ETHICS
PHL 201 - Spring 2016
Online (CRN 42897)
Prof. Borrowdale

WARNING: You may be dropped from the class! To avoid being dropped, post a brief personal introduction in Moodle by THURSDAY 3PM. To do this, log into the Moodle class at classes.lanecc.edu, click on the "Personal Introductions" forum in Week One and post before the Thursday 3pm deadline. For help logging in to Moodle contact the Student Help Desk (SHeD) online or at 463-3333. IMPORTANT NOTE: There is no guarantee any instructor will drop you. Make sure you drop any unwanted classes. You will be charged for any class you do not drop by Sunday, April 3, 11:59pm. If you drop after Sunday, a "W" (for withdrawal) will appear next to the class on your transcript. The last day to drop without a refund (or change your grading option to pass/no pass or letter grade) is Friday, May 20 at 5pm (the end of the 8th week). If you do not drop by this deadline, you will receive a grade. For students who forget to drop and do not complete the course requirements, this grade will be an F.

MOODLE MESSAGING
Preferred form of communication. Please use this method for any time-senstive issues. To send me a message, click on my name anywhere in Moodle and click the Send message button at the bottom of my profile. If you click the Add Contact button in the messages tab, you can easily send me messages by clicking the word Messages in the Message block in the upper left of the main course page. When I respond, you will see an indicator in the Messages block. To use Moodle messaging, make sure your web browser's pop-up blocker is off or is set to allow lanecc.edu. The Student Help Desk (SHeD) can help you with this. Moodle will send you email notifications of new Moodle messages by default; please do not reply to these emails. Instead, log into Moodle and respond there. This keeps the record of communication unbroken and with the course and helps refresh my memory about ongoing issues. You will receive a response within 24 hrs or less.
EMAIL borrowdalej@lanecc.edu Second preferred form of contact, after Moodle instant messaging, described above; please use descriptive subject lines (e.g. "Extension request for Second Midterm Exam") and include your class (e.g. PHL 201,  or "Ethics") and full name in your email. Note that emails with no subject or subject lines like "Test" "Hey" or "Hi there!" will probably be filtered out by the Digitar spam filter and may never be read. IMPORTANT: Use Moodle messaging for all time-senstive issues.
PHONE 463-5434. Least preferred form of contact. On voicemail messages please give your name and call-back number clearly and slowly so I can write them down correctly. Phone messages are answered last, after I've answered all incoming Moodle instant messages and email and are generally not checked evenings, weekends, or holidays. If possible, avoid completely.
OFFICE CEN 410 J (Enter Hallway B, next to the interior North stairs, across from the restrooms)
OFFICE HOURS Tu 3-4, W 11-12, Th 12-1 in CEN 410J; M 2-3 and F 11-12 Moodle Messaging only (online, not in office), or by appointment
SUBJECT MATTER Ethics is the study of morality, including an analysis of the concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice, duty, responsibility, character, and successful living. Possible topics include whether morality is relative to culture or to the individual, the relationship between morality and religion, theories about what make particular actions right or wrong, moral skepticism, and eastern perspectives on right action.
TEXT Borrowdale, Ethics: An Anthology of Classical Readings, 6th Edition (available at the LCC Titan Bookstore)

REQUIREMENTS


FORUM POSTS
Due before Sunday 11:55pm each week
10% of grade
FIRST MIDTERM EXAM Begins: Wednesday, April 13 at 3:30pm
Ends: Wednesday, April 20 at 7pm
30% of grade
SECOND MIDTERM EXAM
Begins: Wednesday, May 4 at 3:30pm
Ends: Thursday, May 12 at 7pm
30% of grade
EXTRA CREDIT EXAM (Optional)
Begins: Monday, May16 at 9:00am
Ends: Friday, June 3 at 5pm
Replaces lowest midterm
See below for details
FINAL EXAM Begins: Wednesday, June 1 at 3:30pm
Ends: Thursday, June 9 at 5pm
30% of grade

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The objectives are this course are for students to (1) acquire some factual knowledge about the history of ethics, classical and contemporary theories, and important figures in moral philosophy (2) acquire or sharpen critical and analytical reasoning skills (3) come to their own conclusions about which ethical theories are best or most likely to be true, even if those conclusions are of a tentative nature (4) bring their conclusions about ethics to bear on their present values, goals and way of life.

READING: It is important to read the material in order to participate intelligently in online forums and to perform well on exams.

FORUM POSTS: The purpose of the forum assignment is to allow you the opportunity to interpret, evaluate and apply what you have learned, and to discuss the merits and implications of class concepts and theories with your classmates. At the beginning of each week, a new forum will be open for posting. To receive credit, you must make one post (or reply) which substantially addresses a class topic.  Postings will be graded on a credit/no-credit basis and are due before Sunday 11:55pm at the end of each week. Late posts will not receive credit. An extra credit forum will be available in Week Ten to make up for one missed post. Students are also expected to read every post. If you do not wish to receive email copies of posts, click Profile --> Edit Profile tab --> Forum auto-subscribe (change to "No; don't automatically subscribe me to Forums."). If you do this, you'll want to turn read-tracking on. In the Edit Profile tab, change Forum Tracking to "Yes; highlight new posts for me."

COMPUTER USE: This course requires you to use (but not necessarily own) a computer. Testing, distribution and archiving of notes and handouts and reporting and calculation of grades are all done via Moodle. Campus labs are staffed with people who can help you if you are new to computers or have difficulty using them. Visit the Student Help Desk (SHeD) website at https://www.lanecc.edu/atc/student-help-desk, call them at 463-3333 or visit them in Building 2, Room 121/122. Campus computer labs and hours may be found at https://www.lanecc.edu/cit/computer-lab. Please make sure your current email address is in your myLane account and Moodle profile.

EXAMS: You will have a window of several days during which you must take each exam in Instructional Testing Services in the  in CEN 311 on the Main Campus or at the Cottage Grove Center or with an approved proctor. Exams cannot be taken at home. You will need a photo I.D. and to know your L Number and myLane PIN to log into the test. The exam format will be multiple choice and true/false questions. During the exam you may use a 3 x 5 card note card (both sides) or a piece of paper measured with a ruler and cut to the same size. The final will not be comprehensive. Opening and closing times of exams are in the syllabus and may also be seen by clicking on the exam name in the main course view as soon as the date is set. Lab hours for the Instructional Testing Services are posted at https://www.lanecc.edu/learningcommons/its. You must arrive one hour before closing. See http://www.lanecc.edu/laneonline/test-proctoring for details on proctoring if you are taking the course from out of the greater Eugene area. If you need help locating a proctor, try The National College Testing Association at http://www.ncta-testing.org/cctc/. A per test fee is usually required, though fees will vary by institution. Note: Instructional Testing Services and other campus services will be closed Friday, May 6  (Spring Conference) and Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day).

The optional Extra Credit Exam, based on the material from the First and Second Midterm Exams. It opens Monday of Week 8 and closes Friday of Week 10. It will replace the lowest of your First or Second Midterm Exam scores. If it is lower than either, it will have no effect. In order for it to count, you have to take both midterms. It is not a substitute for taking either midterm or the final exam.

MAKE-UP EXAM POLICY: Since you will have at least a week to take the exam, you will be expected to meet the deadline. However, you may contact the instructor before the deadline via Moodle messaging, email or in person to request an extension without penalty.

The Final Exam must be completed by THURSDAY 5PM of Final Exam Week. Make ups are generally not possible for purposes of Spring Term grades since will begin determining course grades when the is lab closes at 5pm  If you have a legitimate excuse for missing the Final, contact me immediately about a make-up and grade change.

PENALTIES FOR CHEATING: Students caught cheating will be given an F in the course.

GRADING: At the end of the term, the class will be graded on the following absolute scale. Extra credit work does not count towards the A+.

A+ 97% -100% A  93% - 96% 
A-  90% - 92%
B+  87% - 89% B  83% - 86% B-  80% - 82%
C+  77% - 79% C  73% - 76% C-  70% - 72%
D+  67% - 69% D  63% - 66% D-  60% - 62%
  F 0% - 59%  

AVAILABILITY OF THE INSTRUCTOR: I am available by Moodle messaging, email, phone, or in-person office visits. If you are having difficulties with the class, please contact me as soon as possible; I am here to help. If you performed poorly on your first exam, please come by office hours or make an appointment to see me to see what we can do to improve your next exam score and the Extra Credit Exam, which will replace your lowest midterm score. I am also available to discuss any issue in the class which has piqued your intellectual curiosity, or which you find interesting or important, outside of the realm of assignments and testing.

COURSE OUTLINE

WEEK 1: Basic Ethical Theories (Ch. 1), Moral Relativism (Ch. 2)
Post to Weekly Forum before Sunday 11:55pm each week through Week 10.

WEEK 2: Moral Skepticism (Ch. 3)

WEEK 3: Divine Command Theory (Ch. 4)
First Midterm opens Wednesday 3:30pm

WEEK 4: Egoism & Social Contract Theory (Ch. 5)
Take First Midterm Exam in the Computer Testing Lab by Wednesday 7pm

WEEK 5: Utilitarianism (Ch. 6)

WEEK 6: Utilitarianism (Ch. 6)
Second Midterm opens Wednesday 3:30

WEEK 7: Deontology (Ch. 7
Take Second Midterm Exam by Thursday 7pm

WEEK 8: Virtue Ethics (Ch. 8)
Drop/Grade Option Deadline Friday 5pm

WEEK 9: Virtue Ethics, Nietzsche (Ch. 8-9)

WEEK 10: Moral & Political Knowledge (Ch. 10)
Final Exam opens Wednesday 3:30pm

FINAL EXAM WEEK
Take Final Exam in the Computer Testing Lab by Thursday 5pm

Accessibility and Accommodations: To request assistance or accommodations related to disability, contact the Center for Accessible Resources at (541) 463-5150 (voice), 711 (TTY),  AccessibleResources@lanecc.edu (email), or stop by Building 1, Room 218.