Philosophy 2604: Critical Thinking and Ethics
Associate
Professor
Allen L. McPhee
Office: 5226-4 / (305) 237-1264 / amcphee@mdcc.edu
This
course will develop your skills in critical thinking by examining various topics
related to professional ethics. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on the
practical rather than the abstract understanding of ethics. Techniques of
critical thinking are presented in a very practical manner. The main focus of
discussion will be ethics in the business environment. This course is not a
traditional course in business ethics; rather, it is a philosophical exploration
of ethics in the workplace. “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.”
This
course is a philosophy course. As such, classroom discussions are an integral
part of the course. Students should read all assigned material prior to coming
to class. Classroom participation includes attendance, being ready to support
any view presented in-class, and being prepared to explain reading assignments
if called upon
COURSE
COMPETENCIES
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Competency
1
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Students
will demonstrate an understanding of the principles of critical thinking
by: defining key vocabulary terms; distinguishing between deductive and
inductive reasoning; identifying basic patterns of valid and invalid
deductive reasoning; identifying strong and weak inductive reasoning;
and, identifying examples of logical fallacies.
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Competency
2
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Students
will demonstrate an understanding of ethics by: defining key vocabulary
terms; identifying various traditional theories of ethical conduct; and,
applying different theoretical frameworks for resolving ethical
dilemmas.
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Competency
3
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Students
will demonstrate an understanding of the philosophies of work by:
defining key vocabulary terms; and, explaining the nature and purpose of
work within the framework of different economic philosophies.
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Competency
4
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Students
will apply critical thinking skills to the study of professional ethics
by: applying insights from the study of ethics and the philosophy of
work in order to develop a professional code of conduct; identifying
various ethical issues that arise in the workplace; identifying
different positions that one might adopt on these issues; evaluating the
arguments for and against these positions; and, applying theories of
ethical conduct to issues in the workplace.
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Textbook |
“Business Ethics for the 21st Century” by Adams and Maine |
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