MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

HUM203  2006 Fall - 9999

Humanities: The Intellectual Community/Ethics

1.

Describe the basic Western and Eastern philosophical schools of thought as they relate to ethical questions. (I)

2.

Explain how literature and the performing or visual arts help define and illustrate human values in the context of ethical questions. (II)

3.

Apply knowledge of philosophy, literature, and performing or visual arts through a series of expository essays that develop and build advanced writing skills. (I, II)

4.

Explain how classical and contemporary literature clarify values and assist one in resolving conflicts between the communities in which one lives or works and the individual. (II, III)

5.

Explain how the needs, values, and goals of the communities in which one lives or works are sometimes in conflict with the needs, values, and goals of the individual. (III)

6.

Define, explain, and defend the basis of a personal value system. (III)

7.

Describe how that personal value system is supported by concepts presented through philosophy, literature, and performing or visual arts. (I-III)

8.

Explain how that personal value system can be integrated into or reconciled with the value system of one of the communities in which one lives or works. (III)

MCCCD Official Course Outline:

HUM203  2006 Fall - 9999

Humanities: The Intellectual Community/Ethics

I. Overview of Western and Eastern Philosophy

A. Western philosophy

1. Classical Christian tradition

2. Dialectical tradition

3. Naturalistic tradition

4. Utilitarianism

5. Analytic tradition

6. Existentialism

B. Eastern philosophy

1. Hinduism

2. Buddhism

3. Taoism

4. Confucianism

II. Application of Literature and Performing or Visual Arts to Ethical Questions

A. Potential reading selections

1. Plato's "Apology"

2. Kafka's "Metamorphosis" or "The Trial"

3. Sophocles's "Antigone"

4. "Mythology of Crime and Criminal Justice"

5. Machiavelli's "The Prince"

6. Shakespeare's "Hamlet" or "Macbeth"

7. Bach's "Illusions"

8. Camus's "The Stranger"

9. Other

B. Application of the Performing or Visual Arts to Humanistic Inquiries

1. Role of drama

2. Role of music

3. Role of visual arts

C. Expository Essays

III. Development of a Personal Value System

A. Describing a personal value system and identifying the source of the personal value system

1. Description

2. Identification of sources

3. Needs

4. Values

5. Goals

B. Community value systems

1. Description

2. Identification of sources

3. Needs

4. Values

5. Goals

C. Identifying or reconciling conflicts between personal and community value systems