科目ナンバー

GM-PS1-RA41

履修条件・関連科目等

●　Each class will consist of 100-minutes of lecture and discussion. The class will be conducted in English.
●　No previous ethics courses required.
●　Intellectual curiosity; Keen eyes on everyday-life facts and happenings.
●　Respectful attitude of others’ opinions.

【※Important】In case there is a large number of applicants for this class, screening (a written assignment) will be conducted.

授業で使用する言語

英語

授業で使用する言語（その他の言語）

授業の概要

In everyday life, we quite often use words such as “right/ wrong” or “good/ bad” to evaluate or assess actions: for instance, “It is good to help others,” “Stealing is wrong,” and “What Mr. Tanaka said was always right.” We normally use these terms when we want to approve or disapprove someone’s actions, ideas or opinions, and even to resolve conflicts or settle disputes. But what makes it possible for us to say that an action is “right” or “good”? What is our reason or “criterion” for applying these evaluative terms? Is it because we like the action? Is it because the person who acts is good-looking? Rather, it IS due to some sort of “rightness” or “goodness” that we happen to find in that particular action.

As you may notice, however, we do not necessarily evaluate one same action in the same way; Adam may find smoking in front of others to be acceptable, while Beate may find it totally unacceptable or even disturbing. Why so? Why do people possibly evaluate one identical action in different fashion? Is there any view or theory to explain that? Many philosophers have given some interesting answers to the question.

In this course, we will discuss various everyday topics that are related to the field of ethics, their in-depth meanings and their ethical significance, and learn various criteria and theories that we can apply in assessing our actions, thereby attempting to find our answers to the question..

科目目的

You will discuss various ethical issues which you can find in everyday life. By so doing, you will learn several ideas and theories that help us explain how we ethically evaluate our actions and ideas.

到達目標

This course provides a broad introduction to ethics. The course is open to students from any disciplines, who hope to:

(1) understand some of the most fundamental topics in ethics (for instance: moral rightness /wrongness, utilitarianism and enhancement),
(2) be able to explain the issues in very simple everyday terms, and
(3) apply the critical ways of thinking (reasoning) that you will acquire on everyday issues.

授業計画と内容

※ The schedule is subject to change.

1. Guidance: What can we do in studying Ethics? (or should we?)
2. Moral judgment: How do we judge?
3. What does it mean to be morally “right”?
4. Is everything relative? (Relativism)
5. Lying: Is lying always wrong?
6. Result Theory (Utilitarianism): Is your action “right,” if it brings about a good result?
7. Rule Theory (Duty Theory): Is your action “right,” if it follows a good rule?
8. Culture vs. Nature (1): How different are they?
9. Culture vs. Nature (2): The idea of “enhancement”
10. Freedom: Are we completely free?
11. Love: What is it?
12. Environmental Ethics
13. Ethics in Medicine
14. Concluding remarks

授業時間外の学修の内容

指定したテキストやレジュメを事前に読み込むこと

授業時間外の学修の内容（その他の内容等）

授業時間外の学修に必要な時間数／週

・毎週１回の授業が半期（前期または後期）または通年で完結するもの。１週間あたり４時間の学修を基本とします。
・毎週２回の授業が半期（前期または後期）で完結するもの。１週間あたり８時間の学修を基本とします。

成績評価の方法・基準

成績評価の方法・基準（備考）

● Basically, I will assess your grade based on the way you participate in the class and on a final exam.
　　　Attitude/ Participation:　　　　 50% of course grade
　　　Final Exam:　　　　　　　　　50% of course grade

● Reaction Paper: After each class meeting, you will have to submit your “reaction paper,” on which you will write your comment or insights (up to about 200 words) about the topic specified in class and the class discussions. It will be considered to be part of your “participation.” (In case we have a large size class, this is important because it might be the only way for you to express your ideas.)

● Class Participation: Class participation is very important in this field of study. I appreciate interaction and exchange with you in class. So, please make best efforts to express your ideas, even if you may find it very difficult to do so. I would NOT penalize you for making mistakes; you ARE entitled to make mistakes in class!

● I will value your “good” contributions in the following senses:
(i) contributing to the clarification of the discussion; or
(ii) offering a relevant but unique insight to the issues under discussion; or
(iii) expressing an idea with some evidence;
(iv) AND respectful attitude to others.
On the other hand, disruptive behavior will not be appreciated and will affect your final grade.

● Absence: Your absence is a missed opportunity for you and me. I appreciate interaction and exchange with you; I would like to know what you think and have your feedback. I thus strongly advise you that you attend all of the classes.
Attendance at two-thirds (2/3) of the number of course sessions is required to be eligible to take the final exam.

● Final Exam: In class-exam. I will make an announcement about the exam before the end of the semester.

課題や試験のフィードバック方法

授業時間内で講評・解説の時間を設ける

課題や試験のフィードバック方法（その他の内容等）

アクティブ・ラーニングの実施内容

PBL（課題解決型学習）／ディスカッション、ディベート／グループワーク

アクティブ・ラーニングの実施内容（その他の内容等）

授業におけるICTの活用方法

実施しない

授業におけるICTの活用方法（その他の内容等）

実務経験のある教員による授業

いいえ

【実務経験有の場合】実務経験の内容

【実務経験有の場合】実務経験に関連する授業内容

テキスト・参考文献等

● No specific books assigned. But it will be of great help to look into some (large size, preferably) philosophy or ethics dictionaries and English dictionaries, when necessary.

その他特記事項

●　In case there is a large number of applicants for this class, I will have to conduct screening (by giving a written assignment) to limit the number of students.
●　A “summary hand-out” will be posted on manaba.
●　No cell-phones are allowed to use in class.

● Again, as I would like to know what you think and have your feedback, I appreciate interaction and exchange with you in class. So, I strongly advise that you attend all the classes and participate in the discussions.
● Philosophy is different from a philosophy. “Philosophy” is an academic discipline that comprises logic, metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, etc.; on the other hand, “a philosophy” is a system of beliefs, concepts, or attitude of an individual or a group. Everyone has a philosophy of some sort, even if he/ she has never read a philosophy book. An individual’s philosophy can be a subject for examination and discussion in philosophy class.

●　I recommend that you review what you have learned in each meeting.

参考URL