Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2017 - PHIL 120W E200

Moral Problems (3)

Class Number: 8350

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 5 – Dec 4, 2017: Wed, 5:30–8:20 p.m.
    Vancouver

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 6, 2017
    Wed, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
    Vancouver

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A critical examination of a range of questions and problems we confront as moral agents, such as: the nature and scope of our moral responsibilities, the source of our moral and civil rights, and the role of moral emotions, like resentment, love and forgiveness. Students with credit for PHIL 120 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

This class is an introduction to the philosophical study of ethics. In this class, we will carefully examine and explore questions that, in some way or another, most of us find ourselves thinking about during our lives. Are there moral truths? What explains what makes something right or wrong? What does a flourishing life for a human being look like? What obligations do we have to others? How demanding is morality? And why is inequality bad?

The course breaks down into four different subject areas. In the first, we will look at various Challenges to Morality. Here we will look at some challenges not to any particular moral belief or system of beliefs, but to the whole enterprise of morality itself. For example, are there objective moral facts or truths? Or does the truth of moral claims depend on the society one lives in, or upon the beliefs each individual holds? In the second section, we will look at Moral Theories that attempt to explain why something is right or wrong, good or bad, virtuous or vicious. Here we will examine some of the dominant theories in Western ethics, as well as new approaches put forward in this last century. In the third section, we turn to issues of Practical Ethics, where we will look at our obligations to non-human animals, the extent of our obligations to those living in poverty, physician-assisted death, and abortion. Finally, the last section explores a couple of issues in Political Philosophy. Here we will look at the issues of economic injustice and immigration and borders.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

PHIL 120W may be applied towards the Certificate in Liberal Arts, the Writing Requirement, and the Breadth-Humanities Requirement.

This course is excellent preparation for: law school, graduate school in philosophy, public policy degrees, or business school, or for anyone intending to participate in public policy debates.

The course is strongly recommended for students intending to pursue a Philosophy Major or Minor degree (especially with the Law and Philosophy concentration).

Grading

  • Written Reflections 10%
  • 1st essay and revision 15%
  • 2nd essay and revision 20%
  • Final paper no revision 25%
  • Final exam 25%
  • Class Participation (a combination of attendance and in-class participation) 5%

REQUIREMENTS:

Written work for this course will be submitted via Turnitin, a third party service licensed for use by SFU. Turnitin is used for originality checking to help detect plagiarism. Students will be required to create an account with Turnitin, and to submit their work via that account, on the terms stipulated in the agreement between the student and Turnitin. This agreement includes the retention of your submitted work as part of the Turnitin database. Any student with a concern about using the Turnitin service may opt to use an anonymous identity in their interactions with Turnitin. Students who do not intend to use Turnitin in the standard manner must notify the instructor at least two weeks in advance of any submission deadline. In particular, it is the responsibility of any student using the anonymous option (i.e. false name and temporary e-mail address created for the purpose) to inform the instructor such that the instructor can match up the anonymous identity with the student.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

The Fundamentals of Ethics by Russ Shafer-Landau (5th edition, but 4th edition is fine)
ISBN: 978-0190631390

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS