AHS * HUMANITIES 11
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Daily Blog

Friday, 9/30: TEST DAY!

9/29/2016

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Picture"The Night Ashley Spent in Jail"?
ALL students in Roxy's Skateboarding XBlock are required to come to a short meeting at the start of lunch TODAY (12:00 sharp) in Roxy's classroom.  Please come before getting your lunch if you've ordered it today--it will be a quick but very important meeting!
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1. Please take this Osprey Week Survey  
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It is NOT to sign up for a trip it is just to indicate which trips interest you so teachers know if their trip is popular enough to offer. You can check as many boxes as you like.
Actual sign ups will be Nov. 16th
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2. Test Inspiration! (See video below, 2:00-4:00)
"Today, you are the greatest group of philosophers! Today, you were meant to ace this exam. This is your time! I'm sick of hearing how complicated Immanuel Kant's ideas are. You are all brilliant and are no match for his fancy word choice and categorical imperatives.  Now go out there and ace that exam!"

​3. Take the test!

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Thursday, 9/29: TEST PREP

9/28/2016

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Today's learning goal: Synthesize the various philosophies and apply them to various moral dilemmas

Starter
  • Read and complete this checklist for test review.
  • Then, flip through your note-taking form and highlight or mark sections you need the most help with.  
  • Write down questions you have about the content on the board

Agenda
1. Study Groups: "Practice Application" Activity: Discuss the various social/political dilemmas through the lens of each philosophy
  • Take notes if you feel it will be useful for your test prep.

2. Whole class discussion on the "practice application" activity as needed


3. Test Prep "Stations"

Station 1: Flashcards

Make flashcards that include:
  • Key terms on one side, definition/explanation on the other
  • Philosophy on one side, name of philosophers on the other
  • Big idea of philosophy on one side, name of philosophy on the other

Station 2: Review your notes
Review the powerpoint lecture, your notes, your study group's notes and/or key passages from Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? As you do so, jot down questions you have.  Try to get help from peers/Ashley in answering those questions.

Station 3:  More application!
With a small group, come up with your own moral dilemmas.  These can be hypothetical situations like the Trolley Car dilemma, or they can be real political issues like Hurricane Charlie and price gouging, etc...  Work together to discuss how various philosophers would justify what they think the most just course of action or governmental policy would be.  Be sure to use the key terms associated with each philosophy in your explanations.



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Wednesday, 9/28: Professor Roberts-Cady and Deontology Study Groups

9/27/2016

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1st Period:  Head to the Commons to meet our guest speaker, Professor Roberts-Cady from FLC!

Today's Goals: Evaluate the differences between Deontology and Utilitarianism and develop a more in-depth understanding of Deontology as a whole.

2nd Period
Stater 14: Analyze this cartoon (don't sweat the part about Nietzsche).  How does this cartoon illustrate the difference between Utilitarianism and Deontology?

Agenda
1. Watch this video about Utilitarianism v. Deontology
  • Here's another Video of the difference between Deontology and Utilitarianism if you need more examples/explanations
2. Study group time to answer questions on Ch. 5
3. Time to go over questions your groups may have had!



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Honors Presidential Debate Essay Resources

9/27/2016

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Honors Evaluative Essay Guidelines

Link to the Presidential Debate footage

FactCheck.org

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Tuesday, 9/27: Presidential Debate and Deontology!

9/26/2016

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Starter 14
Take a few minutes to skim back through the required reading for today (Ch. 5, pages 103-124). Based on last night's reading on Deontology what questions do you have?  

Agenda
1. Deontology lecture from yours truly, Ashley.

2. Ashley will handout honors essay guidelines and say a little about why we are watching last night's  Presidential Debate:
  • Well, for one, it's a Presidential Debate. 'Nuff said.  However, my rationale for having you guys watch it in the context of the Morality and Justice of Politics project is for you to get a sense of the hot topic issues of this election, which may influence what political issue you choose for your final project.  Also, it is a chance to hear democratic and republican ideology and evaluate to what extent these candidates use the moral philosophies we've studied AND if so, which philosophies do they seem to align with the most?  
  • As we watch, try to answer the question: WHO WON THE DEBATE?  And think about how are you forming your opinion?
  • Honors: You will have to write an evaluative essay on this debate to assess which candidate you think "WON" the debate.  I would recommend taking notes during the debate. Honors Evaluative Essay Guidelines
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Monday, 9/25: John Rawls' Justice as Fairness

9/25/2016

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Today's Learning Goals
  • Evaluate the pros and cons of John Rawl's philosophy called Justice as Fairness
  • Contrast his philosophy to communism and the egalitarian nightmare of "Harrison Bergeron" ​

STARTER 13: Review

Review the MORAL PHILOSOPHY POWERPOINT- Slides #14-28 (definitions of Welfare, Liberty and Equality/Fairness through the slides on Rawls' Justice as Fairness explained)
To help you retain this information, write a "reaction" to the ideas we've studied so far in moral philosophy-- some things to consider for your reaction:
  • Which philosophy or "approaches" do you find yourself agreeing with the most? Why?
  • Pick a moral dilemma or current political issue and solve it from the perspective of a Utilitarian (either Bentham or J.S. Mills), a Libertarian or John Rawls.
  • What questions do you still have about the content we've covered so far?
  • Draw an image that captures these two ideas from Utilitarianism: 1. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few  2. The ends (outcomes) justify the means (methods/actions to achieve the outcome)

Class Biz
  • This week's deadlines/assignments 
  • Guest speaker coming Wednesday-- Professor Sarah Roberts-Cady from FLC to talk about the difference between conservative liberalism and a more Rawls-like conception of liberalism. She is RAD! 
  • Suggestions for Test Prep

Agenda
1. Go over questions y'all have about the philosophies thus far

2. Study group time for Ch. 6 (First, silently re-read  your group's notes for the previous chapters, then, together, complete the discussion questions for chapter 6).

3. Rawls' philosophy taken to the extreme: an Egalitarian Nightmare?! We'll check out slides 26-31 of the powerpoint linked above and talk about a short story called "Harrison Bergeron".

Discussion Questions
•How does Rawls’ philosophy differ from communism?
•Do you think your talents are your own doing? Do you deserve the rewards your talents produce? What about the rewards your hard work produce? What does Rawls think? (read pages 162-164)
•Is the possession of a right to pursue happiness empty if we lack the ability or opportunity to exercise it? Do the sharp divisions between haves and have-nots—whether of wealth, opportunity, or natural talents—mean that equality is not achievable, without government intervention?
•Why do Americans love equality? Should we? Can the desire for it ever be satisfied?
•What do we owe those of our fellow citizens who are worse off through no fault of their own? 
•Would you object if society sought equality not by handicapping the gifted but by lifting up the not-gifted, say through genetic engineering or biotechnological enhancement? Evaluate the pros and cons of “lifting up.” 
•To what extent do you all feel you’ve achieved today’s learning goals? What questions do you still have?


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Thursday, 9/22: Libertarianism!

9/21/2016

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Today's Goals: 
Understand the basic principles of Libertarianism, Deontology and Rawls' Justice as Fairness


Starter #12: 

Should the government legalize narcotics? After all, some adults want to use drugs privately. Shouldn't they be allowed to?  Defend your response and try to incorporate a moral philosophy to support your reasoning?  Utilitarianism or Libertarianism

Class Biz
  • Interested in more discussion/info on these philosophies: watch our author's class lectures!  Here is his lecture on Libertarianism
  • Homework for Monday-- Read chapter 6  (see required page numbers on the homework page or on last Monday's DP Blog).  Ch. 5 is due for TUESDAY-- this is a change to original reading schedule!

Agenda
1.  Lecture on Libertarianism and John Rawls' Justice as Fairness
2. Time to read! Get caught up or get ahead!
3. Study group time-- ch. 3 
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Wednesday, 9/21

9/20/2016

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Starter:  Take THIS SURVEY about whether or not you buy-in to studying moral/political philosophy

LINK TO THE MORAL PHILOSOPHY POWERPOINT-- Hopefully this one should work
Agenda

1. Discussion of the "life boat scenario" from last night's reading.
Remember the "lifeboat" scenario from last night's reading? Yeah, sure you do. It's the one about the English sailors adrift at sea, at the brink of starvation?  
  • Why, according to a strict Utilitarian would killing Parker, the poor cabin boy, be morally justified?
  • ​What are two OBJECTIONS to killing Parker? One uses Utilitarian reasoning, the other does not (p. 33)
  • What is the MAIN idea of Utilitarianism?  
  • What does Bentham mean when he says, “We are all governed by the feelings of pain and pleasure.  They are our ‘sovereign masters’. They govern us in everything we do and also determine what we ought to do” (34).  How does this apply to the concept of utilitarianism
  • ​Watch this video of Utilitarianism in pop culture. Oh heeeeyyyyy!

2. Powerpoint lecture on Utilitarianism AND Libertarianism
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3. 
Time to work on the study group discussion questions for Ch. 2
  • Review my feedback on Tuesday's discussion and make sure y'all understand my points
  • Work TOGETHER on the questions for today
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Tuesday, 9/20

9/19/2016

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Today's Goal:
  • Understand Michael Sandel's framework for Justice

3rd period:  GUEST SPEAKER! JAMES MADISON!  (not the real one. he's dead. an actor)

4th period 
Agenda
1. Powerpoint lecture time!  Moral Philosophies Power Point presentation  + Moral Philosophy Note-Taking Form to prepare for next week's exam  (Covering slides 1-15)

2. Time to read Ch. 2 of Justice (It's about the philosophy known as Utilitarianism)


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Friday, 9/16: Intro to Moral and Political Philosophy

9/15/2016

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Today's Learning Goal
Dip your toe into the pool of Moral Philosophy!


This Project's Essential Question:
How should the government balance security (welfare), liberty, equality and virtue in order to create just laws?

Starter #10: Trolley Car Dilemma Case #1
Suppose you are the driver of a trolley car and your trolley car is hurtling down the track at 60 mph.  At the end of the track, you notice 5 workers working on the track. You try to stop but you can’t because your brakes don’t work.  You panic because you know, for sure, that if you crash into these workers, all 5 will die.  You feel helpless until you notice that off to the right is a side track and at the end of that track is just one worker working.  Your steering works so you know that if you turn right, you could avoid killing the five workers but certainly kill the one at the end of the track. What would you do?  Go straight ahead or turn right? These are the ONLY two choices.  Defend your reason.

*The trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics, first introduced by Philippa Foot in 1967

Class Biz
  1. Seminar reflection is due digitally at the beginning of class on Monday.
  2. Honors, read the next Zinn chapter by Tuesday and come up with three questions for the James Madison actor

Agenda

1. Two corners debate on the Trolley Car Dilemma Case #1

Segue:  
But how exactly can we reason our way from the judgments we make about CONCRETE situations to the PRINCIPLES of justice we believe should apply in ALL situations?  Should there be basic rules/principles that we adhere to across all situations, or does it matter on the context?

2.  Discuss case #2

Trolley Car Case #2
This time you are not the driver, you are an onlooker standing on a bridge overlooking the track.  Down the track comes the trolley car, same situation is at hand.  Except, now, you’re not the driver and you REALLY feel helpless until you notice, standing next to you, leaning over the bridge, is a very large man.  And you could give him a slight shove and he would fall over the bridge, onto the track, right in the way of the trolley car, he would die, but he would spare the five.  Now.  How would you push the large man? Explain.

2. Watch this Video reenactment of this dilemma: Does it add to our discussion at all? 

3.  Introduction to Moral Philosophy and our next book Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Michael Sandel
  • Michael Sandel's website and Harvard course
  • Introduction to Moral Philosophy power point

​4. Time to work on seminar reflection or do the reading!

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    Ashley Carruth

    Humanities 11 Teacher at Animas High School

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