Today's Moral Issues
Syllabus
PREREQUISITES:
 | EPT score of 151 or higher, or EPT and a credit in 098. |
TEXT:
| Steven Satris, ed., Taking Sides |
GENERAL
EDUCATION:
This course is
available for General Education, Section E: Applied Arts and Sciences.
The CSUN Catalog
states:
Section E:
Applied Arts and Sciences: Students
should understand how human beings function in various physical, social, and
technological environments. Through the study of applied arts and sciences,
students should become more integrated and well rounded individuals.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
In this course we
will examine and discuss seven current moral issues. The first issue is:
|
Cheating:
Is cheating ever justified? |
The next four
issues are drawn from our text:
|
Smoking: Should smokers be saved from themselves? (#5 in text) |
|
Homosexuality: Should society be more accepting of homosexuality? (# 8 in
text) |
|
Affirmative Action: Is affirmative action fair? (#16 in text) |
|
International Responsibility: Do rich nations have an obligation to help
poor nations? (#17 in text) |
Moral issues 6 and
7 will be selected by the class from the remaining issues in our text.
Students will be
expected to gain an understanding of each issue discussed in class, to gain an
understanding of the different views on each issue, and to work toward forming
their own view on each issue based on their own careful assessment.
BASIS OF GRADE:
The course grade
will be based on the student's understanding of the issues discussed, primarily
as demonstrated in written work and secondarily as demonstrated in class
discussion.
75% of the course
grade will be based on three three-to-five page take-home essays in which
students will show that they understand a moral issue assigned and can begin to
evaluate proposed solutions. Each essay will count 25% Each student will
participate on a panel on one of the moral issues, and their panel participation
will count 15% General class participation will count 10% Plus and minus grades
will be used.
Regular attendance
is strongly recommended, for much of the material of the course will be
developed in our class discussions. Please explain any absences from class, and
speak to me if you know you will miss a class. If you miss a class, borrow notes
from a fellow student and see me about anything that is unclear. Reading
assignments for each issue must be completed before the class discussion
OFFICE LOCATION:
My office is Sierra
Tower Room 527; Phone: (818) 677-4854.
Messages may be
left at this number. My email address is james.kellenberger@csun.edu;
I will check my email Tuesday and Thursday.
OFFICE HOURS:
|
Tuesday & Thursday 9:15-10:30 AM, |
|
Wednesday 6:30-7:00 PM, and |
|
By appointment. |
My office hours are
for discussion with students, and you are encouraged to use them to discuss with
me anything about the class material that you would like to explore or have
clarified. Also I encourage you to discuss among yourselves outside class the
issues that the course will cover, including those on the essay assignments. But
your individual written work must be your own. No written work that shows signs
of plagiarism or academic dishonesty will be used as a basis of grade.
PLEASE NOTE:
The deadline
this semester for dropping a course with only the instructor's signature is Friday,
September 15. After that date, withdrawals will require additional approvals
and can only be obtained for "serious and compelling reasons." See
schedule of Classes, pp. 15-16.
Course
Outline
WEEK
ONE:
Introduction, Background, and Preliminaries.
Mechanics of the
course. The class chooses two contemporary moral issues from the text that will
be our 6th and 7th issues. Introduction of the first five moral issues to be
discussed.
FIRST ISSUE:
Cheating: Is cheating ever justified?
WEEK
TWO:
FIRST ISSUE: Cheating: Is cheating ever justified?
WEEKS
THREE and FOUR:
SECOND ISSUE: Smoking: Should smokers be saved from themselves? (#5 in text)
Reading:
pp. 86-104
FIRST PAPER
WEEK
FIVE:
THIRD ISSUE: Homosexuality: Should society be more accepting of homosexuality?
(# 8 in text)
Reading:
pp. 142-63
Tuesday: Panel
WEEK
SIX:
THIRD ISSUE
WEEK
SEVEN:
FOURTH ISSUE: Affirmative Action: Is affirmative action fair? (#16 in text)
Reading:
pp. 306-29
Tuesday: Panel
WEEK
EIGHT:
FOURTH ISSUE
WEEK
NINE:
FIFTH ISSUE: International Responsibility: Do rich nations have an obligation to
help poor nations? (#17 in text)
Reading:
pp. 331-53
Tuesday: Panel
WEEK
TEN:
FIFTH ISSUE
SECOND PAPER
WEEK
ELEVEN:
SIXTH ISSUE: [to be determined by class]
Reading:
[to be announced]
Tuesday: Panel
WEEK
TWELVE:
SIXTH ISSUE
WEEK
THIRTEEN:
SEVENTH ISSUE: [to be determined by class]
Reading:
[to be announced]
Tuesday: Panel
WEEK
FOURTEEN:
SEVENTH ISSUE
WEEK
FIFTEEN:
RETROSPECTIVE
Thursday:
Review
THIRD PAPER