Dr. Y's Course Schedule(s)


SPRING 2012 (Tentative)

Course
 Title
 Section
 Days & Times
 Location
PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy1
 30651
 MWF 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. BP 3N
PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy1
 30652
 MWF 9:00 - 9:50 a.m. BP 3N
PHI 212
 Contemporary Moral Issues5 30723
 MWF 10:00 - 10:50 a.m. BP 3N
PHI 105
 Introduction to Ethics2
 30729
 MWF 11:00 -11:50 a.m. BP 3N
PHI 213 Medical and Bio-Ethics4 30711
 MWF 12:00 - 12:50 p.m. BP 3N

Notes to the Numbers for the Course Titles:
 
1 In Introduction to Philosophy, we'll examine what makes a good and a bad argument, and then we'll read what the "Great Philosophers" such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Gottfried Leibniz, George Berkeley, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, William James (and others) have to say about such issues as the existence of God, the problem of evil, and the nature of religion, what we can know in general, what exists, whether we have a mind distinct from our bodies, whether we are free or determined, what science is and how it works, how we should live, authority and the state, and what art is. (HU credit)
 
2 In Introduction to Ethics, you will be introduced to many different ethical theories, including Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, St. Augustine, St. Aquinas, Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Jean-Paul Sartre, John Rawls, and Annette Baier.  The focus of this class will be on understanding what many of the great thinkers in ethics have held concerning morality.  Near the end of the course, if time permits, I may have the students debate a contemporary moral issue (e.g., the death penalty, euthanasia, cloning, etc.) (HU credit)
 
3 In Business Ethics, we'll examine basis ethical theory and how moral argument applies to ethical issues in business, such as:  The social responsibility of business, codes of ethics in business, determining responsibility (e.g., challenger disaster); acceptable consumer, occupational, and environmental risk; employee right to privacy and whistle-blowing; affirmative action, reverse discrimination, and pay equity; sexual harassment; truth-telling in marketing and manipulative advertising; international sweatshops, and bribery. (I am currently requesting Humanities (HU) credit which will be decided by the District sometime in the future.)
 
4 In Medical and Bio-Ethics, we'll examine basic ethical theory and how moral argument applies to ethical issues in medicine and biology, such as:  The relevance of ethical codes (e.g., the Hippocratic oath), the physician-patient relationship (e.g., lying, informed consent), human and animal research, death and decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment, suicide, physician-assisted suicide, and active euthanasia, abortion and maternal-fetal conflicts, genetics and human reproduction (e.g., stem cell research and cloning), and social justice issues (for-profit v. non-profit, health care in other countries, and universal health care).  (HU credit)
 
5 In Contemporary Moral Issues, we'll examine basic ethical theory and how moral argument applies to contemporary ethical issues, such as:  The role of religion in ethics; war, torture, and the death penalty; vegetarianism and the environment; abortion and euthanasia; free speech, pornography; drug legalization; affirmative action; date rape, gay marriage, immigration, and the social responsibility of business.  This class is a lot of fun, and enlightening as well.  (HU credit)
 
6 In Environmental Ethics, we'll examine basic ethical theory, chief environmental ethical views (e.g., The major Western and Eastern religious perspectives on the environment, anthropocentrism, speciesism, Holism/The Land Ethic, Deep Ecology, Eco-Feminism, & multicultural perspectives), and the way in which moral argument applies to environmental ethical issues, such as:  animal rights; preservation of wilderness and/or species; population, poverty, & world hunger; pollution; food ethics (such as genetically modified foods), climate change, social justice (where to put the garbage), and capitalism and the economics of the environment.  This class is very interesting, and enlightening as well! [Note: We do not spend our time assuming that we're all going to die and that we're all part of the problem; both sides of the issues are rationally discussed.].  [HU and G (Global Awareness) credit]
 
7 In Plato, we'll do a comprehensive survey of Plato's philosophy.  We will study various biographies of Socrates; then we'll examine the putative views of Socrates in the Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Phaedo; Plato's biography, and Plato's views on knowledge, metaphysics, and ethics throughout many of his dialogues and some of his letters.  The Plato section is done by subject, so we study one subject at a time (e.g. God, dialectic, the Forms, or reincarnation) for better comprehension. There is no prerequisite for this course (no previous knowledge of Plato is necessary or assumed).  (HU credit.)
 
8 In History of Ancient Philosophy, we'll do an historical survey of ancient Greek culture, as well as a comprehensive survey of ancient philosophy.  We will examine the following philosophers' views:  Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Zeno, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Leucippus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, Pyrrho, Sextus Empiricus, and Plotinus.  There is no prerequisite for this course (and no previous knowledge of philosophy is necessary or assumed).  [HU and H (History) credit.]
 
Back to Dr. Y's Home Page