Course Syllabus


PHIL 103W: Introduction to Ethics


Overview

CATEGORY INFORMATION
Credits 3
Prerequisites None
Delivery Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com)
Dates See the Calendar.
Instructor See the Orientation module under the Modules tab.

Description

This course introduces students to philosophical ethics through a combination of analytical, experiential, and historical approaches to its basic questions, divisions, methods, and theories. Students will read texts from classical and contemporary thinkers, discuss the questions they address and the theoretical perspectives their authors' develop, and assume these theoretical perspectives for the purposes of identifying and addressing the ethical dimensions of contemporary issues.

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Gain and demonstrate understanding of central motivations for ethical theory.
  2. Discuss, evaluate, and compare traditional philosophical theories of ethics.
  3. Apply tools provided by these theories to cases where ethical deliberation is required.
  4. Consider and evaluate contemporary criticisms of traditional philosophical theories of ethics.
  5. Achieve critical awareness of your own ethical commitments—what they are and why you commit yourself to them—and reflect on the role these commitments play in shaping your character and determining your paths of action.

Organization

This course is made up of 9 lessons divided into 4 units. A few of the lessons have two parts.

For a typical lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:

  • Explore online course content.
  • Read a few assigned readings.
  • Take a reading quiz.
  • Participate in an online class discussion.

In addition, you will complete the following major assignments: 4 exams and a multi-step essay project.

Online Learning and Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.


Materials

Texts

The following texts are required:

  • Shafer-Landau, R. (2021). The fundamentals of ethics, 5th ed. Oxford University Press. [ISBN 9780190058319]

The following texts are optional but recommended:

  • Shafer-Landau, R. (2021). The ethical life: Fundamental readings in ethics and contemporary moral problems, 5th ed. Oxford University Press. [ISBN 9780190058241]

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

Course Reserves

There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please use the Library Resources tab in the course navigation menu. For any questions you may have about viewing or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the View and Print Electronic Course Reserves page at https://libraries.psu.edu/services/course-reserves/using-electronic-reserves/view-and-print-electronic-course-reserves.


Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.

Scale

LETTER
GRADE
MINIMUM
PERCENT
MINIMUM
POINTS
A 93 930
A- 90 900
B+ 87 870
B 83 830
B- 80 800
C+ 77 770
C 70 700
D 60 600
F 0 0

Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10622.

As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Note on To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.

Tutor.com logo Tutor.com

Tutor.com is a 24/7 tutoring service that provides students with assistance in coursework, test preparation, research, writing, and more for various subjects. The tutors are subject-matter experts, and each student will have personalized one-on-one sessions with them. Students can schedule their own tutoring appointments to engage in interactive sessions that include a whiteboard and chat feature. The service can be utilized on any device that has Internet access. Students are encouraged to use the service throughout the semester.

To utilize Tutor.com, perform the following steps:

  1. Click the Tutor.com link in the course navigation menu.
  2. Select your course from the Subject drop-down menu.
  3. Ask your tutor a question in the text box. If you're working with a document such as a rough draft of a writing assignment, you can upload the file here as well.
  4. Click the Connect Now button to begin the tutoring session.
    • A tutor will be assigned to you within 2 minutes, and you will then enter a virtual classroom with your tutor.
    • You will be able to communicate with your tutor by using tools such as a whiteboard and a chat feature.
  5. Fill out the post-session survey to offer feedback on your experience.

For a more detailed overview of Tutor.com, please view the How It Works video. If you have any questions or need additional help logging in, please contact studentsupport@tutor.com.


Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.

You can expect meaningful feedback on assignments within 7 days of their due date.

ASSIGNMENT
GROUP
POINTS
Reading Quizzes 110
Discussions 150
L02 Assignment 20
Exams 400
Essay Project 320
Total 1000

Reading Quizzes

Value: 11 x 10 PTS, 110 PTS total

These quizzes are designed to ensure that you are reading the assigned materials and comprehending the main points made there. For each reading, there is a list of reading questions that will guide you in your efforts to comprehend the text. If you can answer those questions, you should do extremely well on the reading quiz. Most quizzes will be a combination of multiple-choice/multiple-answer and short-answer questions. A few quizzes will have only multiple-choice/multiple-answer questions.

Discussions

Value: 6 x 25 PTS, 150 PTS total

The discussions are opportunities for you to try out your understanding of the material and develop your own thinking and writing on the issues addressed in conversation with your classmates. The asynchronous nature of these discussions allows those of us who always come up with great things to say an hour after the class meeting ends to contribute to the conversation on equal terms with those of us who are quick on the draw. The textual nature of the discussions does the same for those of us who don't trust our voices to be even and audible in the classroom in relation to those of us who are confident in speaking up. You are expected to participate in the discussion (an initial reply to the prompts early in the week and at least two replies to classmates by the end of the week), and to interact with one another respectfully. Your discussion contributions will be graded for completeness and timeliness.

L02 Assignment

Value: 20 PTS

This assignment asks you to reflect on the values that shape you and your life and to see if there is any way of relating them to one another systematically. It is primarily for your own benefit, and your results will not be shared with the rest of the class.

Exams

Value: 4 x 100 PTS, 400 PTS total

Exams will test your basic comprehension of the lesson materials and your ability to discuss them in your own words. The exams will involve multiple-choice and essay questions.

Essay Project

Value: 20 PTS (Topic), 100 PTS (Part 1), 100 PTS (Part 2), 100 PTS (Final Essay/Revised Essay), 320 PTS total

The essay project for the course requires you to choose an issue, identify the ethical aspects of that issue, and apply different ethical frameworks to the process of answering a particular question that arises from the issue. It will require that you demonstrate understanding of the basics of the ethical theories we discuss, and the application of each theory to the same particular question will deepen your understanding both of the theories and of the issue that gives rise to your question. Each part of the project will be graded according to standards that are spelled out clearly and are available to you beforehand.

Note on Turnitin (Part 1, Part 2, and Final Essay): Please be aware that Turnitin will produce an originality report. See the Academic Integrity section for information about the potential consequences of plagiarism and other violations of academic integrity.

Final Exam

None


University Policies

Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.   

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see G-9: Academic Integrity).

Unless your instructor tells you otherwise:

  • Always include an in-text citation that includes the author(s) last name(s) and the year the source was published at the end of any sentence or below any image that includes words, images, or ideas you found in a source, always included quoted text within quotation marks, and always include a reference for any source at the end of your paper (ask your instructor about the format you should use).
  • All of your graded coursework must be created by you without help from anyone in the course or otherwise. If you have questions about this, you should ask your instructor before submitting work for evaluation.
  • All course materials you receive or access are protected by copyright laws. You may use course materials and make copies for your own use, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct and/or liable under Federal and State laws.

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.

Reporting a Bias Incident

Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.


University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at https://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at https://news.psu.edu.

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.


Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due