Www.sckans.edu



ETHICS, SOCIETY AND BUSINESS

Fall 2015

McAlister, Fall 2015

TTH 9:20-10:30

Mossman 101

Office: Mossman 115

Office Hours: By appointment.

Email: Debbie.McAlister@sckans.edu

Course Description

In this course, we assess how business affects our individual and social lives, and ask what role business and its values play in our society as a whole. Further, we will examine issues and conflicts that typically arise in business and have moral aspects to them, such as the way employers treat their employees, employees their employers, and the ways businesses treat their competitors, their customers, their society, and even their environment. Students will develop an understanding of various moral theories including Utilitarianism by Mill, Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle, Deontological Ethics by Kant, and Theory of Justice by Rawls. Students will develop critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills as they analyze, evaluate, and discuss current ethical issues in society and business.

Texts

Exploring Ethics, Steven M. Cahn, Third Edition, Oxford University Press, 2014, New York

Ethics on the Job: Cases and Strategies, Pfeiffer & Forsberg, 4th Edition, Cengage Learning, 2013, Connecticut

Course Objectives and Student Outcomes

By the end of this course, successful students will be able to:

1) Demonstrate an understanding for the role and purpose of ethics in business.

2) Apply methods of moral reasoning and ethical solutions to resolving society and/or business ethical dilemmas.

3) Articulate ethical values relevant to business activity.

4) Demonstrate an understanding of moral theories of the western tradition, as well as an understanding of specific contemporary ethical issues.

5) Demonstrate in writing the capacity to analyze, evaluate and construct arguments concerning ethical issues that impact society and business in today’s world.

6) Articulate and critique a specific author’s position regarding an ethical issue.

7) Discuss and defend their own perspective on a contemporary social and/or business issue.

Course Approach

This course will be conducted in a manner that encourages class participation by the students. In addition to three exams, students will write and present a short paper to the class in response to an Author’s viewpoint, as well as write and present a long paper to the class explaining and defending their perspective on a contemporary social and/or business issue.

This course is designed to allow open discussion regarding various social and business ethical issues; therefore, it is important to remember to show respect for one another at all times and to use the exchange of viewpoints as a learning tool for all students in the class.

Course Assessment

You must complete all of the assignments to pass the course. No late papers will be accepted unless given approval prior to the due date. All late papers will be penalized. Students must be present for exams. If you do not show up for an exam, you will lose those points unless you have a valid medical excuse with documentation. There are no make-up exams.

Exam over Moral Theories (100 points)

Short Paper, A Response to an Author (100 points)

Second Exam (100 points)

Long Paper, Taking a Position (100 points)

Final Exam (100 points)

500 points

A (475-500); A- (460-474); B+ (445-459); B (425-444); B- (409-424); C+ (394-408); C (373-393); C- (359-372); D+ (343-358); D (323-342); D- (308-322); F (307 and lower)

Course Schedule

Tuesday, August 18

Introduction

Morality and Moral Philosophy

Study Questions (Exploring Ethics pp. 5)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 2 for discussion on Thursday

Thursday, August 20

Crito (pp. 6-21)

Study Questions (pp. 21)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 for discussion on Tuesday

Tuesday, August 25

Phaedo (pp. 22-33)

Study Questions (pp. 26)

Letter from a Birmingham Jail (pp. 27-42)

Study Questions (pp. 43)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 5and Chapter 6 for discussion on Thursday

Thursday, August 27

How Not to Answer Moral Questions (pp. 45-49)

Study Questions (pp. 49)

God and Morality (pp. 50-52)

Study Questions (pp. 53)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 7 for discussion on Tuesday

Tuesday, September 1

The Challenge of Cultural Relativism (pp. 54-66)

Study Questions (pp. 66)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 8 and Chapter 9

Thursday, September 3

Right and Wrong (pp. 67-70)

Study Questions (pp. 70)

Egoism and Moral Scepticism (pp. 71-82)

Study Questions (pp. 82)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 10 and Chapter 11

Tuesday, September 8

Happiness and Immorality (pp. 83-89)

Study Questions (pp. 89)

The Nature of Ethical Disagreement (pp. 90-96)

Study Questions (pp. 96)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 12 and Chapter 13

Thursday, September 10

The Categorical Imperative – Immanuel Kant (pp. 98-109)

Study Questions (pp. 109)

The Simplified Account of Kant’s Ethics (pp. 110-113)

Study Questions (pp. 113)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 14 and Chapter 15

Tuesday, September 15

Utilitarianism (pp. 114-125)

Study Questions (pp. 125)

Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilitarianism (pp. 126-134)

Study Questions (pp. 134)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 16, Chapter 17, and Chapter 18

Thursday, September 17

The Nature of Virtue (pp. 135-140)

Study Questions (pp. 140)

Virtue Ethics (pp. 141-143)

Study Questions (pp. 143)

The Ethics of Care (pp. 144-149)

Study Questions (149)

Homework: Read Exploring Ethics Chapter 19 and Chapter 20

Tuesday, September 22

The Social Contract (pp. 150-157)

Study Questions (pp. 157)

The Theory of Justice – John Rawls (pp. 158-163)

Study Questions (pp. 163)

Homework: Study for first exam

Thursday, September 24

Review and Study for first exam on Moral Theories

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job Chapter 1

Tuesday, September 29

Exam over Moral Theories

Thursday, October 1

Ethics and Ethical Decision-Making (Ethics on the Job pp. 1-16)

Exercises (pp. 16)

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job Chapter 2

Tuesday, October 6

Ethical Principles (pp. 17-37)

Exercises (pp. 36, 37)

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job Chapter 3

Thursday, October 8

The Resolvedd Strategy of Making Ethical Decisions (pp. 38-50)

Exercises (pp. 49, 50)

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job Chapter 4

Tuesday, October 13

The Resolvedd Strategy in Depth (pp. 51-67)

Exercises (pp. 66, 67)

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job Chapter 5

Thursday, October 15

Short Paper Due, A Response to an Author

Tuesday, October 20

Two Analysis of Personal Ethical Problems (pp. 68-78)

Exercises (pp. 77, 78)

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.1 and prepare to discuss your analysis.

Thursday, October 22

Discussion on 6.1 Not Fired? No Benefits for You

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.3 and prepare to discuss your analysis. Study for Second Exam

Tuesday, October 27 No Class: Fall Break

Thursday, October 29

Discussion on 6.3 Reporting a Professional Irregularity

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.6 and prepare to discuss your analysis. Review for Second Exam.

Tuesday, November 3

Second Exam over Ethics on the Job

Thursday, November 5

Discussion on 6.6 Buying a Car for Less?

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.7 and prepare to discuss your analysis.

Tuesday, November 10

Discussion on 6.7 The Price of Honesty

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.10 and prepare to discuss your analysis.

Thursday, November 12

Discussion on 6.10 Spying the Spies

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.13 and prepare to discuss your analysis.

Thursday, November 19

Long Paper Due, Taking a Position on an Issue

Tuesday, November 24

Discussion on 6.13 Embezzler!

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.14 and prepare to discuss your analysis.

Thursday, November 26 No Class: Thanksgiving

Tuesday, December 1

Discussion on 6.14 Loyalty to the Company or the Claimants?

Homework: Read Ethics on the Job 6.18 and prepare to discuss your analysis.

Thursday, December 3

Discussion on 6.18 A Damaging Ad or an Effective Message?

Review for Final Exam

Homework: Study for Final Exam

Final Exam: Tuesday, December 8 at 1:00

ACADEMIC HONESTY: As in all your classes, you are expected to abide by the Academic Integrity policies outlined in the college catalog (p. 82). Plagiarism, presenting someone else’s work as your own, and other forms of academic dishonesty will result in failure for the assignment and may result in failure of the course.

DISABILITIES: Southwestern College seeks to maintain a supportive academic environment for students with disabilities. Students in this course who have a disability that might prevent them from fully demonstrating their academic abilities should contact Steve Kramer, Disability Services Coordinator as soon as possible to initiate disability verification and discuss accommodations. Steve Kramer’s office is located on the north end of the Christy Administration building on the lowest level. He can be reached at (620) 229-6307 (Steve.Kramer@sckans.edu). The web page for Disability Services can be found at .

ATTENDANCE: Please read the material before class and come to class ready to discuss it. Please bring your textbook to the class. You are allowed to miss three classes during the semester. After this, I will begin lowering your final grade one step for each class missed. Thus if you receive an A for the course, but are absent four times, your grade would be A- for the course. If you are absent five times, your grade would be B+, etc. Attending this class means more than simply being physically present. Thus if you sleep through class, or busy yourself with your cell phone, or do not participate in a small group when placed in one, I will count you absent for that class.

CELL PHONES: Please turn off cell phones before entering class. If you forget, and your cell phone rings during class, turn it off; don’t answer it. Texting during class is not allowed. Doing homework in class will make you absent for that day.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download