Week 5 Overview and Assignments

Hello, IB ethicists!

This week we discussed the chapters from week 4 regarding ethical reasoning.  We made some headway on the issue of reason and emotion as it relates to our ideas of ethical decision-making, and how the areas of Science and Language interact with it.  Should innovation in science be constrained by Ethical decisions, or is it an impediment to true knowing?  What is the purpose of Science if NOT for the sake of better humanity (an ethically reasoned presupposition to Science).  Excellent thoughts all around.

We also discussed some contemporary issues of Ethical reasoning, including Mansanto's intellectual copyrighting of organisms, drone strikes and the potential causalities and constitutionality issues,  human development and human value in connection with rights to life versus rights to choice/freedom.  We covered a broad range of topics to expose students to the various interactions of Ethics in current global issues.  This will aid you in the development of our first formal Socratic Seminar next Thursday.

On Thursday, 2/14, we will be meeting briefly in my classroom and then turning you loose in the library to do research on your topics.  You received a packet that should help walk you through the development of an authentic Problem of Knowledge that is tailored to your own personal interests and current, yet still evolving, positions as genuine Knowers from what we have studied the past four weeks.

Make sure you come prepared Thursday, 2/21 with all of your notes, question, toulmin model of argument, and with a strong handle of rhetorical fallacy for use and discussion.  Our goal is to keep the conversation moving, keeping in mind the respect we have for one another as thinkers, and with an eye towards learning, not just teaching.