ECP 3009: The Moral Foundations of Capitalism
Spring 2012

CRN 10217
Class Meetings: Monday and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.
Class Room: Lutgert Hall 1205

All Nazi coins were minted with this
on the edge: “Geneinnutz geht vor Eigennutz”

Translation?
“The community comes before the individual.”


Professor: Bradley K. Hobbs, Ph.D.

Phone: 590-7162 (Voice Mail available at all hours.)
E-mail: bhobbs@fgcu.edu
home page: http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/bhobbs/
Office: Lutgert Hall 3366
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 11:00 a.m. - noon and by appointment.

A course syllabus is your primary reference for any course. It tells you what the professor expects from you and from himself or herself. If you have a question concerning the workings of the course, turn to this reference first. It represents the "rules of the game" so to speak. If you want clarification or have a question which you feel is not adequately addressed - by all means ask now! By virtue of remaining in this course you have provided implicit agreement with the policies and procedures laid out in this syllabus.

OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:
ECP 3009 - Moral Foundations & Capitalism - 3 credit(s)
This course explores the philosophical underpinnings of capitalist forms of economic organization. It covers the historical foundations of these arguments with special emphasis on utilitarian and moral arguments. Cogent, philosophically-base arguments regarding capitalism and criticisms of those arguments will be covered.
Prerequisite(s): Junior-level status.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
This is the absolute best deal in college textbooks that you will have in your undergraduate career. The first three are "zero price" to you and the last one is about $15. These books are required for class meetings. There are numerous articles linked in the syllabus. You are to bring these to class on the day we discuss them.
Bastiat, Frederic, The Law The .pdf file of The Law is made available here by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE)
Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged (I provide this book the first day of class as part of the BB&T Bank support for FGCU)
Sowell, Thomas. A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles (FGCU Book Store or Amazon)

Spring 2012 - IMPORTANT DATES:
Academic Calendar for the Spring 2012 Semester
Classes begin Monday, January 9, 2012
Martin Luther King Day (No classes) Monday, January 16
Midterm Term Paper is due February 29
Spring Break (No classes) Monday, March 5 - Saturday, March 10
Last day to Drop/Withdraw without Academic Penalty is Friday, March 23

Final Term Paper is due April 11
Take-Home Essay Component of the Final Examination is due April 18
Last Day of Classes is Monday, April 23
Finals Week runs from Tuesday, April 24 through Saturday, April 28
Final Examination (In-class Component) is 7:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. on Friday, April 27 Lutgert Hall 1205

 
Learning Objectives for
ECP 3009
Learning Objectives Assessment Strategies
1) Understand the concept of systematic bias as it pertains to the different economic beliefs along those trained in market processes and the general population in the United States. Class discussions of articles with analysis of the authors points leading to examinations. Written papers and final examination.
2) Understand why Western philosophers embraced the concept of individual self- interest as a force capable of serving the good of society.

Class discussions of articles with analysis of the authors points leading to examinations. Written papers and final examination.

3) Understand and be able to articulate the connections between economic freedom and political freedom.

Class discussions of articles with analysis of the authors points leading to examinations. Written papers and final examination.

4) Be able to articulate classical liberal views on knowledge and reason, social processes, dynamics, equality, power, justice, vision, values, and paradigms. Class discussions of articles with analysis of the authors points leading to examinations. Written papers and final examination.
5) Develop an understanding of what Objectivism is, what its major tenets are, and how a major text of this course Atlas Shrugged develops this philosophy in the form of a novel. Class discussions of articles with analysis of the authors points leading to examinations. Written papers and final examination.


GRADING POLICIES:
Learning is a shared responsibility and the truth is that the lion's share falls to you. You must read extensively in this course so keep up.

Grading Scale:
The University allows assignment of grades on a +/- system. I support that form of grading and keep all final grades in that format. Because a "C" is considered the top grade for a student to progress I have extended the range of a "C" to include what is traditionally the "C-" range.
  A 100.0% to 93.0% A- 92.9% to 90.0%
B+ 89.9% to 87.0% B 86.9% to 83.0% B- 82.9% to 80.0%
C+ 79.9% to 77.0% C 76.9% to 70.0% C- No such grade in my rubric. You need a "C" to move forward in the College of Business.
D+ 69.9% to 67.0% D 66.9% - 63.0% D- 62.9% to 60.0%
F below 59.9%

Course Schedule (14 Weeks) :
Week

How to Prepare your Week's Assignments

After Week 1, I expect that you complete the week's assignments prior to Tuesday's meeting with the exception of Atlas Shrugged.

To prepare for each reading you will be required to hand in on one typed-page at least three questions to propose to the group from each reading (they are not required for podcasts.) The questions can be a clarification, about content, or even better a question that probes the author's ideas. These question sets will contribute to your class participation grade. Question sets may be given over to a student at any time to have them conduct the discussion of the readings.

Our standard practice will be to discuss the assignments in Tuesday's class meeting and the first 45 minutes of the Thursday class meeting.

The Atlas Shrugged readings will be discussed in the last 30 minutes of the second class meeting of each week. Hence, you can read the chapters from Atlas mid - week if you so wish.

Note - All readings are subject to revision by prerogative of the instructor by Thursday of the previous week.

Week 1

Jan 9&11

Theme: Introduction - Syllabus - Overview

Read for Tuesday - the FIRST class meeting:
Rand, Ayn. "Man's Rights" 1963 (In the appendix of Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal)
Rand, Ayn. "The Nature of Government" 1961 (In the appendix of Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal)

SPECIAL EVENT!!!! Friday Evening
ARSIRN's Renaissance Academy - Distinguished Scholars Series

John Allison, Recently Retired CEO of BB&T Bank and Wake Forest University Professor
The Financial Crisis: Causes, Consequences and Cures John Allison, former Chairman and CEO of BB&T, will present his unique perspective of the financial services industry to support his argument that massive government intervention into the U.S. economy laid the groundwork for an unsustainable real estate boom. Allison will also demonstrate that capitalism, far from being the cause of our financial ills, is its only cure . . and what medicine needs to be prescribed.
Friday, January 13th, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Doors open at 5:15 PM)
1010 Fifth Avenue South (park behind bldg on 10th St.) Naples, Florida

Student Fee: FREE
Pre-registration requested. Call 239-434-4737 orhttp://tinyurl.com/arsn014

 

Read for Thursday (Second class meeting):
BB&T - The BB&T Philosophy (Values)

Ayn Rand, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, Chapter 1 - What is Capitalism?
Source: Signet Books
* Here is a Study Guide for this reading.

Listen:
ECONTALK with Russ Roberts and John Allison, CEO of BB&T Bank on Strategy, Profits and Self-Interest

Watch:
Michael Strong - The Habit of Thought Chapter One: On Socratic Seminar
or this You Tube link: Chapter 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KZvxm0OAkQ

and this You Tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y6g0PU2OIc

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part I, Chapters 1-4

Week 2

Jan 16 (NO CLASS MEETING) and Jan 18

 

Theme: Historical Foundations

Read:
Hobbes, Thomas. The Leviathan, 1660.
Chapter XI - Of the Difference of Manners
Chapter XIII - Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning their Felicity and Misery

Locke, John. Of Civil Government - Second Treatise, 1662.
Ch. IV - On Slavery
Ch. V - On Property

Watch:
Michael Strong - The Habit of Thought Chapter Two: On Socratic Seminar
or this You Tube link: Chapter 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu_L-HuQDes

Three Minute Philosophy - John Locke

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part I, Chapters 5-6

Week 3

Jan 23 &25

Theme: Historical Foundations

Read:
1.) Adam Smith, Book I Chapters 1-3 An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of The Wealth of Nations found at http://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smWN.html
* Here is a Study Guide for this section.

Book I
Of the Causes of Improvement in the productive Powers of Labour, and of the Order according to which its Produce is naturally distributed among the different Ranks of the People
Chapter I - Of the Division of Labor
Chapter II - Of the Principle which gives Occasion to the Division of Labour
Chapter III - That the Division of Labour is Limited by the Extent of the Market
STOP - DO NOT READ
Chapter IV - Of the Origin and Use of Money

2.) Plus this selection from The Wealth of Nations
* There is no Study Guide for this section - read and summarize the major point(s) of each of the three sections.

3.) Adam Smith, Part IV Chapters 1 and 2 of The Theory of Moral Sentiments found at:
http://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smMS4.html
* Here is a Study Guide for this section.

Part IV
Of the Effect of Utility upon the Sentiment of Approbation
Chapter 1 - Of the beauty which the appearance of Utility bestows upon all the productions of art, and of the extensive influence of this species of Beauty
Chapter 2 - Of the beauty which the appearance of Utility bestows upon the characters and actions of men; and how far the perception if this beauty may be regarded as one of the original principles of approbation

4.) Plus this selection from The Theory of Moral Sentiments
* Here is a Study Guide for this section

Watch:
Giants of the Scottish Enlightenment, Part Two: Adam Smith at LearnLiberty.org

Michael Strong - The Habit of Thought Chapter Three: On Socratic Seminar
or this You Tube link: Chapter 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Taz4u4oDL60

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part I, Chapters 7-8

Week 4

Jan 20 &
Feb 1

Theme:

Read:
The Great Political Superstition
Spencer, Herbert, The Man Versus The State, with Six Essays on Government, Society, and Freedom. 1992. Library of Economics and Liberty. 8 December 2011. <http://www.econlib.org/library/LFBooks/Spencer/spnMvS.html>.

Reflections of a Nobel Laureate: Mario Vargas Llosa Confessions of a Liberal

Watch:
Michael Strong - The Habit of Thought Chapter Four: On Socratic Seminar
or this You Tube link: Chapter 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO9TVPs78PU


Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part I, Chapters 9-10

Week 5

Feb 6 & 8

Theme: Fact and Fallacy - What do "we" really know about economics?

Information about our author this week: Frederic Bastiat

Read:
(1)
Bastiat, Frederic, Economic Sophisms. A Petition The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. 1996. Trans. and ed. Arthur Goddard. Library of Economics and Liberty. 1 August 2007. <http://www.econlib.org/library/Bastiat/basSoph3.html>.

(2) Bastiat, Frederic, Selected Essays on Political Economy. What is Seen and What is Not Seen The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. 1995. Trans. Seymour Cain. Ed. George B. de Huszar. Library of Economics and Liberty. 1 August 2007. <http://www.econlib.org/library/Bastiat/basEss1.html>.

Listen:
Listen to this NPR story and critique it after reading "What is Seen and What is Not Seen" for class discussion

ECONTALK with Russ Roberts and Mike Munger on "The Political Economy of Public Transportation"

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part II, Chapters 1-2

Week 6

Feb 13 & 15

 

Theme: Institutions and Law

Read:
(1)Bastiat, Frederic, The Law Pages 1-32 stopping at"Rousseau and Social Democracy"

(2) Bastiat, Frederic, The Law Pages 32-58 stopping at the end of "Let Us Now Try Liberty!"

Reading is a bit lighter than usual this week because your Midterm Paper should be written by the end of Week 6. Use the next week to polish, edit and hone that paper.

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part II, Chapters 3-4

Week 7

Feb 20 & 22

 

Theme: Institutions and Law

Read:
(1) Bastiat, Frederic, The Law Pages 32-58 stopping at the end of "Let Us Now Try Liberty!"

(2) Friedman,Milton. (2002). Capitalism and Freedom. Chapter 1- "The Relation Between Economic Freedom and Political Freedom". Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962, pp. 7-17

Listen:
ECONTALK with Russ Roberts and Milton Friedman on Capitalism and Freedom

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part II, Chapters 5-6

Week 8

Feb 27 & 29

 

Midterm Paper Due at the beginning of the second class meeting in Week 8 which is Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Theme: Fact and Fallacy - What do "we" really know about the relationship between politics and economics? and Creative Destruction

Read:
Tuesday: Politics and Economics
(1)Caplan, Bryan. The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies, Chapter 2, pages 23-49. For Dr. Hobbs' PPT

(2) Cox, W. Michael and Richard Alm. How are we doing? 2 pages

Thursday: Creative Destruction

(3) This short piece I wrote for IHS on Creative Destruction 3 pages

(4) Capitalism: Its Nature and Demise (Abridged version of the full reading below.) 12 pages

(5) McKinsey Report on Creative Destruction 18 pages

Listen:
ECONTALK with Russ Roberts and Thomas McGraw on Schumpeter, Innovation, and Creative Destruction

Watch: RE: The Make Work Bias



FUN: Watch a video clip or two from Art Diamond on Creative Destruction
http://www.artdiamond.com/VideoClipsTeaching.html

Suggested extra reading if you are interested:
Schumpeter: In His Own Words 7 pages

Schumpeter, Joseph. (1952) Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, Part II - Can Capitalism Survive? Chapters: XI- The Civilization of Capitalism, XII - Crumbling Walls, XIII - Growing Hostility, XIV - Decomposition. New York: Harper & Row, pages 121-165.

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part II, Chapters 7-8

Spring Break runs March 5-10

 

Week 9

Mar 12 & 14

 

 

Theme: Conflicting Visions: Critics and Supporters of Capitalism

Read:
Sowell, Thomas. A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles, Chapters 1,2,3

Watch on You Tube:
20/20 - Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics - Pt. 1 of 6
20/20 - Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics - Pt. 2 of 6

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part II, Chapters 9-10

Week 10

Mar 19 & 21

 

Theme: Conflicting Visions: Critics and Supporters of Capitalism

Read:
Sowell, Thomas. A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles, Chapters 4,5

Watch on You Tube:
20/20 - Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics - Pt. 3 of 6
20/20 - Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics - Pt. 4 of 6

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 1-2

Week 11

Mar 26 & 28

 

Theme: Conflicting Visions: Critics and Supporters of Capitalism

Read:
Sowell, Thomas. A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles, Chapter 6,7

Watch on You Tube:
20/20 - Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics - Pt. 5 of 6
20/20 - Politically Incorrect Guide To Politics - Pt. 6 of 6

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 3-4

Week 12

Apr 2 & 4

 

Theme: Critics of Capitalism
Monday, April 2 Guest Lecturer:
Professor Kevin Aho, Philosophy, FGCU
"Time in Turbo-Capitalist Economies"

Wednesday, April 4 Guest Lecturer: Professor Sean Kelly, Philosophy, FGCU
Engels, Frederick. “The Principles of Communism” & George Bataille.

Read:
(1) Engels, Frederick. “The Principles of Communism,” 1847
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/11/prin-com.htm

(2) George Bataille. The Notion of Expenditure.

Read:
Stiglitz, Joseph.

Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1% in Vanity Fair

Watch:
The Story of Stuff

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 5-6

Week 13

Apr 9 & 11

 

Final Paper Due
Wednesday, APRIL 11, 2012

Theme: Conflicting Visions: Critics and Supporters of Capitalism

Read:
Sowell, Thomas. A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles, Chapter 8,9

Listen:
ECONTALK with Russ Roberts and Eric Rauschway on The Great Depression and the New Deal

ECONTALK with Russ Roberts and Bob Higgs on The Great Depression

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 7-8

Week 14

Apr 16 & 18

 

 

Theme: Human Action

Read:

von Mises, Ludwig. Human Action, Part Six: The Hampered Market Economy,
XXVII. The Government and the Market, pp. 716-736

New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949. Revised Edition, 1963.

von Mises, Ludwig. Human Action, Part Six: The Hampered Market Economy
XXXV. The Welfare Principle Versus The Market Principal pp. 833- 854.

New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949.Revised Edition, 1963.

von Mises, Ludwig. Human Action, Part Two: Action Within the Framework of Society
VIII. Human Society, 1. Human Cooperation pp. 143- 145.

New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949.Revised Edition, 1963.

 

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 9-10

Week 15

Apr 23

 

Theme: Human Action

Read:

Complete Human Action

Buchanan, James M. (2005) Afraid to be free: Dependency as desideratum. Public Choice, (124): 19-31.

Week 15

 

Final Examination (In-class Component) is 7:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. on Friday, April 27 Lutgert Hall 1205

   

Graded Assignments Percent of Final Grade Coverage Date Due
Class Participation 15% For what is considered good class participation - beyond bringing your questions to class each meeting - see the class participation guidelines at this link Entire Course
Midterm Paper 25% Late papers lose one letter grade each day. This rubric is used in grading your papers.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

 

Final Paper 30% Late papers lose one letter grade each day.This rubric is used in grading your papers.

Wednesday,
April 11, 2012

 

Celebration of Learning
( Final Examination)

Take-Home Essays(15%) and
In-class Examination (15%)

30% Late take-home essay papers lose one letter grade each day.

Take-Home Essay:
Hand out on Monday April 11 and DUE on Wednesday April 18

Final Examination (In-class Component) is 7:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. on Friday, April 27 Lutgert Hall 1205

Class participation (15%) :
This course is a seminar course where you have a deep responsibility to engage. You can only do this by reading and coming to class prepared to discuss the materials that are assigned. Each class meeting you need to bring three written questions to pose to the group directly pertaining to the assigned Readings that day. It is limited to one page. At the top of the page list your name, roster number (it will be assigned), and the date of the class meeting. I will then use some of these questions to spur discussion among you and your classmates.

Your Professor will assign a subjective class participation grade based upon your individual contributions to this course. For what is considered good class participation - beyond bringing these questions to class each meeting - see the class participation guidelines at this link

Final Examination (30%):
There is only one examination in this course and I prefer to call it a "Celebration of Learning". It will occur at the end of the course. Your Final Examination has two components: (1) a take-home essay section (15% points), and (2) an in-class multiple-choice section given during our scheduled final during final's week (15%). The Take-Home component's due date is listed on TurnItIn and in the table below.

Papers (55%):
The course requires two papers: a midterm paper (25%) and a final paper (30%). The midterm paper is due on Thursday during week 8 and the final paper is due on Thursday of week 13, respectively. Actual due dates are listed on TurnItIn and in the Table below. You can select any topic in the readings we are doing that you choose.

Options for the Midterm Paper
1) An original paper of your choosing with the topic approved by your professor.
2) A review of some substantial book in the literature. We have the entire library of the Liberty Fund a highly-respected publisher of classic books pertaining to a society of free and responsible individuals. The book cases on the north wall of our classroom hold this collection which was donated to the college in 2009. There are also other books in the FGCU library and I can provide some direction to you. If you want to do this the book MUST be approved by me. For those who have never taken economics or who are new to these ideas this may help to form ideas about your Final paper. Note that a book review must include critical thinking about the thesis of the text.
3) IF you have already read Atlas Shrugged you can write one your papers on the annual Ayn Rand Institute's Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest.

Options for the Final Paper
1) An original paper of your choosing with the topic approved by your professor.
2) The book review that is available to you on the Midterm Paper is not an option for the Final Paper.
3) IF you have already read Atlas Shrugged you can write one your papers on the annual Ayn Rand Institute's Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest. I also am periodically aware of other essay contests that I will announce in class or you may find one on your own. I will consider these too if you so wish.

Other important notes on these Papers
1) The top original papers should be targeted for publishing in an undergraduate research journal such as the Journal of Liberty & Society.

2) Whatever you choose, the paper MUST be based on REASON not emotive feelings - this is the only topic requirement. Defend your position(s) rationally.

3) Each paper must be between 5-10 pages - SERIOUSLY - any pages after ten will not be read. A crucial part of writing is to be concise. All papers must be typed, and double-spaced with the pages numbered. The paper must follow MLA style. An excellent web source for following the MLA style is here. An excellent web source for following the APA style is here. If you have grammatical questions I suggest Grammar Girl as a good onlione source.

4) Late papers lose one letter grade each day.

5) Here is a step-by-step instruction sheet for the process of turning in the paper. Not following these clearly-defined steps will result in grade reductions.

A) Buy a small (no larger than 1") three-ring binder. Print out these files - Grading Rubric and Proof Reading Marks- and place them into your binder. Read the files carefully.
B) If you have any doubts about the quality of your paper please go the the FGCU Writing Center for feedback before you hand it in. Their web address with all information on use is at
http://www.fgcu.edu/cas/english/writingcenter/ .
C) All papers must be run through TurnItIn.com a site that checks your work against all work on the web and all papers in their data base for plagiarism. Label the paper with "Your Name" as a subtitle. You submit the paper in Angel and TurnItIn will automatically review it for you. Here is a video of the steps you need to take. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl3zYA1og_A

 

Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site.

Class Assignments on TurnItIn

Number
Assignment Name
1
Midterm Paper
2
Final Paper
3

Final Exam Take Home Essay Component

Final Examination


So that plagiarism does not cause you to fail this course read the two following web sites:
A Statement on Plagiarism
Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It

Missed Examinations or Assignments:
If you miss an examination I must have a e-mail or phone call before or during the assessment event - simply not showing up earns a grade of "0" on on any assignment. My e-mail is bhobbs@fgcu.edu and my phone number is 590-7162: voice messaging is available at all times. Where I have been notified as explained above, the points for the missed examination will be calculated as the average of your other two examination scores. If you miss two or more examinations you will receive a grade of "0" on both of them and there is no way to pass the course. A missed Final Examination will: (1) lead to an assigned grade of "incomplete" so long as I am contacted prior to the examination as noted above and, (2) require you to take a makeup examination and complete the examination prior to the university's deadline for making up an incomplete. It is your responsibility to contact me and coordinate the process of the makeup examination and the grade change. All incomplete's not completed by the university's deadline become an "F".

Assignments other than examinations (e.g., papers and presentations) lose 10% or one letter grade per day. If a group presentation is required your failure to participate in it earns you an automatic "0" for the presentation portion of that assignment.

Late quizzes or APLIA homework's will not be accepted for grading purposes. You do get to drop the two lowest grades and a missed grade will be a "0".

Examination Grade Challenge Policy:
When an exam is handed back we will go over it in class. I will do my absolute best to turn the grades around within three class meetings. Once the examination is handed back to you there is a one-week cooling-off period. Then you can make an appointment with me to come by during office hours and challenge my grading but be prepared. At two weeks after the examination is returned to you, grades on examinations and assignments become final.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/CHEATING:
Academic Honesty is your responsibility and ethical duty. Cheating is a rampant problem on college and university campuses today. As a social scientist, I think it says something quite interesting about our current culture -- or perhaps Glaucon, Adeimantus and Thrasymachus were right (see The Republic of Plato, Part II "Justice in the State and in the Individual", Chapter V, "The Problem Stated".)

Appropriate steps for dealing with scholastic dishonesty are spelled out in the Student Guidebook and these steps will be followed if this activity is revealed in your case. These guidelines pertain to all work done in this class including take home assignments and graded homework. (You have explicit permission to engage in group homework under the conditions outlined above.)

My attitude concerning academic dishonesty is simple: cheating is not worth the potential consequences of getting caught nor the self-degradation which it involves whether you are caught or not.

 

OTHER COURSE ISSUES:

Attendance Policy
:

"The discipline of colleges and universities is in general contrived, not for the benefit of the students, but for the interest, or more properly speaking, for the ease of the masters. Its object is, in all cases, to maintain the authority of the master, and whether he neglects or performs his duty, to oblige the students in all cases to behave to him as if he performed with the greatest diligence and ability. It seems to presume perfect wisdom and virtue in the one order, and the greatest weakness and folly in the other. Where the masters, however, really perform their duty, there are no examples, I believe, that the greater part of the students ever neglect theirs. No discipline is ever requisite to force attendance upon lectures which are really worth attending…”

An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Book V, Chapter 1, Part f, Paragraph 15
Adam Smith


My attendance policy is laissez-faire. The translation from French is roughly "to allow to act". In other words, you are allowed to do whatever you want to do with regard to attendance: after all, only you can decide what your opportunity costs are. Whatever your proclivities for attendance may be, you are responsible for the materials of the course.

Learning is a shared responsibility and as a result I won't be using valuable student office hours to redeliver the lecture because you chose not to come to class. Class lectures are, but, one way to learn - there are others. If you miss class I would suggest that you get the notes, handouts, cases, etc. from a fellow student. There are many things covered in class that are assessed in this course so you should definitely obtain a copy of class notes should you decide to not attend the class.

In closing, though my attendance policy is laissez-faire, I should note that for nearly all students there is a high and positive correlation between class attendance and grades. I encourage you to fully participate in your education. I will take role daily for administrative purposes. Participation grade for the day will be "0" if you are not in class.

Group Work: Research in the area of learning has substantiated the positive effects of group study. When carried out with serious effort the returns to group study can be great for all members of the group. I would strongly encourage you to form study groups and set a weekly meeting time to discuss this course. I would ask that you assist each other; treating the study group as a cooperative experience rather than a competitive one. I have no problem with groups working together on the homework assignments.

Unless explicit permission is given (such as homework assignments above), all work handed in must be done alone.  You are welcome to discuss and work together but when you "put pencil to paper" it must be your own work.  To do otherwise will be regarded as an act of academic dishonesty.

Scantrons
You must bring a Scantron forms to the final examination. Use Pearson NCS Test Sheets 100/100, Form No. 95679. They are available at the Book Store.

Electronics in the Classroom:
The required calculator - a Texas Instruments BA II PLUS - is the only electronic device allowed to be used during class. Use of all other electronic devices (phones, laptop computer, etc.) is PROHIBITED DURING CLASS.

Departmental Course Scheduling:
Planning for and meeting all requirements of graduation are student responsibilities. This schedule http://www/fgcu/edu/cob/fin/fin_annual.pdf , LCOB advisors, prerequisite sequences as described in the Catalog and degree program sheets, are available to assist students in successful implementation of plans. Course substitutions and prerequisite exceptions are only granted in exceptional circumstances clearly beyond the control of students. Lack of planning and poor planning are not exceptional circumstances.

University Statements:
Academic Behavior Standards and Academic Dishonesty
All students are expected to demonstrate honesty in their academic pursuits. The university policies regarding issues of honesty can be found in the FGCU Student Guidebook under the Student Code of Conduct and Policies and Procedures sections. All students are expected to study this document which outlines their responsibilities and consequences for violations of the policy. The FGCU Student Guidebook is available online at http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/judicialaffairs/new.html

Disability Accommodations Services
Florida Gulf Coast University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the university’s guiding principles, will provide classroom and academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities. If you need to request an accommodation in this class due to a disability, or you suspect that your academic performance is affected by a disability, please contact the Office of Adaptive Services. The Office of Adaptive Services is located in Howard Hall 137. The phone number is 239-590-7956 or TTY 239-590-7930

Student Observance of Religious Holidays
All students at Florida Gulf Coast University have a right to expect that the University will reasonably accommodate their religious observances, practices, and beliefs. Students, upon prior notification to their instructors, shall be excused from class or other scheduled academic activity to observe a religious holy day of their faith. Students shall be permitted a reasonable amount of time to make up the material or activities covered in their absence. Students shall not be penalized due to absence from class or other scheduled academic activity because of religious observances. Where practicable, major examinations, major assignments, and University ceremonies will not be scheduled on a major religious holy day. A student who is to be excused from class for a religious observance is not required to provide a second party certification of the reason for the absence.

Student Responsibilities
There are no extra credit assignments. Graduation, scholarships, work, financial aid, personal plans, etc. have nothing to do with grades in this course. Grades are based on performance-See the Catalog. Course grades are available via Gulfline (see the Catalog).

The exams are closed book. A student must complete the exams at the scheduled times on the scheduled dates or provide written documentation of an Authorized Absence or Excused Absence (Catalog p.39). An Authorized Absence is due to participation in a sponsored activity that has been approved in advance by the program director and the appropriate student affairs officer. An Excused Absence is due to other causes, such as illness, family emergency, death in the family, or religious holiday. A student seeking an Excused Absence must obtain documentation such as a physician's statement, accident report, or obituary. If a student misses Exam1 or Exam 2 due to an approved or authorized absence, the weight is rolled into the final examination. If a student misses both Exam 1 and Exam 2 for any reason, the student will receive either an Incomplete (documented medical or family tragedy) or an F grade. Students are required to show a photo ID (FGCU ID or Driver's License or Passport) to complete the Exams. The exams are property of the instructor and are not returned to students. The exams can be reviewed with the instructor during office hours. Students may be assigned or reassigned seats for exams.

The eight questions you should never ask your professor:

  1. Will I miss anything by not being in class tomorrow?
  2. May I hand in this assignment late?
  3. Is this good enough for full credit?
  4. Since I got (earned) such a poor score can I resubmit it?
  5. Is there anything I can do for extra credit?
  6. Will this be on the examination?
  7. Are you busy?
  8. Actually, this is an oft heard statement: "I knew the material; I just don't test well."

    Those students who ask such questions do not realize the statement they are making about their understanding of professional and career work standards. My answers follow so we can cut through this quickly.
  1. Will I miss anything by not being in class tomorrow? Of course, you will miss something by not being in class unless I am wasting my time and yours already.
  2. May I hand in this assignment late? Deadline. Think about the word dead; and then the word line.
  3. Is this good enough for full credit? You are a university student and should be developing that assessment yourself. This is how it works: you hand it in and I grade it.
  4. Since I got (earned) such a poor score can I resubmit it? I applaud students who go back and learn from their mistakes on examinations but your initial grade stands.
  5. Is there anything I can do for extra credit? You aren't doing so well on the regular credit - I'd hate to load you up with anything extra.
  6. Will this be on the examination? Perhaps. Anything we cover or that is assigned in this course is fair game.
  7. Are you busy? Yes, I have a galloping career that involves teaching, service and research. However, I have an obligation to respond to your inquiries and concerns and have set office hours aside for that purpose. If I am in the middle of something I may ask you to find a time that we can both meet and focus on what your needs are.
  8. "I knew the material; I just don't test well." Yes, I know, I graded it. Realize that you must also be able to communicate your knowledge. There are three steps on the road to understanding a corpus body of knowledge: acquisition, retention, and application. You may also be overestimating how well you know the materials because you have stopped too early in this process. See this link!

Disclaimer: The schedules and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.

Web page Last Updated on April 18, 2012

 FGCU home

© FGCU 1997. The framework and images are those of an official FGCU web page.

© Bradley K. Hobbs, Ph.D. 2001. All written portions of this work are those of Bradley K. Hobbs and his alone.
Intellectual property rights are claimed over my intellectual product (Read "Capitalism" by Ayn Rand.)