PH 102: Classical Ethics
Explores the nature of morality and the major theories and concepts of normative ethics. Many issues such as the relationship between law and morality, religion and morality, and the conflict between morality and self-interest are explored.
When the course is completed you will be able to:
• Appreciate the Socratic method as a tool for critical thinking & engaging in dialogue with others
• Demonstrate familiarity with major ideas in ethics stemming from the western philosophical tradition
• Embrace virtue ethics by understanding a positive vision of human behavior which expands a person's range of choices
• Recognize the conflict between morality, self-interest and the dynamic between religion and ethical norms
All resources are provided in the modules of the course.
Weekly modules: All materials will be listed in Canvas in Weekly Modules for students to complete. All assignments, discussions, and other activities will be completed and/or submitted in Canvas unless noted otherwise. Modules will open Monday at midnight and close Sunday evenings at 11:59 PM.
Discussions: Each week will likely have a discussion question/prompt. You are responsible for posting your response of 125-200 words, using at least one citation in APA format in your opening post. (A Link to the APA formatting and style guide (7th edition). You must respond to two classmates’ posts with at least 100 words each. The discussion rubric is found in Canvas.
Student assessments for this course may include, but not be limited to the following:
- Tests
- Discussion Board
- Quizzes
- Journal submissions
- Paper/Presentation
Student Evaluation: Grade Weight:
Discussions 30%
Participation 10%
Assignments & Dynamic Learning Session 55%
Knowledge and Progress Checks 5%
Total 100%
Flex Assignments 10%
Grade Scale: Letter Grade Percentage
A 90 - 100
B 80 - 89
C 70 - 79
D 60 - 69
F 59 - below
Instructor Office Hours TBD
Module | Student Learning Outcomes addressed in this module | Concepts & learning materials | Activities & Tools of Assessment |
| 1 | SLO1, SLO2, SLO4 | Title: Course Introduction Reading: Apology of Socrates Sections 1 & 2. All resources are supplied in the modules.
| Knowledge Check Discussion – Thinking Philosophically Flex Assignment Progress Check Participation |
| 2 | SLO1, SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: Critical thinking 101 Reading: Apology of Socrates Sections 1 & 2. All resources are supplied in the modules.
| Knowledge Check Discussion – Critical Thinking 101 Assignment – The Gadfly Experiment: Introduction Progress Check Participation |
| 3 | SLO1, SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: The Value of Rational Discourse Reading: Apology of Socrates Sections 3 & 4. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – The Value of Rational Discourse Assignment – The Gadfly Experiment: Continued. Progress Check Participation |
| 4 | SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: The Relation of Justice & Injustice to Ethics Reading: The Republic Background Select Passages Books 1 & 2. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – Relation of Justice/Injustice to Ethics Assignment – The Gadfly Experiment: Final Assessment – Quiz 1 Progress Check Participation |
| 5 | SLO1, SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: Emotions and Ethics Reading: The Republic Background Select Passages Book 4. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – Emotions & Ethics Assignment – Unexamined Life Progress Check Participation |
| 6 | SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: True vs. False in The Allegory of the Cave. Reading: The Allegory of the Cave. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – True vs. False in the Allegory of the Cave Assignment – The Allegory of the Cave Progress Check Participation
|
| 7 | SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: How Ethics Impacts Society Readings: The Republic Book 9 Select Passages. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – Reading a Book with an Open Mind Progress Check Participation |
| 8 | SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: Thinking and Acting with a Purpose Reading: Aristotle’s Ethics Select Passages. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – Thinking and Acting with a Purpose Progress Check Participation |
| 9 | SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: The Habit of Virtue Reading: Aristotle’s Ethics on Virtues Select Passages. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – The Habit of Virtue Assignment – Aristotle on the Rationality of Virtue Flex Assignment Progress Check Participation |
| 10 | SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: Ethics and Friendship Reading: Aristotle on Friendship Select Passages. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Knowledge Check Discussion – Ethics and Friendship Assignment – Regulations and Customs in a Society Progress Check Participation |
| 11 | SLO1, SLO2, SLO3, SLO4 | Title: Ethical Choices and Happiness Reading: Aristotle on Happiness Select Passages. All resources are supplied in the modules. | Live Wisdom Adventure Session Discussion - Reflection |
Emails will be responded to no later than 48 hours or by the end of business on Monday for mail received over the weekend.
Academic Honesty Policy
The college has a firm policy against academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism. Students guilty of academic dishonesty will be administratively dropped from the course with a grade of ‘F’ and subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension and dismissal.
Please refer to the Academic Honesty Policy for detailed information.
Late Assignment Policy
Meeting deadlines, being dependable, and applying appropriate time management are all foundational elements of professional behavior. These same attributes are also required while participating in college courses because the skills, knowledge, and student learning outcomes must be obtained in a specific order and within a certain amount of time.
We at Ameritas College understand that sometimes students encounter circumstances that make it difficult to always meet the required course deadlines. This Late Work Policy is in place to accommodate that. In all circumstances, whenever possible, contact your instructor when you anticipate that you will be submitting work late.
The deadlines for most courses typically follow the pattern below, but it is your responsibility to confirm this and be aware if there are any assignments that may have different deadlines for one reason or another.
The first post in each Discussion Board is usually due on the Wednesday night of each module/week.
Most other assignments are due by 11:59 pm on Sunday evening of each module/week.
- All assignments must be submitted by the required due date.
- Missing assignments due to absence must be submitted within 1 week of return.
- Late submissions of assignments will result in a reduction of 10% of the total points possible per day (e.g., 1 day late = -10%, 2 days late = 20%, etc.) up to one week. Anything over 1 week late will result in a grade of 0.
- To receive full credit for late work, students must provide documentation for an excused absence, or it will be subject to the same treatment as any other late work. Documentation examples include court documents, hospitalization, etc.
Instructors may also choose to deduct less points at their discretion.
If for some reason a student temporarily loses the ability to connect to Canvas due to technical issues it is the student’s obligation to submit assignments by the original due dates. Temporary remedies can be connecting via a public WiFi spot, using school facilities to connect, or use of private networks through friends and family.
In extreme cases, when none of these solutions are available, the student may contact their instructors through other means and ask permission to submit their work directly, in a method that can be received by the instructor. Under no circumstances can methods of delivery outside of Canvas be used without explicit instructor permission. (If this ever happens the instructor should somehow note it).
Minimum Technology Requirements
Having access to a reliable desktop or laptop is required for Ameritas College online courses. This requirement ensures students have the essential technologies to complete online courses successfully. Mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets may be utilized as additional tools to assist with completing online courses.
Online video conferences and calls are often the best way for instructors to assist students in many situations. A web camera and microphone are necessary for successful online conferences.
Safari and Chrome: Office 365 is designed to work with the current version of the Safari and Chrome browsers. Microsoft Edge: Office 365 is designed to work with the latest version of the Microsoft Edge browser.
Internet Explorer: Office 365 is designed to work with Internet Explorer 11. We recommend that you upgrade to Internet Explorer 11 if you are using an earlier version. Office might continue to work with versions of Internet Explorer other than Internet Explorer 11, but Office can’t provide any guarantees.
Firefox: Most Office 365 apps are designed to work with the current version of Firefox.
Some courses may have additional technology requirements beyond those listed here. Additional requirements will be listed in your Canvas course room.
Basic Office 365 apps are free and available to students with their Ameritas College Outlook account. For additional questions and help with the required technologies, please contact support@hjc.edu
Minimum Technical Skills Requirements
To complete online courses successfully, you must be able to perform the following basic technical skills before starting the class
- Use the learning management system, Canvas
- Use Ameritas College email with attachments
- Download, save, and upload files in Canvas
For additional questions regarding the required technologies, please contact support@hjc.edu
Technology Support
To be a successful online learner, certain technologies are necessary. Please keep in mind that certain classes may have additional technical requirements. You should be able to find additional technical requirements in your syllabus or your canvas course room. If you have any questions about the technology requirement, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or support@hjc.edu
Accessibility Information
Ameritas College is committed to full compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For additional information, please access accessibility policy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or pjustice@hjc.edu if you have any additional questions.
Copyright Policy
As an institution of higher education, Ameritas College strongly believes in intellectual property. As such, Ameritas College respects intellectual property and has made it a priority to ensure all employees and students respect the copyrights of others. If you have any questions about our copyright policy, please access the copyright policy.
Privacy Policy
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If you need to speak with a person regarding any college policies and guidelines, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the college at 304-697-7550
This information is standard for each course but specifics may vary based on the delivery method of the course you are taking. Please follow the information provided by your instructor.
This syllabus is subject to change.