PHIL 103R 01. Ethics and Identity
4.00 credits
Reed, Don
This is an introductory level course in ethics and social identity, exploring the ways our moral principles and ethical ideals are related to our places and identities within concrete social systems. The goals of the course are to teach a method of moral decision-making, to enable students to understand how moral norms are in some sense relative and yet also in some sense objective, to explore ways that we are all to some extent selfish and yet to some extent always already in relations of interdependence and cooperation with others. Students watch several movies outside of class, which serve as extended examples for our class discussions. Primary texts by theorists such as Aristotle, Butler, and Hume are studied. A significant portion of the course is devoted to ethical issues arising in our uses of information and networking technologies. Evaluations will be based on periodic short tests, class participation, and a final exam.
PHIL 103R 02. Ethics and Identity
4.00 credits
Reed, Don
Prerequisite: none
See PHIL 103R 01 description above.
PHIL 200A 01. Philosophy and Art of Hip-Hop Culture
4.00 credits
Bailey, J.
This course will look at the content and forms of Hip Hop Expression as well as the assessment of performance, lyrics and images placed upon, and embodied by, its audience. This course will be taught thematically, focusing particularly to the fundamental human questions such as: The search for God, love and knowledge; the historical concerns of cultural authenticity, race and sexuality; language as artistic expression and meaning; Chiefly we are looking at Hip Hop as a Cultural Socratic Art-Form, namely the historic look at Hip-Hop’s ability to question, inform and engage in the search for purpose within a democracy through its drama, music, and cultural forms.
PHIL 200A 02. Philosophy and Art of Hip-Hop Culture
4.00 credits
Bailey, J.
See PHIL 200A 01 description above.
PHIL 200R 01. Race, Gender, Science and Medicine
4.00 credit hours
McHugh, Nancy
Prerequisite: None.
Supplemental instruction available.
In Race, Gender, Science and Medicine students will critically analyze: 1. The role of race and gender in science and medicine; i.e. how these impact the doing of science and medicine. 2. How science and medicine have studied race and gender. 3. The interaction between science, medicine, and marginalized people. We will look at variety of views on these issues, assess the evidence and arguments that are presented to us through our texts and hopefully have energetic class discussions about the material. You will be assessed through quizzes, written assignments, essay exams, and a final project. This course is reading intensive.
PHIL 200R 02. Race, Gender, Science and Medicine
4.00 credit hours
McHugh, Nancy
Prerequisite: None.
Supplemental instruction available.
See PHIL 200R 01 description above.
PHIL 310 1W. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
4.00 credits
Reed
Prerequisite: One prior course in PHIL or permission of instructor.
This course is an introduction to the historical method of philosophical reflection and an introduction to the philosophers of a particular period and a particular tradition (ancient Greek to medieval European). As part of the first goal, we will observe the historical nature of philosophical thinking, i.e., the way it develops historically, not by accident but by its very nature. We will trace one tradition of answers to questions variously answered by four particular notions (which themselves are reformulated over and over again): (1) the notion that abstractions (like geometrical figures and the periodic table of elements) are the true objects of knowledge; (2) the notion that it is sometimes very difficult if not impossible to do what you know is good and not to do what you know is bad; (3) the notion that to be real and to be excellent are the same, i.e., that being and goodness are identical; and (4) the notion that the soul is immortal and lives on after the body decays and ceases. Students will take a mid-term and a final exam and write four papers. Writing intensive.
PHIL 312 1W. Contemporary Philosophy
4.00 credits
Bailey
Prerequisite: PHIL 311 or permission of instructor.
By taking this class, students should 1) gain a basic understanding of philosophical movements in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries; 2) gain a greater understanding of the ideas that shaped contemporary philosophy and the context in which those ideas developed; 3) gain a greater appreciation of the diverse world around them and a greater understanding of the extent to which the past shapes the present; 4) improve their written and oral communication skills, gain greater perspective and hone their critical and analytical skills (such as the ability to distinguish between fact and interpretation); and finally 5) nurture intellectual curiosity and skepticism and enjoy having a supportive audience with which to share ideas. Students will be expected to write weekly reaction papers, and four essays of varying lengths (from 4 pages to 10 pages) throughout the semester. Writing intensive.
Philosophy 380 1W The Art of Living Ethically
4 credit hours
McHugh, Nancy
The Art of Living Ethically is a unique course in the Philosophy curriculum. The over all theme of the course is to interrogate at multiple levels what it means to craft one’s identity, to develop the habits and practices to live a good life, and to live as a member of a community. We will be doing this in two ways. One, we will meet in a traditional seminar setting where we talk, engage texts and each other and flesh out ideas. Two, we will run part of our course at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center where we will engage with juvenile detainees about the art of living ethically. This will be part of the Stand-Up Ethics Program (STEP) that was developed by Wittenberg philosophy majors.
The Stand-up Ethics Program (STEP) seeks to provide young adults with tools, such as critical reasoning, evaluative, and implementation skills, that are needed to recognize, assess, and respond to moral problems. Furthermore, STEP seeks to develop ethical sensitivity to a variety of perspectives that are generated by complex moral issues. STEP takes Wittenberg University’s motto “Pass it on” to the community with its commitment to fostering moral literacy and ethical leadership in and among young adults in the Springfield Community.
The course will meet the first 4 weeks of the semester in our standard classroom environment. We will use this time to lay our theoretical base for the course as well as to develop curriculum and projects for STEP. For the next 8 weeks we will meet at the Clark County Detention Center on Thursdays to hold our class with the detainees. The final 2 weeks of the semester the Wittenberg students will use to meet on campus and to complete their final projects for the semester.
Course assignments will consist of weekly blogging, book reviews, final paper and final project with the students at the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center.
PHIL 490 00. Independent Study
1.00-4.00 credits
Staff
Prerequisite: Permission only.
PHIL 491 00. Internship
2.00-12.0 credits
Staff
Prerequisite: Permission only.
