Friday, September 12th

Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell with Afghan villager Mohammad Gulab

Goal:
Understand, in broad terms, what the study of moral philosophy is
 
Starter: 
 The Afghan Goatherds Moral Dilemma  (Link to 60 minutes coverage)
From Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do by Michael Sandel

In June 2005, a special forces team made up of Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell and three other U.S. Navy SEALs set out on  secret reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border in search of a Taliban leader...their target commanded 140 to 150 heavily armed fighters and was staying in a village in the forbidding mountainous region.  Shortly after the...team took up a position on a mountain ridge overlooking the village, two Afghan farmers with about a hundred bleating goats happened upon them.  With them was a boy about 14 years old.  The Afghans were unarmed.  

Their choices were to let them go, thus potentially compromising their mission if the Afghans were to inform the Taliban of their location OR kill them. They didn't have any rope, so tying them up while they found a new hideout was out of the question.  

QUESTION:  What are the justifications for both options and what do you think they are morally obligated to do?

Announcements
- Thursday seminar groups-- check your email for my feedback
- Return TNTSJ by the end of class-- take out the sticky notes and initial next to your name
- Be sure to get a copy of Justice from me if you weren't here yesterday

Agenda:
1. Homework review and announcements

2.  Introduction to Moral Philosophy power point 

3.  Pass back Crash Seminar Essays plus go over Revision Guidelines:

• DUE: Tuesday, September 23rd 
• New draft printed and stapled WITH your old draft and rubric
• Bullet point list of the changes you made
• A paragraph defending the grade you think you now deserve based on the rubric and the changes you made.

4. Group 3 Seminar
Non-seminar groups: Time to read assignment for Monday
Read pages:
1-10 (to "What Wounds Deserve the Purple Heart?"
12-16 (starting at "Bailout Outrage") 
19-21 (ending at "Runaway Trolley")
24-30 (starting at "The Afghan Goatherds")