Mary I. Bockover
Location: University Annex 104
Phone: 707-826-5752
email: mib1@humboldt.edu

Philosophy 392

HSU ETHICS FORUM

Created by Mary I. Bockover

ON NONVIOLENCE, TERRORISM, AND WAR

This ethics forum was created so HSU students, and members of the university and community, could discuss key ethical issues in an academic context. It also provides Humboldt State University with a new way to educate in an impartial, critical, and informed matter, advancing its mission and charter. A video collection of all ethics forums will be kept as reference material.

This course also fulfills the Practical Learning Requirement for the Asian Philosophy and Moral Controversies courses that I offer on a regular basis.

REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING 1 CREDIT (credit or no credit):

First, students must attend two fora, each will run for an hour and a half. They may be structured the following ways:

(1) FIRST FORUM: March 29, 2006 at 4 – 5:30 pm in Founders Hall, Room 125
“The Only Way To Defeat Terrorism: The Power of Nonviolence”
A key speaker will lecture or present on some key ethical issue for fifty minutes to an hour. There may be a ten to fifteen minute commentary in direct response to that presentation. Audience and community participation will follow for the final hour.
Guest speaker, Dr. Bart Gruzalski (Pacific Center for Sustainable Living). No commentary this semester.

(2) SECOND FORUM: April 5, 2006 at 4 – 5:30 pm in Founders Hall, Room 125
“Nonviolence, Terrorism, and War”
A round-table panel of four will discuss some key ethical issue (e.g., the one raised in the prior, more formal forum). Each panelist will present or speak for no more than ten minutes, and then questions will be taken from the on-site audience. SECOND FORUM FOR THIS SEMESTER: Dr. Bart Gruzalski (Pacific Center for Sustainable Living) will recap his earlier presentation, Dr. Mary I. Bockover (HSU Dept. of Philosophy), Dr. John Powell (HSU Dept. of Philosophy), Dr. Benjamin Shaeffer (HSU Dept. of Philosophy), and Dan Faulk (HSU Dept. of Political Science) will be the panelists.

(3): A round-table debate that argues the merits and demerits of some issue of ethical significance in a way that is expresses a substantial range of perspectives of the issue. After the host briefly delineates the issue, the panelists in turn will present and defend their view on the subject for five minutes each. The next half an hour will consist of a panel debate of the issues where the panelists will ask each other to clarify some question or defend their position against an objection. The last half hour is reserved for audience and community questions and comments. NOT APPLICABLE THIS SEMESTER

Second, students will read material from a book that directly pertains to the ethical issue at hand and that links the forum with Asian thought: for this semester, it will be On Gandhi by Bart Gruzalski (Wadsworth Press). The material is available in Xeroxed form in the Philosophy Practicum in the University Annex (HSU Ethics Forum binder). Do not remove this material from the practicum room.

Third, students will view some media that pertain to the ethical issue at hand: for this semester, one must view the films, “Gandhi”, “Civilian Casualties, Fragments from the War on Terror”, and another of your choosing that relates to the theme of this forum.

Fourth, students will write a paper, approximately 5 pages in length (double-spaced) and typed, that critically analyses some issue raised in this forum.

All work must be handed in by the end of finals week.

SEE FLYER ON FORUMS FOR THIS SEMESTER

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