Gun control policy
war in Iraq
animal rights (including hunting [good gracious! Is someone impeding animals' right to hunt?]
vegetarianism / veganism
reasons for war? are any ethical? does going to war solve the "problem"?
euthanasia / mercy killing
racism / racial profiling
I know this topic is overdone but abortion? in a case of rape?
attacking criminals if you have the chance
Is shopping at Walmart ethical when one knows that the goods one purchases [are] at the expense of other human beings?
is it ethical (for an American) to not vote, when much has been sacrificed by others so they might have this right? Even if one doesn't like any [candidate] or believe in a [candidate]?
Lying - for example: Your friend is dating someone you saw kissing someone else. Do you tell that person? [Oh, I think that person the friend who's dating the first person already knows, since he or she was the one your friend's date was kissing. But maybe if you told her or him, then he or she would know that you know that he or she knows that you know]
Euthanasia -- is it ethical? Should the law dictate your rights in this situation?
Should parents be able to create an account on a website (facebook, myspace, etc.) to be able to essentially "keep tabs" on their children, or should the kids have more privacy?
Government sponsored assassinations or the ousting of a ruler unliked by [a] government
Is it morally acceptable to intervene with other countries' politics simply [because a] government does not like the ruler? [No, but if they have a lot of oil, hey, go for it]
Many people believe that abortion is bad, but the death penalty is necessary [I think you don't really want a comma there]
At this point of the class, I just started to think in terms of [an] ethical system, therefore, it is very difficult for me to propose an argument. However, speaking in terms of a Daoist, how is one supposed to live in accordance with nature if the life he [or she] is living is based [solely] on providing for [her or] himself and his [or her] family. If the means to provide are not impossible then her is proceeding with a process that is possible to do. [Likely.] Yet, the means to survive, like working [are] not the most natural thing to do. Working such as a [diner], Giant, etc. What, then, is the way to proceed in accordance with nature in Modern Times?
smaller scale situations
offered a better job, thinking about leaving current one, should you inform anyone? Same type of question applies to roommates / living situations, etc.
Accepting bribes, would help people out short term, but possible ramifications later on... should you?
Helping out a friend, even though you know they are in the wrong; should you be loyal or do what may be right?
Euthanasia -- relating to humans as well as animals [last I heard, humans were animals]
The use of plastic bags and or any other product that causes harm to the environment.
I don't think this could be look[ed] at [as] an ethical standpoint, but what is the purpose of art that is a giant litter box or rumpled pieces of carpet hanging from a pole attached to a wall? Is this art? [No, it is not. People who produce such "art" should be rounded up, herded into camps made of concrete with corrugated steel roofs, surgically sterilized, treated with electric shock therapy, lobotomized, and eventually, re-educated, returned to service-sector jobs. Just like what we do here at PCA&D!] One could say yes, because taking an everyday object and turning it into something else like a statement on art such as the artist that did the large litterbox making a statement that his work is no good. [I think I may have to rethink my above position.]
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Course Content Surveys: Revolution & Constitution
I have made minor mechanical corrections without notation.
What aspect or assignment in this course has been the most difficult for you? Explain briefly.
The essays / papers. As a senior the workload is intense and I found it hard to put the time aside to research enough to write a descent [sic.] paper. It was also hard because the paper are nearly our entire grade and that put even more pressure on it.
***
The aspects or assignments have all be challenging but not entirely difficult to do.
***
The number of projects due makes the course more difficult (especially if you have a full schedule) [as it happens, I do -- MA]. Getting behind with a full work load is not an easy thing to come back from when you have three research papers in one semester.
*
MA: This last point would seem to argue against falling behind.
***
Research, research, research. Never in all my college level education have I had to do so much research. I am at this point of the semester and of my college education in general swamped with work, the last thing I need is to do hours and hours of research I cannot find the time it takes to do good valuable research for this class. Also, I'm not too familiar with doing research, especially college level research and 4th year at that.
*
Research and analysis -- used to papers that deal with strictly factual information -- not analysis, also making a significant connection [between] certain events and the Constitution.
*
MA: I'm not sure whether this a personal commentary, an indictment of the course, or a celebration of the value of the course. Perhaps it is some mixture of these. The course syllabus calls for annotated bibliographies for the first two projects each entailing not fewer than seven sources in not fewer than three media types. Depending on the topic one selected, assuming for the moment that it was not an absolutely obscure one (say, the role of Jewish immigrants in defining constitutional principles), simply finding seven sources in three media types might take an hour of careful research. Analyzing and notating the sources is another matter -- that could take days or work.
I guess my concern about the first statement ("Never in all of my college level education...") is to understand why this would be the case. Two seven-page research papers and one four-page evaluative summary -- which, as noted in the earlier comment, is virtually the entirety of the graded material for the course -- seems to me to be a reasonable load. I suppose other instructors should be encouraged to require similar assignments, as then you would have more experience with research. It becomes much easier with practice; conversely, the less experience one has, the harder research may seem.
***
What aspect or assignment has been the least difficult? Explain briefly.
In the beginning of the semester we used to discuss things and I think that was the best part. It would've help[ed] if we had a certain topic set aside for a day we could research it a little and then meet up as a class and have class discussions.
*
MA: This is a fine course content survey response. It implies a difficulty (fewer discussions) and provides an excellent suggestion for a solution.
***
comming to class [sic.]
***
The second project has been less difficult because it concerns more readily available information that deals with modern times.
***
I do somewhat enjoy doing the research, I find it to be somewhat interesting. But like I said before, I don't have the time to do good research.
***
The information being presented is relevant and easily understood. More familiar with historical events and the impact on events that followed.
***
What did you think you were going to learn that you haven't learned?
I thought the course would go more in deph with the actual context of the Constitution and how it has shaped our government and laws now -- not much discussion on what the amendments encompass (ex: 14th amendment goes further with the due process clause, equal protection... on and on).
***
More about the history of the revolution and constitution, also how they are applied today.
***
Since we have begun to look at topics from more modern times, I can't say that we have skipped anything important so far.
***
I am happy now in the second project that we are tak[ing] constitutional amendments and putting [them] to work. I wish that more analysis of our [present government] could be done, [rather] than the past, and everything quicker [paced]. The speeches were okay, but not needed, more learning of facts than ideas would be better.
***
It's hard to say because I've leanred bits and piees about everything I thought I was going to learn, but I would've liked to [have] gotten into more of the American revolution in greater depth.
What are you learning that you didn't expect to learn?
For my paper I'm writing about protest and how events like Kent State should have never happened based on the Constitution. But I chose the topic because it interested me.
***
What is being taught is fine, but more could be done.
***
We went deep into the specifics of not only the Constitution, but the Articles of [Confederation} as well as a couple more important documents dating from the start of the US It is interesting to look at specifics in these, and I found everything to be relevant to the course topic.
***
How to do the research that we have been doing and how to apply it to the course. Which I'm still not convinced about.
*
MA: Oh, I think the course exists.
***
I like the freedom to explore any aspect of the Constitution and the effects it has on our history and our present. I am familiarizing myself with rights I wasn't necessarily aware of and rights I though I had but had been misinterpreted or not necessarily guaranteed in the Constitution.
***
What aspect or assignment in this course has been the most difficult for you? Explain briefly.
The essays / papers. As a senior the workload is intense and I found it hard to put the time aside to research enough to write a descent [sic.] paper. It was also hard because the paper are nearly our entire grade and that put even more pressure on it.
***
The aspects or assignments have all be challenging but not entirely difficult to do.
***
The number of projects due makes the course more difficult (especially if you have a full schedule) [as it happens, I do -- MA]. Getting behind with a full work load is not an easy thing to come back from when you have three research papers in one semester.
*
MA: This last point would seem to argue against falling behind.
***
Research, research, research. Never in all my college level education have I had to do so much research. I am at this point of the semester and of my college education in general swamped with work, the last thing I need is to do hours and hours of research I cannot find the time it takes to do good valuable research for this class. Also, I'm not too familiar with doing research, especially college level research and 4th year at that.
*
Research and analysis -- used to papers that deal with strictly factual information -- not analysis, also making a significant connection [between] certain events and the Constitution.
*
MA: I'm not sure whether this a personal commentary, an indictment of the course, or a celebration of the value of the course. Perhaps it is some mixture of these. The course syllabus calls for annotated bibliographies for the first two projects each entailing not fewer than seven sources in not fewer than three media types. Depending on the topic one selected, assuming for the moment that it was not an absolutely obscure one (say, the role of Jewish immigrants in defining constitutional principles), simply finding seven sources in three media types might take an hour of careful research. Analyzing and notating the sources is another matter -- that could take days or work.
I guess my concern about the first statement ("Never in all of my college level education...") is to understand why this would be the case. Two seven-page research papers and one four-page evaluative summary -- which, as noted in the earlier comment, is virtually the entirety of the graded material for the course -- seems to me to be a reasonable load. I suppose other instructors should be encouraged to require similar assignments, as then you would have more experience with research. It becomes much easier with practice; conversely, the less experience one has, the harder research may seem.
***
What aspect or assignment has been the least difficult? Explain briefly.
In the beginning of the semester we used to discuss things and I think that was the best part. It would've help[ed] if we had a certain topic set aside for a day we could research it a little and then meet up as a class and have class discussions.
*
MA: This is a fine course content survey response. It implies a difficulty (fewer discussions) and provides an excellent suggestion for a solution.
***
comming to class [sic.]
***
The second project has been less difficult because it concerns more readily available information that deals with modern times.
***
I do somewhat enjoy doing the research, I find it to be somewhat interesting. But like I said before, I don't have the time to do good research.
***
The information being presented is relevant and easily understood. More familiar with historical events and the impact on events that followed.
***
What did you think you were going to learn that you haven't learned?
I thought the course would go more in deph with the actual context of the Constitution and how it has shaped our government and laws now -- not much discussion on what the amendments encompass (ex: 14th amendment goes further with the due process clause, equal protection... on and on).
***
More about the history of the revolution and constitution, also how they are applied today.
***
Since we have begun to look at topics from more modern times, I can't say that we have skipped anything important so far.
***
I am happy now in the second project that we are tak[ing] constitutional amendments and putting [them] to work. I wish that more analysis of our [present government] could be done, [rather] than the past, and everything quicker [paced]. The speeches were okay, but not needed, more learning of facts than ideas would be better.
***
It's hard to say because I've leanred bits and piees about everything I thought I was going to learn, but I would've liked to [have] gotten into more of the American revolution in greater depth.
What are you learning that you didn't expect to learn?
For my paper I'm writing about protest and how events like Kent State should have never happened based on the Constitution. But I chose the topic because it interested me.
***
What is being taught is fine, but more could be done.
***
We went deep into the specifics of not only the Constitution, but the Articles of [Confederation} as well as a couple more important documents dating from the start of the US It is interesting to look at specifics in these, and I found everything to be relevant to the course topic.
***
How to do the research that we have been doing and how to apply it to the course. Which I'm still not convinced about.
*
MA: Oh, I think the course exists.
***
I like the freedom to explore any aspect of the Constitution and the effects it has on our history and our present. I am familiarizing myself with rights I wasn't necessarily aware of and rights I though I had but had been misinterpreted or not necessarily guaranteed in the Constitution.
***
Course Content Survey: Foundations of Ethics
I have made slight mechanical corrections without editorial notation. To the student who wroter her or his course content survey responses in Norwegian: De er velkommen a tale norsk, je forstar Dem, men jeg tenker de bor skrive engelsk i denne kartlegging.
What aspect or assignment in this course has been the most difficult for you? Explain briefly.
Reading and completely understanding the different classical thought systems.
***
Lesning [reading]
***
The hardest part so far has been understanding some of the information presented in the required reading before it is explained. Reading can rake a while sometimes.
***
Understanding the terms, speech, vocabulary, etc. of the readings. It just takes a little more time to read through the books.
*
MA: A little more time than what?
***
Papers. Finding time to write them while there's other major homework.
*
MA: Welcome to college. Welcome to life. I sympathize entirely. Now do your work.
***
Understanding the material to its fullest. Spending the time to fully get what I need to done on time. On top of other courses this class I felt was the most time consuming because I did not fully understand the material. Because of the burden of other courses I got very discouraged when it came time to spen on this course and it took me two days to get through Kant's 1&2 chapters. After which I honestly can say that I stopped concentrating on the course so much I think that started to reflect on my performance in the course.
*
MA: perhaps you have set your standard for achievement unreasonably high. To understand Kant "fully" may not be possible. Surely, to spend only two days working through Kant is an insufficient allotment of time. Clearly, this is difficult material. I can only assure you that ultimately advantage accrues from meditation upon the material. It cannot be rushed; I have emphasized this at several points in the course, and gave suggestions orally and in the syllabus to support reading.
At the same time, I myself have been swamped with work: not only class preparations and grading, but all manner of administrative tasks, so I understand the predicament you face quite well. I had said, for example, that I was willing to make recordings of the course readings -- the technical difficulties experienced with this initially bled into the time crunch of the latter parts of the semester, and those recordings have not been made.
So, we do as well as we can given the resources we have.
***
The second assignment was the most difficult assignment for me (research paper). I felt like we didn't get enough time to research.
*
MA: Quick comment on this: perhaps you did not notice that ALL the assignments for the course are in the syllabus, distributed on the first day of class. Thus, nearly three months were available for research. But you express a feeling, not a fact, and certainly many times something seems other than it is.
***
The communitive thought report because it's almost impossible to figure that some of the ethic systems mean especially if your using Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill's books as references. [sic.]
*
MA: Perhaps then Kant and Mill should not be your references.
***
I have found this course to be moving at a comfortable pace for me. It is not extensive in note taking but packed with knowledge.
*
MA: I can only hope to be worthy of such a comment in every course I teach.
***
The questionnaire project was the most difficult partly because it was the first assignment but also because it required a lot of knowledge about ethics which was still a new subject for me. It was a good assignment but would work better either as a long ongoing project or as one of the later assignment.
*
MA: This is a model course content survey response. It identifies the difficulty and proposes two excellent solutions. Well done. I had a sense of the difficulty; I shall closely consider the solutions offered.
***
What aspect of the course has been the least difficult? Explain briefly.
a lytting [listening]
***
Putting together the survey was not bad. It was aimed towards our interests, which made it more interesting than I had originally thought it would be.
***
Survey assignment was pretty interesting and fun.
***
The questionnaire because getting the surveys filled our and organized is pretty simple if you like the topic.
***
I have found our in-class discussion to be the least difficult and the most helpful aspect of the course.
***
Taking notes, going over and understanding the readings.
***
The way in which the teacher helps us to understand the ethical theories, systems, terms, etc.
***
Attending and listening to the material given to me. It was interesting but difficult to comprehend.
***
The classical ethics paper which was a pretty straight forward research paper. More time would have [been] nicer.
*
MA: As my friend Lewis Walton was wont to say, "God made twenty-four hours in a day."
What did you think you were going to learn that you haven't learned?
I thought we would be discussing current moral issues as a whole and not just in our first survey / paper.
***
debatter [debate]
***
More situational things.
*
More specific ethical issues found in everyday life such as work oriented ethics or social ethics, a more applicable approach rather than a philosophical one.
*
More examples of theories would help in the understanding.
***
N/A
***
None
***
My perception of Ethics at the beginning of the the class was completely wrong.
*
MA: So, if I understand this correctly, your perception of Ethics at the beginning of the class was in fact not completely wrong, but you are surprised to learn that you had an accurate perception of Ethics.
***
What are you learning that you didn't expect to learn?
Just theories behind morals.
*
I've learned about the ethical systems, and that I will have a new sense of knowledge and reason whenever I hear a universal question.
*
N/A
*
N/A
***
Epictetus, Plato, Socrates, Kant
*
Epictetus
*
MA: To which Kant (and perhaps also Wittgenstein) would respond "impossible".
***
hva opp epictetus
*
MA: Virkelig, hva opp.
There is so much information on ethical systems that has been presented. I did not know that we would go so int depth on so many.
*
MA: Funny; my impression is that we've hardly scratched the surface, and only viewed a very narrow spectrum.
***
That my natural school of thought does in fact correspond to a real school of thought and moral system.
***
Classical systems -- however, I understand why we are spending ideas on past ideas.
***
What aspect or assignment in this course has been the most difficult for you? Explain briefly.
Reading and completely understanding the different classical thought systems.
***
Lesning [reading]
***
The hardest part so far has been understanding some of the information presented in the required reading before it is explained. Reading can rake a while sometimes.
***
Understanding the terms, speech, vocabulary, etc. of the readings. It just takes a little more time to read through the books.
*
MA: A little more time than what?
***
Papers. Finding time to write them while there's other major homework.
*
MA: Welcome to college. Welcome to life. I sympathize entirely. Now do your work.
***
Understanding the material to its fullest. Spending the time to fully get what I need to done on time. On top of other courses this class I felt was the most time consuming because I did not fully understand the material. Because of the burden of other courses I got very discouraged when it came time to spen on this course and it took me two days to get through Kant's 1&2 chapters. After which I honestly can say that I stopped concentrating on the course so much I think that started to reflect on my performance in the course.
*
MA: perhaps you have set your standard for achievement unreasonably high. To understand Kant "fully" may not be possible. Surely, to spend only two days working through Kant is an insufficient allotment of time. Clearly, this is difficult material. I can only assure you that ultimately advantage accrues from meditation upon the material. It cannot be rushed; I have emphasized this at several points in the course, and gave suggestions orally and in the syllabus to support reading.
At the same time, I myself have been swamped with work: not only class preparations and grading, but all manner of administrative tasks, so I understand the predicament you face quite well. I had said, for example, that I was willing to make recordings of the course readings -- the technical difficulties experienced with this initially bled into the time crunch of the latter parts of the semester, and those recordings have not been made.
So, we do as well as we can given the resources we have.
***
The second assignment was the most difficult assignment for me (research paper). I felt like we didn't get enough time to research.
*
MA: Quick comment on this: perhaps you did not notice that ALL the assignments for the course are in the syllabus, distributed on the first day of class. Thus, nearly three months were available for research. But you express a feeling, not a fact, and certainly many times something seems other than it is.
***
The communitive thought report because it's almost impossible to figure that some of the ethic systems mean especially if your using Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill's books as references. [sic.]
*
MA: Perhaps then Kant and Mill should not be your references.
***
I have found this course to be moving at a comfortable pace for me. It is not extensive in note taking but packed with knowledge.
*
MA: I can only hope to be worthy of such a comment in every course I teach.
***
The questionnaire project was the most difficult partly because it was the first assignment but also because it required a lot of knowledge about ethics which was still a new subject for me. It was a good assignment but would work better either as a long ongoing project or as one of the later assignment.
*
MA: This is a model course content survey response. It identifies the difficulty and proposes two excellent solutions. Well done. I had a sense of the difficulty; I shall closely consider the solutions offered.
***
What aspect of the course has been the least difficult? Explain briefly.
a lytting [listening]
***
Putting together the survey was not bad. It was aimed towards our interests, which made it more interesting than I had originally thought it would be.
***
Survey assignment was pretty interesting and fun.
***
The questionnaire because getting the surveys filled our and organized is pretty simple if you like the topic.
***
I have found our in-class discussion to be the least difficult and the most helpful aspect of the course.
***
Taking notes, going over and understanding the readings.
***
The way in which the teacher helps us to understand the ethical theories, systems, terms, etc.
***
Attending and listening to the material given to me. It was interesting but difficult to comprehend.
***
The classical ethics paper which was a pretty straight forward research paper. More time would have [been] nicer.
*
MA: As my friend Lewis Walton was wont to say, "God made twenty-four hours in a day."
What did you think you were going to learn that you haven't learned?
I thought we would be discussing current moral issues as a whole and not just in our first survey / paper.
***
debatter [debate]
***
More situational things.
*
More specific ethical issues found in everyday life such as work oriented ethics or social ethics, a more applicable approach rather than a philosophical one.
*
More examples of theories would help in the understanding.
***
N/A
***
None
***
My perception of Ethics at the beginning of the the class was completely wrong.
*
MA: So, if I understand this correctly, your perception of Ethics at the beginning of the class was in fact not completely wrong, but you are surprised to learn that you had an accurate perception of Ethics.
***
What are you learning that you didn't expect to learn?
Just theories behind morals.
*
I've learned about the ethical systems, and that I will have a new sense of knowledge and reason whenever I hear a universal question.
*
N/A
*
N/A
***
Epictetus, Plato, Socrates, Kant
*
Epictetus
*
MA: To which Kant (and perhaps also Wittgenstein) would respond "impossible".
***
hva opp epictetus
*
MA: Virkelig, hva opp.
There is so much information on ethical systems that has been presented. I did not know that we would go so int depth on so many.
*
MA: Funny; my impression is that we've hardly scratched the surface, and only viewed a very narrow spectrum.
***
That my natural school of thought does in fact correspond to a real school of thought and moral system.
***
Classical systems -- however, I understand why we are spending ideas on past ideas.
***
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