Phil (244): Professional Responsibility Spring 2014

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:
Haslam Music Center, room # 007
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.
Phil (244): Professional Responsibility Spring 2014


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
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.
Phil (244): Professional Responsibility Spring 2014


b. Civility concerning peer presentations
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): Professional Responsibility Spring 2014


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 Initiator 25 points 6.25%
4. E-Discussion Responder 25 points 6.25%
5. Professional Development 150 points 37.5%
6. Presentation Development (25 extra credit points)* (Extra 6.25%)*
7. Final 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): Professional Responsibility Spring 2014


[IX.] CLASS SCHEDULE (for more details, see Detailed Class Schedule)
Date Daily Discussion Topic(s) Assigned Reading(s) For the Day Assignment(s) Due
Jan 9
th
Intro to the course:
syllabus, design & overview
None None
Jan 14
th
Public Speaking The Art of Public Speaking Signed Syllabus Contract
Jan 16
th
Logic, Arguments, Reasoning Arguments & Inference;
Validity & Soundness
Prof. Dev. Declarations
Dev. Presentation Declarations
E-Discussion Grp. Assignments
Jan 21
st
Overview: Ethical Theories and
Ethical Dilemmas
Callahan (pp. 1-25) (option #1) Thesis Due
Jan 23
rd
Professional Responsibility
(part ONE)
Professionalization: The Intractable
Plurality of Values
None
Jan 28
th
Professional Responsibility
(part TWO)
Professional Ethics;
The Basis and Scope of Professional
Responsibility
None
Jan 30
th
Professional Responsibility
(part THREE)
Client & Professional;
My Client, My Enemy
None
Feb 4
th
Professional Issues:
Confidentiality
Confidentiality & the Professions;
Confidentiality: Comparison Across
Professions
None
Feb 6
th
Professional Issues: Individual vs.
Collective Responsibility
Collective Moral Responsibility None
Feb 8
th
None None (option #2-a) THSEB
(option #2-b) THSEB
Feb 11
th
Professional Issues:
Journalism
Professionalization of Journalism (option #2) Reflection Essays Due
Feb 13
th
Professional Issues:
Pharmacy
Professionals, Conformity, and
Conscience
None
Feb 18
th
Professional Issues:
Science (part ONE)
Is the Scientist for Hire? None
Feb 20
th
Professional Issues:
Science (part TWO)
The experience of American Ecologists None
Feb 25
th
Professional Issues:
Medicine
Four-Models of the Physician-Patient
Relationship
None
Feb 27
th
Professional Issues:
Politics
Politics: The Despised Profession None
Mar 4
th
Professional Issues:
Public Service
The Point of Serving None
Mar 6
th
Professional Issues:
Policy Making
Dirty Hands, Many Hands, No Hands None
Mar 11
th
Professional Issues:
Engineering
The Social and Professional
Responsibility of Engineers
None
Mar 13
th
Professional Issues:
Counseling
Lying and Deception in Counseling (option #1) Rough Draft Due
Mar 25
th
Professional Issues:
Social Psychology
Who is Responsible? None
Mar 27
th
Professional Issues:
Military Service (part ONE)
Professional Integrity and Disobedience
in the Military
None
Apr 1
st
Professional Issues:
Military Service (part TWO)
Reluctant Soldiers None
Apr 3
rd
Professional Issues:
Advertising
Manipulative Advertising None
Apr 8
th
Professional Issues:
Investment Management
The Wages of Social Responsibility None
Apr 10
th
Professional Issues:
Law
The Professional Obligation to Chase
Ambulances
None
Apr 15
th
Professional Issues:
Law Enforcement
Inside the interrogation room None
Apr 17
th
Professional Issues:
Education
The Ethics of Teaching (option #1) Final Paper Due
Apr 22
nd
None None Final Speeches (part ONE)
Apr 24
th
Concluding Thoughts None Final Speeches (part TWO)


Phil (244): Professional Responsibility Spring 2014


REQUIRED [Please Print, Detach, Sign, and return to the Instructor no later than January 14
th
, 2014] REQUIRED
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [DETACH HERE] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I, [print name] ________________________________, a University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Student in Professional Responsibility (244), instructed by Graduate Teaching Associate D.L. Dillard Jr.,
for the Spring Semester of 2014 at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, do hereby affirm with the
below signature that I have carefully read the terms and conditions contained in the attached syllabus,
including addendums, and thereby agree by the act of affixing my signature to this document that I fully
understand that I am responsible for the knowing contents of this syllabus, including addendums.
Student Signature: ______________________________________ Date: _______________, 2014

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [DETACH HERE] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OPTIONAL [Please Print, Detach, Sign, and return to the Instructor] OPTIONAL
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [DETACH HERE] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I, [print name] ________________________________, a University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Student in Professional Responsibility (244), instructed by Graduate Teaching Associate D.L. Dillard Jr.,
for the Spring Semester of 2014 at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, do hereby affirm with the
act of affixing a signature below that I consent to allow and thereby authorize the aforementioned
instructor to discuss sensitive information i.e. grades with me, the aforementioned student, over electronic
media viz a *.utk email address, and furthermore that I release the aforementioned instructor from any
liability resulting from the inadvertent sharing of said information with 3
rd
parties.
Student Signature: ______________________________________ Date: _______________, 2014

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [DETACH HERE] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -