PL 207 - Contemporary Moral Choices

Description
Today we are constantly facing challenges related to social, political, and personal ethics. This course helps the students to understand different moral theories and principles, identify the contemporary moral issues, and evaluate moral choices available. After completing this course, the students will be better equipped to deal with the challenges in morality.

Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 3
Prerequisites/Other Requirements: None
English Prerequisite(s): None
Math Prerequisite(s): None
Course Corequisite(s): None
Academic Program Prerequisite: None
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required
Dual Enrollment Allowed?: Yes
Number of Times Course can be taken for credit: 1
Programs Where This Course is a Requirement:
None

General Education Requirement:
Humanities
General Education Learner Outcomes (GELO):
1. Civic Engagement: Apply knowledge of social, political, or environmental conditions to demonstrate understanding of community responsibility, 2. Communication: Demonstrate effective communication through listening, speaking, reading, or writing using relevant sources and research strategies, 4. Cultural Competence: Understand diverse interpersonal and cultural perspectives through analysis of scholarly or creative works, 7. Problem-Solving: Apply theory, calculation, or experimentation to demonstrate effective problem-solving
Course Learning Outcomes:

Understand the basic concepts in ethics and know how they apply to comtemorary moral issues. (GELO 1, 7)
Develop a defensible ethical position with regard to different social and personal moral issues. (GELO 2)
Demonstrate knowledge about issues in contempary moral discourse. (GELO 7)
Recognize how to move from facts about the society to relevant moral and philosophical insights. (GELO 1)
Identify and formulate ethics thesis.
Respond to criticism and defend one’s own moral positions. (GELO 2)
Write research papers and reflection papers about ethical issues.
Critically evaluate other’s positions. (GELO 2)
Verbally present viewpoints clearly and effectively. (GELO 2)
Recognize and evaluate current moral controversies in society and how they shape and reflect cultural values. (GELO 4)
Understand how social and moral philosophy plays a role in preserving culture. (GELO 1, 4)
Consider the context, costs, benefits and consequences of potential solutions to problems or issues. (GELO 7)
Articulate views through persuasive argument. (GELO 2)
Identify ethical dilemmas associated with environmental, social, or cultural issues. (GELO 1, 4)

Course Outline:
Part One: Ethical Theory: History and Today

I. An Introduction to Ethics

A. The Nature of Morality

B. Normative Theories of Ethics

II. Ethical Relativism

III. Four Rival Ethical Perspectives

A. Aristotle

B. Immanuel Kant

C. Utilitarianism

D. W.D.Ross’s Prima Facie Duties

Part Two: Issues in Applied Ethics

IV. Suicide, Euthanasia, and Death

V. Abortion

VI. Animals, Vegetarianism, and Environmental Ethics

VII. Liberty and Its Limits

VIII. Sexual Morality, Marriage, and Family

IX. Voting and Democracy

X. Crime, Guns, and Rights

XI. Punishment and the Death Penalty

XII. The Ethics of War and the Struggle against Terrorism

XIII. Race, Discrimination, and Affirmative Action

XIV. Social Justice

XV. Ethics in Business

Approved for Online and Hybrid Delivery?:
No
Instructional Strategies:
Lecture: 50-60%

Facilitated discussion: 10-20%

Video and mediated instruction: 5-15%

Student paper presentations: 20-30%
Mandatory Course Components:
None
Equivalent Courses:
None

Accepted GRCC Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit: None
AP Min. Score: NA
Name of Industry Recognize Credentials: NA

Course prepares students to seek the following external certification:
No
Course-Specific Placement Test: None
Course Aligned with ARW/IRW Pairing: IRW 99

Mandatory Department Assessment Measures:
None

Course Type:
General Education- Offering designed to meet the specific criteria for a GRCC Distribution Requirement. The course should be designated by the requirement it fulfills.
Course Format:
Lecture - 1:1
Total Lecture Hours Per Week: 3
People Soft Course ID Number: 100721
Course CIP Code: 38.01
Maximum Course Enrollment: 25
General Room Request: None

High School Articulation Agreements exist?: No
If yes, with which high schools?: None
Non-Credit GRCC Articulation Agreement With What Area: No
Identify the Non Credit Programs this Course is Accepted: NA

School: School of Liberal Arts
Department: Language & Thought
Discipline: PL
Faculty Credential Requirements:
18 graduate credit hours in discipline being taught (HLC Requirement), Master’s Degree (GRCC general requirement)
Faculty Credential Requirement Details:
None

Major Course Revisions: General Education Review
Last Revision Date Effective: 20230223T14:28:44
Course Review & Revision Year: 2027-2028