PH 278 Applied Ethics Practicum
This course is for the study, preparation, and participation in the Intercollegiate Northeast Regional Ethics Bowl debate competition. Students spend at least three hours a week examining contemporary ethical situations. They learn how to frame an ethical dilemma. They learn various ethical approaches such as consequentialist ethics, duty-based ethics, virtue ethics, social contract theory, discourse ethics, the principle of double-effect, paternalism, biocentric and anthropocentric approaches to environmental ethics, principles of autonomy and benevolence. The students also research each case to understand the various relevant factors of each case and how they impact the analysis of the case. Finally, the students participate in an intercollegiate debate competition in which they articulate, defend, analyze, and comment on the cases in a timed, competition format.
The approximate time spent on case preparation, study, and participation, averages out to 3 hours/week for a period of 15 weeks. 2-3 hour-weekly meetings are guided by a professor in a seminar format. The students also spend at least one hour a week on independent research and consultations. The competition day itself lasts 7-12 hours, depending on how far the team advances.
The purpose of the course is to engage the students socratically and teach them to apply theoretical learning, to engage in research, and to articulate their opinions in an organized fashion that considers all sides of an issue before coming to an ethical conclusion. The goal is to teach students how to think and analyze situations ethically in a critical and fair manner.