Page 347 - Social Sciences Humanities - The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 - 2013

D3. Making Connections to Ethics
By the end of this course, students will:
D3.1 demonstrate an understanding of the influence that ideas related to ethics have on their everyday life
Teacher prompts: “What are some areas in your personal life in which you have to weigh ethical considerations when making decisions?” “What types of ethical ideas are reflected in popular culture, such as the movies you see, video games you play, and sources of news you read or view?” “Do you think that you have a moral obligation to protect the environment? Why or why not?” “Under what circumstances would you feel justified in telling a lie?” “In what ways is plagiarism unethical?”
D3.2 explain ways in which ethics draws from and influences other areas of philosophy
Teacher prompts: “How might ethical and metaphysical ideas about the rights and nature of animals influence ideas about the acceptability of certain types of scientific research and the reliability of scientific knowledge?” “How might an ethicist use theories of aesthetics when assessing the value of offensive works of
art or literature (e.g., works that are racist, sexist, homophobic, sacrilegious)?”
D3.3 describe forces that have helped shape the evolution of ethics over time (e.g., the separation of theology and ethics, changing roles of women in society), and analyse their impact
Teacher prompts: “What social/historical fac­ tors have likely influenced modern philosophers assessing Plato’s views on aristocracy and democracy?” “On what basis do contemporary feminists such as Okin criticize Wollstonecraft’s
views on the role of women in society? What factors would have helped shape the response of later feminist philosophers to Wollstonecraft’s ideas?” “What differences are there in the views of Aristotle, Rousseau, and Fanon on the topic of slavery? What factors might account for these differences?”
D3.4 demonstrate an understanding of the influ­ ence that ideas in ethics have on other subject areas (e.g., with reference to medical ethics; research ethics in science, sociology, psychology; the role of art and literature in reinforcing and challenging ethical issues; judgements about the morality of historical events; the role of ethics in law making; ethical questions relating to discrimination, equity, and human rights in sociology, politics, economics)
Teacher prompts: “What types of ethical themes or questions are reflected in the literature you are studying?” “What are some ethical issues to consider before embarking on scientific research?”
D4. Philosophical Reasoning in Ethics
By the end of this course, students will:
D4.1 formulate and explain, using philosophical reasoning skills, their own clear and cogent responses to some of the main questions in ethics
D4.2 evaluate and defend, in philosophical exchanges with others, their own responses to some of the main questions in ethics, and anticipate and respond logically to counter-arguments
D4.3 correctly use terminology related to ethics (e.g., justice, fairness, morality, rights, moral scepti­ cism, moral relativism)
CORE TOPICS: ETHICS
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Philosophy: Questions and Theories
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