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Lori Keleher Department of Philosophy New Mexico State University |
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Syllabus:Philosophy 332/532: Ethics and Global Poverty Dr. Lori Keleher Course Overview: This course introduces the field of development ethics and some of the ethical issues central to development. Much of the course will focus on understanding Sen and Nussbaum’s Human Development Capability Approach, its applications (how such an understanding of poverty can influence development policies) its success (the United Nations Development Program has adopted it without reservations), and its critics. Required readings will be taken from Development and Freedom by Amartya Sen and from articles and other materials available on the course website. Graded assignments will include two exams, three short essays, and ten very short written commentaries. The first exam is worth 15% of your course grade and a final exam is worth 20%. Each short essay is worth 12% of your course grade. The remaining 9% of your course grade will reflect your “course presence.” Please note: Attendance is required. Students with more than three unexcused absences will be penalized one letter grade. Exams: Exams will consist of short answer and essay questions designed to test your knowledge of the readings and concepts covered in the course. Questions will be taken from the readings as well as from class discussions. Short Essays: Shorts essays are essays of about 300 – 600 words (1 – 2 pages). There will be a total of FOUR short essay assignments. The three highest short essays grades will factor into your course grade. Suggested essay topics will be distributed in class and posted on the course website one week before essays are due in class. Very Short Written Commentaries are commentaries over the assigned readings. They are due in class on the day for which the reading is assigned. For example, commentaries on Peter Signer’s “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” are due in class on January 16th. Commentaries should be about half a page and may vary widely in content. They can ask a question or make an observation about (an aspect of) the reading, or connection between the reading and some other relevant text/author/event. Here are just four of the many forms comments may take: (1) Clarification request. The author claim p, but I don't know what s/he means by saying p. Could s/he mean p', p''...? (2) Argument request. The author claims p. I think I know what s/he means by p. But why dose s/he claim p? I don't see any/a good argument for p, and I think s/he needs to give an argument for it. (3) Objection. The author claims p (and maybe argues for it). However, I think that p, (or the argument for p), is problematic. Here's my objection to p (or to the argument for p): q. (4) Assistance. You claim p. I agree with you that p, but I think the following additional reason (which you do not mention) can be given in support of p: q. Students are expected to submit ten such commentaries. Late commentaries will not be accepted. Course Presence will be evaluated not simply in terms of attendance, but also by observing who is actively listening, participating, and otherwise engaged in the class. In addition, any class work or “pop” quizzes will be factored into the course presence part of your course grade. As stated above: Students with more than three unexcused absences will be penalized one letter grade. A Note on Classroom Decorum: Please show your respect for yourself, your classmates, me, and the course by arriving and leaving on time, turning off cell phones, being attentive during class, and displaying respect for the contributions of your classmates. Failure to do so will be embarrassing for you, and may result in my asking you to leave the class. A Note on Email: Email is the best way to contact me. I generally check and reply to my email several times a day. I will *try* to check and reply to my email at least once every 24 hours. I do not, however, promise to do so. If you have not received a response, do not assume that I have received your email. Always sign your email. Too often I can’t help students with their inquiries because they leave out this important information. (“What’s my grade?” from aggielover@aol.com is not helpful. If I don’t know who you are, I cannot find out what your grade is.) Please – for your sake and mine – practice good email etiquette. Practicing email etiquette not only makes for a more effective and – at least for my part – pleasant exchange, but also helps prepare you for the “real world.” (Desirable jobs are not secured by email inquiries that read: “R U hiring?”) To this end, always address the email (e.g., “Dear Lori” or “Dear Dr. Keleher”) and practice good grammar and spelling. Using complete words and sentences is a good start. Plagiarism and Cheating: Don’t do it. Plagiarism (both “intentional” and “unintentional”) and cheating will not be tolerated and could possibly result in an F for the course. See: http://lib.nmsu.edu/plagiarism/students.shtml Non-Discrimination & Sexual Harassment Policies: Students with Disabilities Feel free to call Jerry Nevarez, Director of Institutional Equity, at 505-646-3635 with any questions you may have about NMSU's Non-Discrimination Policy and complaints of discrimination, including sexual harassment. Feel free to call Michael Armendariz, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, at 575-646-6840 with any questions you may have on student issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All medical information will be treated confidentially. Course Schedule January 14: Introductions January 16 - 23: Peter Singer “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” and “The Singer Solution to World Poverty” (Course Website) January 26 - 30: David Crocker’s “Ethics of Global Development” Chapter 1 pp. 1- 15 and “Development Ethics” (Course Website)
Some Important Dates January 19: Martin Luther King Day – No Class March 9: LAST DAY TO DROP March 12 and 13: Judy Lichtenberg and David Luban talks. March 23 – 27 Spring Break April 10: Spring Holiday – No Class April 17: Last Day to Withdraw from the University Final Exam – Monday, May 4th 8:00 – 10:00 am
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