Phil (244-017): Professional Responsibility Fall 2013

Instructor: D. L. Dillard (Don) Contact: ddillar1@utk.edu

1. Course Leader: Adam Cureton Contact: adamcureton@utk.edu
2. Director of Undergraduate Studies: Dr. Clerk Shaw Contact: jshaw15@tennessee.edu
Office Location:
Hodges Library (next to Starbucks)
Office Hours:
(TR) 1:10-2:10, or by apt
Class Location:
(Dabney-Buehler Hall) BU 472
Class Hours:
(TR) 2:10-3:25

[I.] INTRODUCTION
In many ways, Professionalism is an activity that reinforces the legitimacy of Professions. When an
individual who acts as the representative of a given profession acts in a decidedly un-professional way to a patient
or client, then there is a real sense in which that oneunprofessional act may taint the entire profession. A reasonable
question can be drawn from this: Is there a duty to conduct oneself in a professional way for the sake of preserving
the legitimacy of a profession? Or to express this otherwise, does Professional Responsibility entail a duty to other
professionals, to the client/patients, or even the profession itself? It is tempting to think that the answer is obvious: of
course one ought to act professionally! However, there are many cases where acting professionally may conflict
with other moral duties, religious or political beliefs, or ones conscience, and in such cases one may strongly feel
morally obliged to act in ways that are un-professional. And here the answer is not so clear: Does professional
responsibility always and in every case trump all other considerations? Thus, the aim of this course is to develop a
better understanding of what being a Professional entails by exploring the ethical dimensions of such cases, and
thereby develop a better and more complete understanding of the self as a future (or current) professional.
[II.] Course Description & Prerequisites
Prerequisite(s): While students who have taken Philosophy (101) previously will have a slight advantage
over those who have not, there are no prerequisites for taking this course.
Catalogue Description: Critical analysis of selected classic texts from philosophy, religious studies, and social
sciences dealing with responsibility and the nature of professionalism. Theoretical
principles and analytical skills applied to selected case studies and other detailed
descriptions of professional practice from engineering/architecture, business/accounting,
and at least one of law/politics, the helping professions (social work, human services,
ministry), or teaching.
Levels: Undergraduate (3.000 Credit hours)
Schedule Types: Lecture
Course Attributes: Satisfies GenEd - Arts/Humanities (AH), GenEd - Oral Communication (OC)
[III.] REQUIRED READINGS
No textbook required; all readings will be posted on Blackboard (online.utk.edu)
[IV.] COURSE OBJECTIVE(S)
1. Because completion of this course may satisfy either the (OC) oral communication or the (AH) arts and
humanities General Education requirement, emphasis is placed on oral presentation with respect to the
arts and humanities in the context of Professional Responsibility.
2. In this regard, the instructor is not insensitive to the fact that public speaking is very often a source of
psychological discomfort (if not horror) for some individuals. Furthermore, because so much
Phil (244-017): Professional Responsibility Fall 2013


communication today occurs via electronic media (email, facebook, twitter, etc.), being able to
communicate effectively requires proficiency in both the real world and in cyberspace.
3. To this end, the electronic portion of this course (via Blackboard) has a dual role: first, to help you develop
effective electronic communication, and second, to help you develop your communication skills in a safe
place for your later oral presentation. Thus, you will be evaluated not only with respect to how well you are
able to communicate orally, but also with respect to how well you are able to communicate electronically.
4. Finally: As an educational philosophy, I employ the concept of relevance as an educational tool. While
epistemic binging and purging (i.e., memorizing for a test then purging it immediately thereafter) is a
standard adaptive strategy for students to make the grade, there is a very real sense in which this
impoverishes rather than enriches students. Learning and understanding occurs best when the subject
matter is relevant to the student as a person which is to say, the phenomenological self which includes
the background beliefs, perceptions, desires, and goals of a person as oriented to some future state of Being.
Thus, your final project will not be on professional responsibility per se, but on professional responsibility
with respect to the kind of person you are(e.g., if your major is psychology, then professional
responsibility with respect to psychology, etc.).
[V.] CLASSROOM POLICIES, RULES & PROCEDURES
1. Academic Honesty Statement
a. Each student is responsible for his/her own personal integrity in academic life. While there is no
affirmative duty to report the academic dishonesty of another, each student, given the dictates of
his/her own conscience, may choose to act on any violation of the Honor Statement.
b. Students are also responsible for any acts of plagiarism. Plagiarism is using the intellectual
property of someone else without giving proper credit. The undocumented use of someone elses
words or ideas in any medium of communication (unless such information is recognized as
common knowledge) is a serious offense, subject to disciplinary action that may include failure in
a course and/or dismissal from the university.

Specific examples of plagiarism are
o Copying without proper documentation (quotation marks and a citation) written or
spoken words, phrases, or sentences from any source.
o Summarizing without proper documentation (usually a citation) ideas from another
source (unless such information is recognized as common knowledge).
o Borrowing facts, statistics, graphs, pictorial representations, or phrases without
acknowledging the source (unless such information is recognized as common
knowledge).
o Collaborating on a graded assignment without instructors approval.
o Submitting work, either in whole or part, created by a professional service and used
without attribution (e.g., paper, speech, bibliography, or photograph).
2. Classroom Conduct
a. Civility concerning classroom discussions
o Especially as it regards hypothetical cases which most closely approximate real world
issues (e.g., the question of abortion, capital punishment, and so forth), there is a
predictable tendency for discussion to become heated. As such, students are expected
(indeed, required) to be maximally respectful during discussion of such topics.
o This is not to discourage passionate beliefs about certain topics, and rather to encourage
a classroom environment conducive to productive, civil dialogue. As Plato and Aristotle
insisted, cultivating our capacity for developing the right kind of emotional states (to
Love and Hate Well) is equally as important as cultivating reason and intellect.
b. Civility concerning peer presentations
Phil (244-017): Professional Responsibility Fall 2013


o Because giving oral presentations are always psychologically discomforting, students are
expected and required to be maximally respectful during the presentations of their fellow
students. While I am flexible with many policies and rules, this particular rule of conduct
is a zero tolerance policy such that you will be asked to leave and will not be welcomed
back without some form of sincere compensatory act (e.g., an apology to the student
and/or class, etc).
c. Civility concerning the use of Multimedia Devices
o During class you may experience a near overwhelming compulsion to check e-mail,
twitter, text message, facebook, myspace, etc., on a laptop or other multimedia device
dont panic! Recent studies have indicated that while this is a symptom of habitual
rudeness, it is a condition that can nevertheless be reversed by simply resisting the urge.
Students who are unableto resist this urge may be asked to leave in order to contemplate
appropriate uses of electronic devices.
o Cellular devices must be turned to the non-audible mode during class unless there is
some extenuating circumstance warranting otherwise (in which case, please inform me
prior to class).
o Browsing the internet during class is fully inappropriate and inexcusable.
o If you are uncertain about appropriate usages of such technologies, please see me
3. Make-ups
a. Because life is often unpredictable, and because what happens to us is sometimes beyond our
control, missing vital dates or being unable to finish an assignment on time may warrant a make-
up at the discretion of the instructor.
o In the event that the instructor judges that a make-up is appropriate, the student should
be aware that the difficulty of said assignment may be greater than otherwise so as to
account for considerations of fairness (e.g., taking a test a week later entails an extra
week of study time, which students who took the test on time did not benefit from, and
therefore make-up exams may be scaled in difficulty appropriate to such
considerations).
4. Disability Statement
a. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it
does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and
activities, and this policy extends to employment by the University.
b. Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability
should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. For more information, contact the
Office of Disability Services at 865-974-6087 in 2227 Dunford Hall.
5. Confidentiality, Communication & Student Responsibility
a. The student is responsible for Anycommunication and/or instructions provided by the instructor to
the student, whether verbally in class, in the hall ways, or during office consultations, whether
written on the classroom white/black board, whether written electronically via email or posted
online, or whether delivered by archaic means in some possible world such as by carrier pigeon or
telegraph.
o In other words, I will almost always respond to the utterance I didnt know I had to do
that! (or any utterance of the like entailing culpable ignorance) by pointing to the
Communication & Student Responsibility portion of the syllabus.
Phil (244-017): Professional Responsibility Fall 2013


b. I will regard communication between myself (the instructor) and you (the student) as confidential,
providing certain conditions are not in place (e.g., conditions where, in my judgment, you pose a
risk of harm to yourself or others, or where rightfully compelled by some suitable authority).
o Note: Due to the sensitive nature of grades, I will not discuss particular grades with you
via email without a signed release form from you (ideally, you would want to speak with
me personally during my office hours).
6. Syllabus Caveat
a. This syllabus is, in essence, a contract between you (the student) and me (the instructor).
However, while I will make every reasonable effort to provide sufficient notice for changes that
are in my judgment ceteris paribus necessary, I nevertheless reserve the right to change the
syllabus for any reason at any time.
b. The student is responsible for knowing the content of the syllabus
c. I will make every reasonable effort to explain your obligations and to leave no requirement
unexplained but even so, sometimes things are lost in translation. In such cases it is ultimately
the responsibility of the student to ask questions of clarification when unclear.
[VI.] GRADING SCALE, DISTRIBUTION, & WEIGHTED TOTALS

GRADING SCALE
(out of 400 points)
A (375-400) A- (357-374) B+ (348-356) B (332-347) B- (320-331) C+ (308-319)
C (292-307) C- (280-291) D+ (268-279) D (252-267) D- (240-251) F (00-239)


REQUIREMENT

POINT VALUES


WEIGHTED VALUE
1. In-class participation 25 points 6.25%
2. In-class attendance 25 points 6.25%
3. E-Discussion Leader 25 points 6.25%
4. E-Discussion Responder 25 points 6.25%
5. 1
st
assignment 50 points 12.5%
6. Research Project 100 points 25.0%
7. Discussion Presentation 150 points 37.5%








Please visit the Philosophy Departments UT website (philosophy.utk.edu),
Facebook site, and Blackboard site (online.utk.edu; access limited to
current majors) for a variety of resources helpful to those studying
Philosophy as well as information about our degree programs (including
two new major concentrations: Legal & Political Philosophy, Philosophy of
Science & Medicine) and other opportunities for undergraduates
including our scholarships, annual essay contest, and Philosophy Club.
Phil (244-017): Professional Responsibility Fall 2013


[IX.] CLASS SCHEDULE
Date Daily Discussion
Topic / Due Dates
Daily
Discussion
Presenter
Assignment(s) for next
class session
EDB
Leader
EDB
Group
Aug 22
nd

Thursday
Class session #1
Introduction to the
course: syllabus,
design, & overview
Q & A Carnegie & Einswein The
Art of Public Speaking
(Chapters 1-6)
None None
Aug 27
th

Tuesday
Class session #2
The idea of the
Self & the 1
st

Assignment
Lecture Arguments & Inference;
Validity & Soundness
None None
Aug 29
th

Thursday
Class session #3
Logic & Sound
Argumentation

Lecture Callahan (pp. 1-25) None None
Sept 3
rd

Tuesday
Class session #4
Moral & Ethical
Theory
Lecture Newton, Professionalization
The Intractable Plurality of
Values
TBA
________
A1
Sept 5
th

Thursday
Class session #5
Professional
Responsibility pt. 1
TBA
________

Rowan & Zinach,
Professional Ethics;
Whitbeck, The Basis and
Scope of Professional
Responsibility
TBA
________
________
B
Sept 10
th

Tuesday
Class session #6
Professional
Responsibility pt. 2
TBA
________
________
Faber, Client &
Professional; Andre, My
Client, My Enemy
TBA
________
________
C
Sept 12
th

Thursday
Class session #7
Professional
Responsibility pt. 3
Due: 1
st
Assignment
TBA
________
________
Edwards, Confidentiality &
the Professions
TBA
________
________
D
Sept 17
th

Tuesday
Class session #8
Confidentiality TBA
________
________
Armstrong, Confidentiality:
Comparison across
professions
TBA
________
A2
Sept 19
th

Thursday
Class session #9
Confidentiality TBA
________
Corlett, Collective Moral
Responsibility
TBA
________

B
Sept 24
th

Tuesday
Class session #10
Collective Moral
Responsibility
TBA
________

Merill, Professionalization
of Journalism
TBA
________
C
Sept 26
th

Thursday
Class session #11
Professional issues
in Journalism
TBA
________
Dresser, Professionals,
Conformity, and Conscience
TBA
________
D
Oct 1
st

Tuesday
Class session #12
Professional issues
in Pharmacy
TBA
________
McIntyre, Is the Scientist for
Hire?
TBA
________
A3
Oct 3
rd

Thursday
Class session #13
Professional issues
Research Science
TBA
________
Nelkin, The experience of
American Ecologists
TBA
________
________
B
Oct 8
th

Tuesday
Class session #14
Professional issues
in Applied Science
TBA
________
________
Emanuel & Emanuel, Four-
Models of the Physician-
Patient Relationship
TBA
________
C
Oct 10
th

Thursday
Class session #15
Professional issues
in Medicine
TBA
________
May, Politics: The Dispised
Profession
TBA
________
D
Phil (244-017): Professional Responsibility Fall 2013


Oct 15
th

Tuesday
Class session #16
Professional Issues
in Politics
Due: Research Thesis
TBA
________
Danforth, The Point of
Serving
TBA
________
A4
Oct 17
th

Thursday
No Class
NO CLASS FALL BREAK
Oct 22
nd

Tuesday
Class session #17
Professional issues
in Public Service
TBA
________
Tong, Dirty Hands, Many
Hands, No Hands
TBA
________
B
Oct 24
th

Thursday
Class session #18
Professional Issues
in Policy Making
TBA
________
Johnson, The Social and
Professional Responsibility of
Engineers
TBA
________
C
Oct 29
th

Tuesday
No Class
NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK
Oct 31
st

Thursday
Class session #19
Professional issues
in Engineering
TBA
________
Stein, Lying and Deception
in Counseling
TBA
________

D
Nov 5
th

Tuesday
Class session #20
Professional Issues
in Counseling
TBA
________

Hamilton, Who is
responsible?
TBA
________
A5
Nov 7
th

Thursday
Class session #21
Professional issues
Social Psychology
TBA
________
Wolfendale, Professional
Integrity & Disobedience in
the Military
TBA
________
B
Nov 12
th

Tuesday
Class session #22
Professional issues
in Military Service
TBA
________
Montrose, Reluctant
Soldiers

TBA
________
C
Nov 14
th

Thursday
Class session #23
Professional issues
in Military Service
TBA
________
Phillips, Manipulative
Advertising
TBA
________
D
Nov 19
th

Tuesday
Class session #24
Professional issues
in Advertising
Due: Research Draft
TBA
________
Statman & Glushkov,
The wages of social
responsibility
TBA
________
A6
Nov 21
st

Thursday
Class session #25
Professional issues
in Investment
Management
TBA
________
Freedman, The Professional
Obligation to chase
ambulances
TBA
________
B
Nov 26
th

Tuesday
Class session #26
Professional issues
in Law
TBA
________
Leo, Inside the interrogation
room
TBA
________
C
Nov 28
th

Thursday
Class session #27
Professional issues
Law Enforcement
TBA
________
Meilaender, The Ethics of
Teaching
TBA
________
D
Dec 3
rd

Tuesday
Class session #28
Professional issues
in Education
Due: Research Project
TBA
________
No assigned readings None None
Dec 5
th
/12
th
FINAL EXAM PERIOD NO CLASS