Suffolk Community College
Selden, NY

Instructor: Lowell Kleiman Course Title: Ethics
Department: Philosophy Catalog No.: Pl 23

Objectives: To enable the student to (a) distinguish between metaethical questions of moral objectivity, ethical relativism, skepticism and moral cognitivism; (b) define the major classical and contemporary normative theories of ethics, including Egoism, Utilitarianism and The Categorical Imperative; (c) think critically about moral questions and evaluate practical moral judgment.

Procedures for Accomplishing These Objectives: Lectures, class discussion and student reports.

Student Requirements for Completion of Course:
(a) Your final grade will be determined by a set of five in-class short answer examinations. Exams are worth 50% of the final grade, are cumulative and are kept on file by the instructor. No make-ups.
(b) You are required to submit four writing assignments each one consisting of responses to three questions mentioned below. The questions are found at the end of the reading assignments; answers are worth 50% of the final grade. (Please keep copies.) Each answer should be about one typed page in length. If the assignment is submitted on or before the exam on the same topic, you may revise the submission for a better grade. Papers submitted the last meeting of the semester, of course, cannot be revised.
(c) You may submit an extra paper (2500 words, approx.). Papers should be typed and should include appropriate bibliography and footnotes. All topics must be approved by March 15, outlines by April 15. The deadline is May 1. The grade of the paper may be substituted for one exam grade.
(d) Class participation will be considered especially in the case of borderline grades. Unless otherwise informed, I will assume that any student with three absences has dropped the class. Lateness or leaving the class before the end of the hour counts as partial absence. Let me know in advance if you must leave early or you may receive a full absence.

College Attendance Policy: All students are expected to attend every session of each course for which they are registered. Students are responsible for all that transpires in class whether or not they are in attendance. The College defines excessive absence or lateness as more than the equivalent of one week of class meetings during the semester. Excessive absence or lateness may lead to failure in a course or removal from the class roster.

Required Text: The Moral Life (2nd edition), Steven Luper and Curtis Brown (New York: Harcourt Brace, 1999.)

Recommended: Philosophy :An Introduction Through Literature, Part 4 "Ethics," Kleiman and Lewis (New York: Paragon Publishers, 1992.)

Reading Assignments: (All references are to Luper and Brown unless otherwise indicated.)

Week Topic Readings Suggested
1 Morality or Mores? 3-4 250-256 (K&L)
2-4 What Moral Theory? 4-16 258-266 (K&L)
5-6 Is Friendship a Virtue? 182-192 177-182
7-8 Is Prostitutionan an Evil? 229-252 205-211
9-10 Legalize Drugs? 434-450 431-434
11-12 Help the Needy? 535-544 532-535
13-14 Animal Wrongs? 614-630 611-614

Writing Assignments:

Week Page(s) Questions
2-4 64 3, 4, 5
5-6 202-203 2, 3, 4
7-8 264-265 7, 9, 10
9-10 464 1, 4, 5
11-12 552-553 1, 2, 3
13-14 651-652 2, 3, 5