simply a matter of knowing facts - it is essentially a skill geared for evaluating how we arrive at our judgments or opinions. Thus, philosophy deals with arguments, with premises, conclusions, and inference relations, and attempts to explore every possible avenue of thought that may aid us in coming to reasonable conclusions of our own.

Credit Status
One General Education elective credit in the Arts and Humanities category.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:

Philosophy constantly questions commonly accepted beliefs. Students will learn to recognize and raise concerns that are normally taken for granted or simply not raised in everyday discourse. At the completion of the course students will be able to:

. Engage in conceptual analysis of texts

. Analyze/interpret classical and contemporary moral theories

. Apply moral theories to controversial moral issues (e.g. abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment)

. Construct arguments in support of a thesis

. Critically engage complex arguments

. Synthesize conflicting and complimentary views

. Formulate thoughtful responses to various moral issues

. Re-examine and scrutinize their own cherished beliefs/intuitions

. Compose a critical essay

Essential Employability Skills

    •  Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfils the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.

    •  Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.

    •  Use a variety of thinking skills to anticipate and solve problems.

    •  Locate, select, organize, and document information using appropriate technology and information systems.

    •  Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.

    •  Show respect for diverse opinions, values, belief systems, and contributions of others.

    •  Interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals.

    •  Manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects.

    •  Take responsibility for one's own actions, decisions, and consequences.

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.