Course: Philosophy - Ethics Today
This course explores the question of write and wrong with reference to a contemporary ethical issue of the student's choice.
Philosophy is the subject that specializes in exploring fundamental questions about the world and our place in it. For example: What is reality? What does it mean for me to ‘know’ something? What is reasoning? What is a Mind? Does God exist? How should I live, and who should decide? Philosophical discussion draws on imaginative speculation, scientific evidence, sustained reflection on lived experience, and the different histories, cultural perspectives and texts that shape current thought.
Ethics is essentially the exploration of right and wrong through the use of various ethical frameworks. This course aims to examine significant ethical issues that we face in the world today, to discuss them and to use an ethical lens to allow for some objective analysis. The students themselves determine the main issue we explore, although issues that work well include abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, and many others.
Requirements
Philosophy cannot be done ‘solo’. In a philosophy course the participating students become a community with a shared interest in exploring and discussing ‘big’ questions. Anyone wanting to take this course will need to fully participate in ongoing online discussion, whether through social media type platforms or in the video conference. Discussion is a fundamental part of the course.
Assessment
This is a multi-level course in which all students learn together. Students will be assessed at either L2 or L3 depending on what best meets their needs. The following religious studies standard is used to assess this course.
90826 Analyse the response of a religious tradition to a contemporary ethical issue (6 Credits)
About the Teacher
Darren Sudlow has been teaching History, Classical Studies and Philosophy online for the last ten years. He is a member of the NetNZ leadership team and is registered as a teacher with Ashburton College. While not his major, philosophy was a minor focus at University and the Socratic Dialogues a key part of his Classical Studies course over the last few years. He is enjoying offering the first online Philosophy course for secondary age learners in New Zealand. Mr Sudlow has played football since he was eight years old and is a passionate supporter of Ipswich Town Football Club.