PHIL 102 - Contemporary Moral Problems

Credits: 5
Introduces students to the most urgent moral problems of our day. Provides students with an introduction to ethical theories and their application to contemporary moral problems. Topics may include war and torture, capital punishment, animal rights and the environment, abortion, euthanasia, and liberty.

Enrollment Requirement: Eligible for ENGL 99 or instructor consent.

Satisfies Requirement: Humanities/Fine Arts/English
Course Fee: $2.00

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Demonstrate command of important philosophical terminology, themes, and arguments of the major normative ethical theories.
Apply major normative ethical theories apply to contemporary moral issues such as abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, food ethics, gun control, and other issues of similar urgency.
State and evaluate non-trivial theories and arguments from various sources related to contemporary moral philosophy.
Recognize the consequences of their actions and hold themselves accountable.

Program Outcomes
Form, analyze, and assess beliefs while demonstrating intellectual humility and respect towards the beliefs of others.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.