Forum 4: Far From Heaven

General Instructions
Don't forget to sign your name to your post! Put your first name and last initial so I can record your grade.

Read all of the instructions below before beginning to work on your answer. Email me with questions.

Think about the questions below for at least 20 minutes before writing any answers down. Just read the question and ponder it for a while before you write anything.

Write your answer in a word processing program and save it. Then copy it and click on the "comments" link below this post. Paste your answer into the comment box that appears. Beneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "Publish as:" - choose "anonymous" (unless you have a Google account or one of the other accounts listed, and you'd like to publish your comment under your account). Be sure that your first name and last initial are included in your comment. Click on "Publish." The page should reload, and you should see your comment. If it doesn't work, be sure you've followed the above steps carefully, and try again. If it's still not working, send me an email and include your comment, and I'll post it for you.


Due Dates
Please post your response by Friday, November 8, at midnight. Then respond to one of your colleagues by Sunday, November 10 at midnight.

Question
The main characters in this film are primarily suffering from the social enforcement of norms. What that means is that the majority in a society has certain behaviors and attitudes it considers important, and does its best to make sure that people uphold those attitudes and behaviors by imposing social costs on the people who don’t uphold them.

By and large, our society no longer sympathizes with the norms they were upholding in the film (norms against interracial relationships and same sex relationships), and so we're also unsympathetic with their social enforcement.

But what about norms that we do think are important? Say we witnessed someone berating her girlfriend in a way that humiliated her. We probably wouldn't want that to be illegal, but we probably also want to discourage it. We would probably behave toward that couple (with the verbally abusive girlfriend) much like the people in Hartford behaved toward Raymond and Cathy.

So, is the problem just that the norms were wrong in the 1950s? Or is there a problem with making other people’s behavior and attitudes our business at all? If you think that the social enforcement of norms is sometimes reasonable, what do you think is the difference between the examples from the movie and the example I gave (with the berating girlfriend)?



What is a Good Answer?
A good answer will reflect carefully on the various aspects of each question, and will tie an understanding of those aspects into the overall answer. A good answer will also elaborate on reasons for your answers, and explain your thinking in detail. I would expect a good answer to take up at least 3/4 of a double-spaced page in the word processing program before you copy and paste it.

A good response to your colleague will drive the conversation forward in some way. You might raise a question for your colleague, based on what she said in her comment; you might use his comment as a jumping-off spot to think about an issue raised in more depth; you might challenge some assumptions or argue against the logic of her reasons. Naturally, you'll do all of this politely and respectfully. Responses that merely agree with the comment won't be counted toward your grade.

Forum 3: The Laramie Project

 Xnatedawgx under a creative commons attribution/share alike license

***NOTE***

Please read all of the comments before you post - my goal for these projects is to make them a real conversation. So see what other people have talked about before you post, and then take that into consideration in your own comments.

**NOTE**
Please stick very closely to the questions below. There are all kinds of discussions one could have about the ethical issues raised by this film, and there's value in having those discussions. But if we're all going off in different directions, it's impossible to pursue any one question in depth, and that's what I want to do.

***NOTE***
Make absolutely sure that you're speaking with respect for everyone in your comments. Comments that display disrespect for persons will be deleted and you will not get credit for your answer.

**NOTE**

Don't forget to sign your name to your post! I have more than one class at a time posting to various blogs, wikis, and whatnot, and I can't keep track of everyone's handle. Put at least your first name and last initial so I can record your grade.

Please post your response to one of the questions below by Friday, October 11 at midnight. Then respond to 1 of your colleagues by Sunday, October 13 at midnight. Your comments should be substantive and thoughtful. Try to elaborate on your ideas, and explain why you think about things the way you do.

1. Many people were particularly upset that Matthew Sheperd was murdered because he was gay. Do you think there's something particularly bad about crime when it's aimed at someone because of their inherent characteristics (like their race, ethnicity, gender) rather than, say, because you wanted to steal something from them or you were angry about something? Why or why not?
2. What unexamined ideas and assumptions do you think the young men had, that made them react the way they did to Matthew? What about their lives, characters, upbringing, and society contributed to those assumptions?

If you missed watching the movie in class, you can get it from the library: The Laramie Project

I can't find transcripts from McKinney's trial online; here's a story about the defense from the New York Times.

Term Paper #1 Assignment

Here's a link to the assignment, in case you're having trouble with InSite.

Term Paper 1: Nicomachean Ethics

Forum 2: Courage

General Instructions
Read the linked article below first, and then read questions below and think about them for AT LEAST 30 minutes before writing a response. Then spend at least 30 minutes brainstorming - write down all the ideas that occur to you as quickly as you can. Then, go back through your answers and evaluate them. Whatever you think has potential should be developed carefully into your final answer.

A good answer will demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the question. You will include reasons for each of your assertions, and then dig down into each of your reasons and say why you believe those to be true.

You should include at least three reasons for your statement, and you should have at least one paragraph of further argument, explanation, examples, and illustrations for each of your reasons.

Type your answer in a word processing program before you post. A good answer will be close to a page long at least, double spaced. Remember to include your first name and last initial in your comment.

Click on "comments" below and copy and paste your answer into the comment box. Click "comment as" and choose "anonymous" from the dropdown menu. Click "publish." A captcha will appear for you to answer.

Answers to the question are due by Friday at midnight.

Then, read through the answers and respond to one colleague. Think carefully about what the colleague has argued and think about what you can add to the discussion. Think of a substantive question you can ask, a point you can add, or a way you can develop the other person's reasoning. Your goal is to move the discussion forward in a helpful way. Please DO NOT merely agree with the other person and restate her answer.

Responses to a colleague are due by Sunday at midnight.

Article
Read this short article for a bit of historical background about one incident in the fight for civil rights in the U.S.

Questions
It's extremely easy, in retrospect, to condemn people in the 1950s and 60s for failing to stand up for civil rights. But in fact, doing so required great person risk and courage. Even people who didn't suffer physically often lost jobs, friends, social networks, and family relationships because they publicly supported civil rights.

What do you think is one issue going on right now that requires your courage? What about it makes it something that requires you to be courageous (what's risky or difficult about it for you)? What do you think is the courageous thing to do about that issue, and why?

How to Read a Philosophical Argument

Here's a link to the presentation.

Welcome!

Welcome to Philosophy 110: Introduction to Ethics! This is one of my favorite classes - I hope you'll all learn a lot, think hard, and have fun doing it. Philosophy makes your brain work hard, but it's great fun.

Here's a link to your syllabus and schedule for this semester. The college is making a big effort to save paper, so I'll only have a few copies of the syllabus for those who don't have access to a printer, or regular access to a computer. If you'd like a printed copy of the syllabus, please print one out and bring it to class.

This is the course blog - bookmark it so that you can find it easily later. We'll be using it a lot this semester.

If you're the eager type who likes to get started early, your first assignment is already posted below. Just scroll down and you'll see it.

Let me know if you have any questions, or if you have trouble opening the linked syllabus.

Reading and Forum Assignment #1

Here's a link to the case study for your first forum assignment, and for group work on Wednesday (it's actually a discussion of several related cases).

Your forum assignment has two parts. Please complete Part 1 by no later than midnight on Monday night. Your colleagues will need time to read your comment and respond. Please complete Part 2 by no later than midnight on Tuesday night. Everyone in the class will need a chance to read all of the comments and response by class on Wednesday.

READ THE ENTIRE ASSIGNMENT THROUGH CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING!

Part 1

Read the article carefully and think about it for at least 10 minutes before you begin to write anything. Walk around and mull it over for a while.

Now, jot your thoughts down in a word processing file or on a piece of scrap paper. I still don't want you to write anything in comments, yet. Think about all of the complicated issues that arise on each side of this issue. What do you think are the best reasons to give people who have severe anorexia nutrition against their wishes? What do you think are the best reasons to follow the wishes of those with severe anorexia, who don't want to ingest any calories? What might someone object to the reasons you've written?

Okay, now compose your best answer to the questions below. Write your answer in a word processing program so that you can edit it easily, and so that it doesn't get lost if there's a glitch in uploading your comments. Include your first name and last initial at the top of your comment.

1. What do you think the default rule should be, with regard to people with severe anorexia, who will starve to death without nutrition, but who object to any nutrition? Should they be "fed" against their will (this usually involves a stomach tube or an intravenous line)?
2. Why do you think so? Give your best three reasons.

I'd like you to spend at least 30 minutes thinking about and composing your answer, not including the time it took you to read the article. A good answer will show careful reflection on the question; will demonstrate that you've thought about some of the complexities involved; will demonstrate that you've done the assigned reading; and that you've taken seriously issues that arise on both sides of the issue. Further, a good answer will include a detailed explanation of your reasoning. Each of your reasons should constitute at least a paragraph of text. This part of the assignment is worth 75 points.

Once you've finished composing your answer, save it, and then copy it. Click on the "comments" link (in orange) below (the link will say "no comments" if you're the first person to answer, or "# comments" once others have posted). Be sure you click on the comments link below - that is, the comments that belong to this post, and not the "Welcome" post above. Copy your answer into the text box that appears. Right underneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "comment as." Choose "anonymous" and then click on "Publish." Your comment should appear beneath the post. If you comment doesn't appear, send me an email.

Part 2

Give your colleagues several hours to post their own answers to the questions above, and then come back and read the comments. Choose a comment that you think is particularly interesting, and that you think you can respond to in an interesting way.

Type your response in a word processing program. Include your first name and last initial at the top of your response.

A good response will push the discussion forward in some way. You might (politely and respectfully) disagree with the person you're responding to and say why; you might ask that person a question to help flesh out her/his idea; you might take the original comment as a jumping off point and add some new ideas of your own. DON'T just tell someone that you agree with his/her comment and repeat their points using slightly different words.

Your response should show carefully consideration and reflection, and should include a detailed account of your own reasons for the ideas you express.

Once you've finished composing your response, save it, and then copy it. Find the original comment that you're responding to (NOT your original comment - your colleague's comment). Click on "reply," below that comment. Paste your response into the comment box that appears. Choose "anonymous" from the drop down menu, and then click on "publish."

I'd like you to spend at least 20 minutes thinking about and composing your response, aside from the time it took you to read your colleagues' comments. This part of the assignment is worth 50 points.

Let me know if you have any trouble opening the link.

Forum 5: Salaam Bombay!

 Mumbai Skyline at Night
By Cididity Hat (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

General Instructions

Read all of the instructions below before beginning to work on your answer. Email me with questions.

Think about the questions below for at least 20 minutes before writing any answers down. Just read the question and ponder it for a while before you write anything.

Write your answer in a word processing program and save it. Then copy it and click on the "comments" link below this post. Paste your answer into the comment box that appears. Beneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "Publish as:" - choose "anonymous" (unless you have a Google account or one of the other accounts listed, and you'd like to publish your comment under your account). Be sure that your first name and last initial are included in your comment. Click on "Publish." The page should reload, and you should see your comment. If it doesn't work, be sure you've followed the above steps carefully, and try again. If it's still not working, send me an email with your comment, and I'll post it for you.

**NOTE**

Don't forget to sign your name to your post! Put your first name and last initial so I can record your grade

Due Dates

Please post your response by Friday, May 3, at midnight. Then respond to one of your colleagues by Sunday, May 5 at midnight.

Question

Through most of the film, no one is stopping Krishna from doing anything - his behavior is almost totally uninhibited by anyone else.

Do you think Krishna is free? Say in detail why or why not.

What is a Good Answer?
A good answer will 

• offer a clear definition of freedom/liberty, or sketch out an idea of what real freedom/liberty looks like
• refer to at least one of the philosophers we've studied in developing the answer
• refer in detail to episodes from the film to support your argument
• demonstrate that you took time to seriously consider and develop an answer - that means taking your initial response (the first things that pop into your head) and questioning it, asking yourself why you think so, and digging down into your reasons

What is a Good Response to a Colleague?
A good response to your colleague will drive the conversation forward in some way. You might raise a question for your colleague, based on what she said in her comment; you might use his comment as a jumping-off spot to think about an issue raised in more depth; you might challenge some assumptions or argue against the logic of her reasons. Naturally, you'll do all of this politely and respectfully. Responses that merely agree with the comment won't be counted toward your grade.

Reading for May 6

Here's a link to your reading for next week: Justice as Fairness

This is a longer reading than we've had before, but the writing is in contemporary English (academic English, though, so it's written pretty formally). Leave yourself plenty of time to complete the reading.

Let me know if you have any questions while you're doing the reading. Enjoy!

Forum 3: The Laramie Project

image published by Xnatedawgx
under a creative commons attribution/share alike license

**NOTE**
Please stick very closely to the questions below. There are all kinds of discussions one could have about the ethical issues raised by this film, and there's a lot of value in having those discussions. But if we're all going off in different directions, it's impossible to pursue any one question in depth, and that's what I want to do.

***NOTE***
Make absolutely sure that you're speaking with respect for everyone in your comments. Comments that display disrespect for persons will be deleted and you will not get credit for your answer.

**NOTE**

Don't forget to sign your name to your post! Put your first name and last initial so I can record your grade.

General Instructions

Think about the questions below for at least 20 minutes before writing any answers down. Just read the question and ponder it for a while before you write anything.

Write your answer in a word processing program and save it. Then copy it and click on the "comments" link below this post. Paste your answer into the comment box that appears. Beneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "Publish as:" - choose "anonymous" (unless you have a Google account or one of the other accounts listed, and you'd like to publish your comment under your account). Be sure that your first name and last initial are included in your comment. Click on "Publish." The page should reload, and you should see your comment. If it doesn't work, be sure you've followed the above steps carefully, and try again. If it's still not working, send me an email with your comment, and I'll post it for you.


Due Dates

Please post your response by Friday, March 8, at midnight. Then respond to one of your colleagues by Sunday, March 10 at midnight.

Assignment

Answer ONE of the questions below for your post. You may respond to a colleague on either topic.

1. Many people were particularly upset that Matthew Sheperd was murdered because he was gay. Do you think there's something particularly bad about crime when it's aimed at someone because of their inherent characteristics (like their race, ethnicity, gender) rather than, say, because you wanted to steal something from them or because you were angry at them personally? Why or why not?
2. What unexamined ideas and assumptions do you think the young men had, that made them react the way they did to Matthew? What do you think motivated those assumptions?

What is a Good Answer?
A good answer will reflect carefully on the various aspects of each question, and will tie an understanding of those aspects into the overall answer. A good answer will also elaborate on reasons for your answers, and explain your thinking in detail. I would expect a good answer to take up at least 3/4 of a double-spaced page in the word processing program before you copy and paste it.

A good response to your colleague will drive the conversation forward in some way. You might raise a question for your colleague, based on what she said in her comment; you might use his comment as a jumping-off spot to think about an issue raised in more depth; you might challenge some assumptions or argue against the logic of her reasons. Naturally, you'll do all of this politely and respectfully. Responses that merely agree with the comment won't be counted toward your grade.

If you missed watching the movie in class, you can get it from the library: The Laramie Project. It's also available at the Contra Costa public library.

I can't find transcripts from McKinney's trial online; here's a story about the defense from the New York Times.
image published by Xnatedawgx under a creative commons attribution/share alike license

Forum Assignment 2: The Mission

(c) chensiyuan under GNU Free Documentation License

General Instructions
Watch the film from class carefully. Here's a link to rent the movie online if you missed part or all of it.

Think about the question below for at least 20 minutes before writing any answers down. Just read the question and ponder it for a while before you write anything.

Write your answer in a word processing program and save it. Then copy it and click on the "comments" link below this post. Paste your answer into the comment box that appears. Beneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "Publish as:" - choose "anonymous" (unless you have a Google account or one of the other accounts listed, and you'd like to publish your comment under your account). Be sure that your first name and last initial are included in your comment. Click on "Publish." The page should reload, and you should see your comment. If it doesn't work, be sure you've followed the above steps carefully, and try again. If it's still not working, send me an email with your comment, and I'll post it for you.

Your answer to the question is due by Sunday morning (February 17) at 8 a.m.

Beginning on Sunday, go back through all of your colleagues' comments and read them thoughtfully. Choose one to respond to. Think about your response carefully before you write anything. Write your response in a word processing program and save it. Then copy your response. Click on "respond" directly underneath the comment you want to respond to, and paste your comment into the comment box that appears. Continue as above.

Your response to a colleague is due by Tuesday morning at 8 a.m.

Monday, February 18, is a holiday: no school!

Question
Choose any one of the main characters (I'll list them below), and think about the choices they faced and their responses to those choices in the world of the film. Do you think that the character you chose displayed courage? What actions do you think reflected courage or cowardice, and why do you think so?

What is a Good Answer?
A good answer will reflect carefully on the circumstances each character faced in the film, and will tie an understanding of that situation to the evaluation of courage. A good answer will also elaborate on reasons for  the evaluation of the character's courage, and explain in detail your thinking. I would expect a good answer to take up at least 3/4 of a double-spaced page in the word processing program before you copy and paste it.

A good response to your colleague will drive the conversation forward in some way. You might raise a question for your colleague, based on what she said in her comment; you might use his comment as a jumping-off spot to think about an issue raised in more depth; you might challenge some assumptions or argue against the logic of her reasons. Naturally, you'll do all of this politely and respectfully. Responses that merely agree with the comment won't be counted toward your grade.

Here are the main characters you can choose from:
Rodrigo Mendoza (Robt. DeNiro)
Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons)
Cardinal Altamirano (the Vatican representative who made the decision about the missions)
Hontar (the Portuguese Governor)
Cabeza (the Spanish Governor)
Bercelio (the little boy who attaches himself to Mendoza)
Chief Ontiveros (the Guarani leader)

Reading Assignment for 1/23

Here's your reading assignment for class on Wednesday, January 23. Take notes on the presentation and bring them to class with you. Let me know if you have any questions.



Here's a link to the presentation, in case you can't view it here.

Welcome!

Welcome to Philosophy 110: Introduction to Ethics! This is one of my favorite classes - I hope you'll all learn a lot, think hard, and have fun doing it. Philosophy makes your brain work hard, but it's great fun.

Here's a link to your syllabus and schedule for this semester. The college is making a big effort to save paper, so I'll only have a few copies of the syllabus for those who don't have access to a printer, or regular access to a computer. If you'd like a printed copy of the syllabus, please print one out and bring it to class.

This is the course blog - bookmark it so that you can find it easily later. We'll be using it a lot this semester.

If you're the eager type who likes to get started early, your first assignment is already posted below. Just scroll down and you'll see it.

Let me know if you have any questions, or if you have trouble opening the linked syllabus.

Forum Assignment #1 and Group Work for Wednesday

Here's a link to the case study for your first forum assignment, and for group work on Wednesday (it's actually a discussion of several related cases).

Your forum assignment has two parts. Please complete Part 1 by no later than midnight on Monday night. Your colleagues will need time to read your comment and respond. Please complete Part 2 by no later than midnight on Tuesday night. Everyone in the class will need a chance to read all of the comments and response by class on Wednesday.

Part 1

Read the article carefully and think about it for at least 10 minutes before you begin to write anything. Walk around and mull it over for a while.

Now, jot your thoughts down in a word processing file or on a piece of scrap paper. I still don't want you to write anything in comments, yet. Think about all of the complicated issues that arise on each side of this issue. What do you think are the best reasons to give people who have severe anorexia nutrition against their wishes? What do you think are the best reasons to follow the wishes of those with severe anorexia, who don't want to ingest any calories? What might someone object to the reasons you've written?

Okay, now compose your best answer to the questions below. Write your answer in a word processing program so that you can edit it easily, and so that it doesn't get lost if there's a glitch in uploading your comments. Include your first name and last initial at the top of your comment.

1. What do you think the default rule should be, with regard to people with severe anorexia, who will starve to death without nutrition, but who object to any nutrition? Should they be "fed" against their will (this usually involves a stomach tube or an intravenous line)?
2. Why do you think so? Give your best three reasons.

I'd like you to spend at least 30 minutes thinking about and composing your answer, not including the time it took you to read the article. A good answer will show careful reflection on the question; will demonstrate that you've thought about some of the complexities involved and that you've taken seriously issues that arise on both sides of the issue. Further, a good answer will include a detailed explanation of your reasoning. Each of your reasons should constitute at least a paragraph of text. This part of the assignment is worth 75 points.

Once you've finished composing your answer, save it, and then copy it. Click on the "comments" link (in orange) below (the link will say "no comments" if you're the first person to answer, or "# comments" once others have posted). Copy your answer into the text box that appears. Right underneath the comment box, you'll see a drop down menu that says "comment as." Choose "anonymous" and then click on "Publish." Your comment should appear beneath the post. If you comment doesn't appear, send me an email.

Part 2

Give your colleagues several hours to post their own answers to the questions above, and then come back and read the comments. Choose a comment that you think is particularly interesting, and that you think you can respond to in an interesting way.

Type your response in a word processing program. Include your first name and last initial at the top of your response.

A good response will push the discussion forward in some way. You might (politely and respectfully) disagree with the person you're responding to and say why; you might ask that person a question to help flesh out her/his idea; you might take the original comment as a jumping off point and add some new ideas of your own. DON'T just tell someone that you agree with his/her comment and repeat their points using slightly different words.

Your response should show carefully consideration and reflection, and should include a detailed account of your own reasons for the ideas you express.

Once you've finished composing your response, save it, and then copy it. Find the original comment that you're responding to (NOT your original comment - your colleague's comment). Click on "reply," below that comment. Paste your response into the comment box that appears. Choose "anonymous" from the drop down menu, and then click on "publish."

I'd like you to spend at least 20 minutes thinking about and composing your response, aside from the time it took you to read your colleagues' comments. This part of the assignment is worth 50 points.

Let me know if you have any trouble opening the link.