PHI 2604
Course Syllabus
Professor:
Dr. Charles K. Fink
Department:
Communication Arts and Philosophy
Office:
M-311
Phone:
237-2030
E-Mail:
cfink@mdcc.edu
Office
Hours:
This course develops skills in critical thinking by examining various topics in professional ethics. The course is designed to achieve two broad objectives: first, to enable students to reason more effectively, enhancing their problem-solving abilities; and second, to provide students with a foundation in ethics, enabling them to think more constructively about ethical issues that arise in the workplace. This course combines these two objectives by using professional ethics as a vehicle for developing critical thinking skills. In accomplishing the course objectives, students will study methods of effective reasoning, reflect critically upon their own values and ethical standards, develop a philosophical understanding of the nature of work, and formulate a professional code of conduct. With this foundation, students will apply their critical thinking skills to various problems that arise in professional ethics, such as affirmative action, sexual harassment, age discrimination, and the impact of industry upon the environment.
Objective 1.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the
principles of critical thinking by:
A.
Defining key vocabulary terms, such as "argument,"
"conclusion," "premise," "deduction,"
"induction," "deductive validity," "inductive
strength," "soundness," and "fallacy."
B.
Distinguishing between deductive and inductive reasoning.
C.
Identifying basic patterns of valid and invalid deductive reasoning.
D.
Applying various logical techniques to evaluate deductive arguments as
valid or invalid.
E.
Identifying basic patterns of strong and weak inductive reasoning.
F.
Applying various logical techniques to evaluate inductive arguments as
strong or weak.
G.
Applying various logical techniques to evaluate arguments as sound or
unsound.
H.
Identifying examples of logical fallacies.
I.
Applying problem-solving and decision-making strategies to problems that
arise in the workplace.
Objective
2: Students
will demonstrate an understanding of ethics by:
A.
Defining key vocabulary terms, such as "ethical theory,"
"rights," and "ethical dilemma."
B.
Comparing and contrasting the terms "moral" and
"ethical."
C.
Articulating various traditional theories of ethical conduct (such as egoism and
utilitarianism).
D.
Systematizing their own values and ethical standards in the form of a
theory of ethical conduct.
E.
Describing different theoretical frameworks for resolving ethical
dilemmas.
Objective 3:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the
philosophy of work by:
A.
Defining key vocabulary terms, such as "work,"
"capitalism," "socialism," "wealth"
and "economic justice."
B.
Explaining the nature and purpose of work within the framework of
different economic philosophies.
C.
Articulating their own views concerning the nature and purpose of work.
D.
Explaining different views on the ethics of work and working relationships.
(This involves addressing such general questions as:
As members of society, do we have an obligation to work as a way of
serving others? If so, what types
of work should we perform? What
should we receive from others in return? Are
some types of work, while legally permissible, ethically wrong?
What constitutes a fair distribution of wealth within society?)
Objective 4:
Students will apply critical thinking skills to the study of professional
ethics by:
A.
Applying insights from the study of ethics and the philosophy of work to
develop a professional code of conduct.
B.
Identifying various ethical issues that arise in the workplace, such as
age discrimination, affirmative action, sexual harassment, employee privacy,
whistleblowing, and the balancing of employer and employee rights.
C.
Identifying different positions that one might adopt on these issues.
D.
Applying logical techniques to evaluate the arguments for and against
these positions.
E. Applying their own theories of ethical conduct to formulate positions on issues in professional ethics.
F.
Applying logical techniques to support whatever positions they have
adopted.
G.
Resolving actual ethical dilemmas within different theoretical
frameworks.
Tests
There will be
three tests. The exact date of each
test will be announced. The tests
will be a mixture of multiple-choice and true/false questions. Before each test, there will be a review of the material.
Each test is worth a possible total of one hundred points.
Every student is required to write a critical essay on the philosophy of work embodying a professional code of conduct. Guidelines for the essay will be supplied. The essay is worth a possible total of twenty points. (To avoid possible disputes, students are responsible for making copies of all written work they submit. If a PC is used, the material may simply be stored on disk.)
Moral
Issues in Business, by Shaw and Barry.
Attacking Faulty Reasoning, by T. Edward Damer.