Ag Econ 3241 Ethical Issues in Agriculture

Winter 2008 (Ref #70345)
Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30-10:45am
310 Middlebush

Instructor
Harvey James, 146 Mumford Hall, 573-884-9682, HJames@missouri.edu 

Office Hours
Tuesday and Thursday, 1-3pm. For another time, speak with me after class, send me an e-mail message, leave a voice message at my office phone, or stop by my office. 

Course Homepage
http://blackboard.missouri.edu

Texts
1. Gary Comstock (ed.), Life Science Ethics, Iowa State Press, 2002.
2. Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, Pocket, 1906/2004.
3. Peter Singer, Animal Liberation, HarperCollins, 2001, or 
3. Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, Mariner Books, 2002.
4. Other readings as assigned.

Course Description
In this course we will examine ethical issues in agriculture, with particular emphasis on the development of an analytical framework for understanding and evaluating the ethical implications arising from agriculture-related public policy. We will introduce you to ethical theory, show you how economics, philosophy, and science inform on and impact important ethical problems, and help you understand how (and where) ethical considerations figure in the public policy process.  We will also study some of the "classic" literature in agricultural ethics. Topics include the use of technology in agriculture, food safety, environmental protection, poverty and economic development, animal welfare, farm structure, the role of agribusiness, sustainability, and government agricultural programs.

Prerequisites
Junior standing

Course Objectives
Students learn when they are curious and want to learn. Therefore, an important objective of this course is to motivate a desire on your part to become curious about ethical issues in agriculture. If you are suitably motivated, attentive, regularly study assigned reading materials, complete all required writing assignments, and participate actively in class discussions you should, upon completion of this course, be able to

*     Identify ethical dilemmas in agriculture as either philosophical or behavioral, and recommend appropriate solutions; and recognize and describe implications of alternative solutions to ethical dilemmas in agriculture.

*     Distinguish among the major philosophical theories that represent principles of ethical decision-making, including utilitarianism, Kantianism, virtue and justice ethics, and determine which theories are most helpful in understanding specific ethical dilemmas in agriculture.

*     Understand the central conflicts involved in ethical debates regarding the environment, biotechnology, animal welfare, farm structure, the role of agribusiness in agriculture, development, sustainability, and agriculture-related public policy, among other topics.

*     Construct valid and sound ethical arguments; recognize the strengths and weaknesses of ethical arguments articulated by others; and be more effective at articulating reasons and expressing opinions through oral and written arguments.

*     Describe, evaluate and contrast the ideas of authors who have written on agricultural ethics topics.

*     Become sensitive to ethical dilemmas we face every day.

Course Overview and Expectations
I expect you to come to class regularly and to participate in class discussions. Preparation for the class includes reading the assigned text material before the scheduled class period. To motivate you to prepare for class, I will often give a quiz at the beginning of class on the required reading for that day. I reserve the right to dismiss students who have not read the assigned material for the day. 

Grading is based on attendance and participation, writing assignments, quizzes, and exams. It is your responsibility to know what is going on in class. For this reason, class attendance is crucial.  Additionally, the Blackboard system contains information and announcements pertaining to the course. I consider a posting at the beginning of class or in the Blackboard system sufficient warning for all class requirements.

Course Customization Option
Students have the primary responsibility for their own education. In other words, I can't force you to learn. At best I can motivate you, identify resources, ask and answer questions, but what you get out of the class will be a function of what you do. If you want to learn then you must be active -- in determining what you study and how you study. Therefore, you may propose alternative study topics, reading and writing assignments and even grading expectations that best suit your individual learning needs.

Grading Scale
The individual items are weighted as follows:

Assignment

Weight

Attendance and participation

20%

Writing Assignments

30%

Quizzes (lowest quiz score dropped)

20%

Exams

30%

Total

100%

 

The gradebook feature on Blackboard will allow you to monitor your grades during the semester. I will assign final grades based on your total weighted percent, as calculated by Blackboard, with + and – determined at the end of the semester according to natural breaks within the distribution.

> 90% = A range

> 80% = B range

> 70% = C range

> 60% = D range

> 50% = D–

< 50% = F 

 

Attendance and Participation
I will record attendance at least once a week. You are allowed five absences, excused or unexcused. After that, missed attendance will reduce your final grade. If your grade lies at the border between two grades, I will consider your record of participating in class, both asking and answering questions, in deciding whether to "bump" your grade up a level. Moreover, if you are dismissed from class because you have not adequately prepared by reading the assignments, your attendance for that day will be recorded as absent.

Writing Assignments
You learn ethics by constructing and evaluating arguments. Writing is one of the best ways to do this. For this reason, you will have many opportunities to write in this course. Writing assignments will be announced in class and made available through Blackboard. They are due in class on the assigned due date.  I reserve the option of refusing to accept late assignments. All assignments must be typed. I will assign one of two grades, A (acceptable) or DA (do again). You have the option of doing the assignment again until it is acceptable. However, you are not required to do so. To obtain an "A" in the class, however, all assignments must be acceptable -- that is, if any written assignment is not acceptable, you cannot receive an A in the class regardless of your performance on exams, quizzes, etc. For a grade of B, two-third of assignments must be acceptable. For a grade of C, one-third of assignments must be acceptable.  

Quizzes
I will periodically give quizzes during class.  Quizzes may or may not be announced.  Often I will give you a quiz at the beginning of class to test your knowledge of readings assigned for discussion.  No make-up quizzes will be offered. So, if you miss class and therefore miss a quiz, you will receive a zero for the quiz, regardless of excuses.  I will drop the lowest quiz score.

Exams
You will have two exams.  These exams may consist of any kind of question, but you should expect to write a lot. The second exam will be cumulative. Both exams will be weighted equally.

Absences and Make-Up Policy
You are responsible for all materials discussed in class and assigned in the readings. If you miss class due to illness or other extenuating circumstance, you may make alternative arrangements provided (1) I am informed prior to the day the assignment is due, and (2) I approve the excuse. The exception is quizzes; these cannot be made up.

Academic Honesty
Good grief.  This is an ethics class.  I expect no lying, cheating or stealing.  I expect you to treat your instructor, guest speakers, and fellow students with respect. With that said, here is the obligatory statement of academic honesty: Academic integrity is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. The academic community regards breaches of the academic integrity rules as extremely serious matters. Sanctions for such a breach may include academic sanctions from the instructor, including failing the course for any violation, to disciplinary sanctions ranging from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, collaboration, or any other form of cheating, consult the course instructor. If I become aware of an incident of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarizing, etc) you will receive a grade of zero on the assignment/exam. In addition, I reserve the right to report the incident to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies (room 111 Jesse) and the department chair. 

Disabilities
If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform me immediately. Please see me privately after class, or at my office. To request academic accommodations (for example, a notetaker), students must also register with the Office of Disability Services, (http://disabilityservices.missouri.edu), S5 Memorial Union, 882-4696. It is the campus office responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students requesting academic accommodations, and for accommodations planning in cooperation with students and instructors, as needed and consistent with course requirements. For other MU resources for students with disabilities, click on "Disability Resources" on the MU homepage.

Disclaimer
This syllabus is subject to change to facilitate instructional and/or student needs.

Discussion and Reading Schedule

The following schedule presents the topics and reading assignments for the course. I expect you to study the assigned readings before class. That means you should read and then think about what you have read. All chapter readings are from the Comstock textbook, Life Science Ethics. Other readings are in the "Other Documents" section of Blackboard as PDF or files, unless stated otherwise.

Week 1: Introduction to ethics and agricultural ethics

Tuesday, January 22

Topic: Introduction to ethics
- Comstock, ch. 1
- James, "On Finding Solutions to Ethical Problems in Agriculture," J of Ag & Env Ethics, 2003

Thursday, January 24

Topic: Introduction to ethics, cont.
- Pinker, “The Moral Sense,” New York Times, January 13, 2008

Week 2: Logic and ethical arguments

Tuesday, January 29

Topic: Ethical arguments
- Comstock, ch. 3 (pp. 33-45, 55-66), ch. 4 (pp. 67-70, 79-88)

Thursday, January 31

Topic: Bribery and logic
- Moreland, "A Brief Lesson in Logic," Love Your God with All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul, Colorado Springs, Navpress, 1997
- Sagan, "The Fine Art of Baloney Detection," The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, New York, Ballantine Books, 1996

Week 3: Theories of ethics

Tuesday, February 5

Topic: Ethical theory and moral values
- Weston, “Families of Moral Values,” A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox, 2001, chapter 4

Thursday, February 7

Topic: Utilitarianism
- Weston, “Some Traditional Ethical Theories,” A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox, 2001, chapter 5
- Stewart, "The Ethical Basis of Cost-Benefits Analysis," Business Ethics, 1996, chapter 3

Week 4: Theories of ethics

Tuesday, February 12

Topic: Kantianism
- Stewart, "Rights and Duties," Business Ethics, 1996, chapter 4

Thursday, February 14

Topic: Virtue ethics, others
- Stewart, "Developing Ethical Habits," Business Ethics, 1996, chapter 2

Week 5: Capitalism and the profit motive

Tuesday, February 19

Topic: Colloquium on Sinclair's The Jungle
- Sinclair, The Jungle

Thursday, February 21

Topic: Capitalism
- Tweeten, "Food for People and Profit: Ethics and Capitalism," in Blatz (ed.), Ethics and Agriculture, 1991
- Breimyer, "Food for People and Profit: An Alternative Explanation," in Blatz (ed.), Ethics and Agriculture, 1991

Week 6: Capitalism the profit motive

Tuesday, February 26

Topic: John Stossel’s ABCNews Video, Greed
- Singer, "'The Bread Which You Withhold Belongs to the Hungry': Attitudes to Poverty," Ethics & Development, 2000

Thursday, February 28

Topic: Structure of the agrifood system
- Lyson, “Going Global: The Industrialization and Consolidation of Agriculture and Food Production,” Civic Agriculture, Tufts University Press, 2004, ch. 3
- Lyson, “The Global Supply Chain,” Civic Agriculture, Tufts University Press, 2004, ch. 4.
- Penson, Capps, Rosson, and Woodward, "The U.S. Food and Fiber Industry," Introduction to Agricultural Economics, Pearson/Prentice-Hall, 2006, ch. 2 (very lengthy; don’t print, just read online)

Week 7: Ethical issues regarding food & poverty

Tuesday, March 4

Topic: Do we have a duty to help the poor and hungry?
- Comstock, ch. 6

Thursday, March 6

Topic: Different perspectives on the duty to help
- Hardin, "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor," published originally in Psychology Today Magazine, 1974
- Singer, "Famine, Affluence, and Morality," Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1(3), 1972

Week 8: Biotechnology

Tuesday, March 11

Topic: Case study: Golden Rice
- Comstock, ch. 15 (pp. 307-310)

Thursday, March 13

Topic: Ethics of biotechnology
- Comstock, ch. 9

Week 9: Biotechnology

Tuesday, March 18

Topic: TBD

Thursday, March 20

Topic: Case study: Letter to Ellen

Tuesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 27: Spring Break

Rest of semester TBD later