INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS - Clover Sites



COURSE DESCRIPTION

A practical and theological study of moral living; focusing on ethics for Christian ministers. The course is an introduction to some of the problems of ethics, including topics such as the nature of morality, criteria for evaluating choices and actions, ancient and modern theories of the moral life, everyday choices, and dilemmas that face the Church today.

LEARNING GOALS

□ Gaining a working knowledge of Biblical moral principles

□ Identifying objective moral standards which have guided the human race throughout history

□ Categorizing and seeking solutions to the problems of ethics in a consistent manner

□ Relating ethics to one’s ministry

□ Applying Biblical ethics in making decisions both small and great

□ Adopting a position on important ethical issues facing ministers

□ Learning to ask philosophical questions

□ Seeking answers using the methods of philosophy and critical thinking skills

□ Expressing ethical positions and decisions in discussions and in writing

METHODS OF LEARNING

❖ Student Investigation of Philosophy Readings

❖ Class Discussions

❖ Case Studies

❖ Short Video Clips

❖ Ethics Bowl

❖ Individual Presentations

TEXTS

Your Bible, Meade Memorial Library resources (lots of them), and Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions, 2nd ed. by Arthur Holmes

About the Author: Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Wheaton College, Illinois (1951–1994). He is known for his teaching and work on topics related to philosophy, including ethics, philosophy applied to Christian higher education, and historical interactions between Christianity and philosophy. His books include The Idea of a Christian College, All Truth is God's Truth, Fact, Value and God, and  War and Christian Ethics: Classic and Contemporary Readings on the Morality of War.  He died October 8, 2011 at age 87.[1]

A SAMPLING OF QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS WE’LL BE DEALING WITH

❖ “Who Are YOU To Judge?”

❖ “Why Can’t I Be Bad and Stay Bad and Feel Good About It?”

❖ “Everybody has a different idea of what is good or bad, right or wrong.”

❖ “When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do”

❖ “If it feels good, do it”

❖ “God said it, I believe it, that settles it!”

❖ “The End Justifies the Means”

❖ “You gotta look out for Number One”

❖ “You’ve Always Been SUCH A Good Boy”

❖ “It’s Only Natural”

❖ “I Want My Rights!”

❖ “They just couldn’t get along …”

❖ “Off With His Head!”

❖ “You Can’t Legislate Morality”

❖ “It’s My Body, and I’ll Do What I Want With It”

❖ “We have the technology … what’s to stop us from using it?”

❖ “I’ve Failed! Now What Am I Supposed To Do?”

GRADING

A=90-100%

B=80-89%

C=70-79%

D=60-69%

F=0-59%

HOW TO EARN YOUR GRADE

Points % of Tool

Grade

650 65% Assorted Assignments

50 5% Attendance

100 10% Journal

100 10% Midterm exam: An exam on the major topics covered in the first half of the course will be given

100 10% Final exam: An exam on the major topics covered in the second half of the course will be given

1000. 100%

THE JOURNAL

A reading journal is one of many means to transfer learning from your brain through your hand to a piece of paper. This helps to make the knowledge objective, an object outside of you that you now not only possess but can share.

Journalizing also makes you interact, while you are reading, with the material in front of you. You can use your journal as a sounding board, to record your questions and articulate difficulties you may be having, as they arise.

There is nothing formal about this journal; its very nature is spontaneous and free. There are no points taken off for spelling or grammar. With regards to composition, all that is required in this assignment is that what you are saying makes sense. In this particular exercise of expression, you might find it helpful to "kill the editor" in you, so that your thoughts flow out as unencumbered as possible.

The content of your journal entries might include the following:

statements of agreement or disagreement with the reading material

questions

interactions between the information in the reading assignment and other things you have learned (especially biblical teachings)

applications of the new knowledge to real-life problems

utterances of bewilderment

pleas for help

cries of "Ah-hah!" as lightbulbs go on in your head

prayers

songs

poems

diagrams (however, unassociated doodling doesn't count)

complaints

It's got to come from you, though. No more than one sentence of direct quotation from each reading assignment should appear.

What kinds of things make for a successful journal entry?

(Evidence that you are reacting mentally, emotionally and spiritually with the reading assignment

(Sincerity

(Reference to the main points of particular reading assignments

(Efforts to weave the new knowledge into your worldview

(Life applications of the learning to your ministry

A final note about notes

Please don’t hand in your class notes and intend them to serve as a journal as well. I can tell the difference.

The length of the journal is 3000 words. If it’s shorter than that, it won’t receive a grade.

READING PHILOSOPHY

Everyone does Philosophy, all the time, but most people do not think very carefully about it. The student of Philosophy does. This means that s/he will want to:

(Find a quiet place to read and reflect on what has been read. Without reflection, you are not going to get much out of reading Philosophy.

(Read out loud, when the passage is difficult. Hearing yourself read the carefully-crafted sentences of a good philosopher may very well be the way you will break out of the fog and into the daylight.

(Make reading a priority: if you become distracted by thoughts of other things you need to do, write them down to deal with after you are through reading. Then, tell yourself that this is your time to read. Stay focused on reading.

Read through an entire section in one sitting, even if you don’t understand most of it. After your first reading, you’ll have a clearer idea of the structure of the argument or explanation. Then reread and jot down main points and questions. Highlighting key passages is my personal favorite technique. Ask for help.

Don’t confuse a tired mind or body with reading difficulties. Reading is a physical activity that requires you to sit upright and motionless for an extended period of time. Take care of your physical needs for exercise, rest, nutrition and water, and your body won’t rebel when you tell it to sit still.

(Carve out hour-long blocks of time to do your reading. Turn off the phone, tv, radio and stereo, and let your mind and soul sip the cool nectar of Philosophy, and feast on the brain-food set before you.

Your first reading assignment: Justice and Love

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Be good

Be good

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Be good

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