Watford Grammar School for Boys Philosophy, Religion and Ethics Scheme of Work

Title: Applied ethics

Year group: 12

Term:Spring 1

Weeks 6

Learning objectives / Lesson content / Possible activities / Homework / ICT / SMRC / Literacy / Resources
Euthanasia
Sanctity of life
Quality of life /
  • the religious origins of this concept (that human life is made in God’s image and is therefore sacred in value)
  • the secular origins of this significant concept (that human life has to possess certain attributes in order to have value)

/
  • Definitions of sanctity of life and quality of life.
  • Similarities and differences between the religious and secular definitions.
  • Brainstorm ways that the S/L & Q/L can be applied to euthanasia.
/ Wider reading on euthanasia / Wider reading / Right to life / Definitions
Key words: euthanasia, quality of life, sanctity of life /  Glover, J. (1977) Causing Death and Saving Life, London: Penguin Books
 Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (5th May 1980) Declaration on Euthanasia
 Singer, P. (1995) Rethinking Life and Death: The Collapse of our Traditional Ethics, Oxford: OUP
Types of euthanasia /
  • Voluntary - what it is (that a person’s life is ended at their request or with their consent) and its use in the case of incurable or terminal illness
  • Non voluntary - what it is (that a person’s life is ended without their consent but with the consent of someone representing their interests) and its use in the case of a patient who is in a persistent vegetative state
/
  • Look to a topical case of Euthanasia and elicit students views. For example Reg Crew and Dan James.
  • Then use Medical ethics 2 in Oliphant heavily for an exploration of the key issues of VE.
/ Find further examples of euthanasia / Homework research / Right to life / Key terms:
Euthanasia, voluntary, non voluntary. /  Glover, J. (1977) Causing Death and Saving Life, London: Penguin Books
 Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (5th May 1980) Declaration on Euthanasia
 Singer, P. (1995) Rethinking Life and Death: The Collapse of our Traditional Ethics, Oxford: OUP
Analysis (1 lesson) /
  • the application of natural law and situation ethics to euthanasia
  • whether or not the religious concept of sanctity of life has any meaning in twenty-first century medical ethics
  • whether or not a person should or can have complete autonomy over their own life and decisions made about it
  • whether or not there is a moral difference between medical intervention to end a patient’s life and medical non-intervention to end a patient’s life
ASSESSMENT - human life is made in Gods image. Discuss (40)
/
  • Presentations – how does natural law and situation ethics apply to euthanasia.
  • Debate: do religious concepts have any relevance in the 21st Century.
  • Silent debates
/ Assessed homework essay / Presentations / Right to life / Key terms: natural law, situation ethics, euthanasia, autonomy, medical intervention
Business ethics – CSR & whistleblowing /
  • CSR - what it is (that a business has responsibility towards the community and environment) and its application to stakeholders, such as employees, customers, the local community, the country as whole and governments
  • Whistleblowing - what it is (that an employee discloses wrongdoing to the employer or the public) and its application to the contract between employee and employer
/
  • What is corporate responsibility? Read Bowie for details…use Macdonald’s trailer to illustrate the point.
  • Discuss this, and other examples, such as the tobacco example where they sell to less educated in 3rd world.
  • Define whistleblowing
/ Research several examples of companies acting with social responsibility and those acting without. / You tube clip / Responsibility
Ethics / Key terms: CSR, whistleblowing, environment /  Friedmann, M. (1970) The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits,
 Crane, A. & Matten, D. (2003) Business Ethics, Oxford: OUP
 FTSE4Good [
Business ethics
Good ethics is good business
Globalisation /
  • Good ethics is good business - what it is (that good business decisions are good ethical decisions) and its application to shareholders and profit-making
  • Globalisation - what it is (that around the world economies, industries, markets, cultures and policy-making is integrated) and its impact on stakeholders
/
  • Define good ethics is good business
  • Define globalisation
  • Look at organization who are anti globalisation
  • Find examples of business who believe in good ethics e.g. Ben & Jerry, Argos
/ For and against globalisation / Research / Ethics
Globalisation / Key terms: ethics, business, globalisation /  Friedmann, M. (1970) The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits,
 Crane, A. & Matten, D. (2003) Business Ethics, Oxford: OUP
 FTSE4Good [
Analysis /
  • the application of Kantian ethics and utilitarianism to business ethics
  • whether or not the concept of corporate social responsibility is nothing more than ‘hypocritical window-dressing’ covering the greed of a business intent on making profits
  • whether or not human beings can flourish in the context of capitalism and consumerism
  • whether globalisation encourages or discourages the pursuit of good ethics as the foundation of good business

/
  • Brainstorm how to apply Kant and utilitarianism.
  • For and against – CSR as ‘hypocritical window-dressing’
  • What is capitalism and consumerism?
  • For and against globalisation
/ Ethics / Key terms: Kant, utilitarianism, CSR, globalisation, capitalism, consumerism