DPLS 747fa06 - Leadership and Classical Ethics

DPLS 747 - Leadership and Classical Ethics
Fall 2006                                          2 Credits

Instructor: Jon Stratton, Ph. D
Phone 509.527.4222 or 509.301.7713
Email: dplsethics@hotmail.com

6 – 10 PM 
RC 202
Fridays (September 8, 15, 29, October 13, 27)

General Description of the Course’s Content
 
This course studies four philosophical theories that are vital to any thoughtful and informed discussion of ethics by examining primary source material from Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill. 

Much of the class involves reading, discussing and analyzing the primary sources.  The works are philosophically rigorous and quite challenging.  Class discussions will center on clarification of philosophical concepts and their implications for ethical leadership.  The final paper in the course is a research-based ethical evaluation of an important leadership decision.

The Course’s Anticipated Outcomes
     
The primary anticipated outcome of the course is demonstrated understanding of the similarities and differences in all four philosophical theories.  The secondary outcome is successful application of the traditions’ philosophical concepts to ethical dimensions in actual leadership decisions.  These outcomes will be evaluated in class discussion and the course paper.

FIRSTASSIGNMENT (corrected August 17, 2006)

PleasecompletethisassignmentandbringittothefirstmeetingonSeptember8^th. Thediscussionwillfocusonthisassignment. Seetheguidelinesbelowfor“Assignments.”

September 8^th:  Read the Dialogues Euthyphro, Apology, Crito by PLATO.  (These are the only dialogues assigned.)

Discussion Questions:

1.      What do you think is the main point Plato is making in the dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro?   

2.      What do you think Socrates was trying to do at his trial (Apology)?

3.      What moral lessons for leadership do you see in Apology?

4.      Socrates refuses to accept Crito’s offer to assist in his escape from prison and execution.  What moral lessons for leadership do you see in his refusal?

Assignments

Readings:  Each session, including the first session, comes with a reading assignment.  Each student is responsible for reading the entire assignment.

Reading Question Responses:  Each session begins with small group discussion focused on three assigned reading questions.  Each student should have notes on the questions that will be helpful in attending to detail in small group and general discussion.  The notes should cite page or margin numbers in order for participants to have ready access to specific sections of the texts. 

Course Paper:  The course paper, due two weeks after the course is completed (the paper is due Saturday, November 11) is a research-based ethical evaluation of an important leadership decision. The paper should identify an actual leadership decision of major ethical significance and evaluate the decision from the point of view of two ethical theories studied in the course.  The leadership decision should be described in detail, with reference from at least two sources.  The evaluation should include a thorough description of both ethical traditions as well as a detailed discussion about the ethical dimensions of the decision from those two traditions’ points of view.  The final class session (October 27) will consist of informal student reports on initial progress in researching the papers.  Discussion will center on the selection of leadership decisions and a review of the four ethical theories.

Papers that are not received by November 11, 2006 will earn a grade of Incomplete.  Incomplete papers need be completed by December 15 to remove the incomplete grade.  It is the student’s responsibility to check with the Registrar’s Office regarding incomplete grades.

The final paper should be at least 15 pages in length and follow APA format.  The final paper is due on Saturday, November 11, 2006.  Please email the paper as an attachment in Microsoft Word to dplsethics@hotmail.com 

If you prefer, you may mail it to:

Jon Stratton
Philosophy Department
Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla, WA 99362
      
 Texts for the Course (Available in the Gonzaga University Bookstore)

Plato, Five Dialogues Trans. Zeyl, Hackett Publishing Company.  ISBN 0-87229-016-7

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Trans. Irwin Hackett Publishing Company.  ISBN 0-87220-464-2

Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals Trans. Ellington. Hackett Publishing Company.  ISBN 0-87220-166-X

Mill, Utilitarianism Hackett Publishing Company.  ISBN 0-87220-605-X