I2E: Welcome!

Welcome video for Introduction to Ethics.

Please watch this video to get started.

Hello, hello all you lovely people!

I’m Professor David Emmanuel Gray and I’ll be your guide this semester through the wonderful world of ethics. With an open mind and a bit of work, you will learn a lot about the study of ethics, its practical applications, and maybe even a little bit about yourself and your place within the world.

Please take a few minutes to watch my video, and I’ll introduce myself and the course. You can then start to explore this page (and then this entire website) to get better oriented.

Feel free to bookmark this site while you are here. You might even add a link to your phone’s home screen for easy access.

For now, though, I look forward to seeing you online!

David

(I’m a bit old fashioned, so I’d prefer you call me “Professor Gray”. If you do call me “David”, though, I won’t freak out or anything. Call me “Dave” or “Davy”, and I’ll think you are my wife, which would be extremely awkward.)

Bring on the heat and pressure! That’s how diamonds are made. 🪨🔥💎

Woman sitting on a couch reading words on the wall saying, “Welcome! Everything is fine”.

Photo: Justin Lubin / NBC.

How This Course Works

This is a fully online course for the Fall 2021 semester.
There is no required textbook. All readings are available in the course modules on this website.
You will learn in a community with your peers. This is not a self-paced course.
This class does not meet regularly in Zoom. Course material will be presented asynchronously (“recorded not real time”) on this website and on UB Learns.
Participation will be done via Twitter. This really can be a fun and informal way to see where our curiosity takes us!
This class is organized by having you complete 2 or 3 modules each week. All modules are posted, in case you want to peek ahead.
Each module contains learning outcomes, readings, some background and reading questions, videos and a quiz.
Modules are spread out across 6 units, and each unit ends with a “take home” unit exam.
Finally, do not forget about free passes! Use them for extensions, or save them up to drop grades. These can be lifesavers for when you are struggling balancing everything.

Website Tour for Introduction to Ethics.

Please watch this video to learn more about this course website.

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe that learning is a form of liberation. It sets you on the path towards greater independence, self-mastery, and success in life. When done with others (as is often the case), it also strengthens our relationships, creating communities of mutual respect and trust. I am truly humbled to serve you in that journey. For this particular course, I will work with you to cultivate your abilities for critical reflection and practical deliberation about moral issues. I do all this with a spirit of generosity, hoping that you too will freely share your gifts to better the lives of those around you.

Photo: Colleen Hayes / NBC.

Our Pact

What you can expect from me:

I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our learning outcomes in a meaningful manner.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I won’t be perfect. I am human and will make mistakes at times. I will view mistakes as an opportunity to learn and grow.

What I will expect from you:

You will treat me and your peers with dignity and respect.
You will strive to be an active participant in this course and aim to meet due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of the community have ample opportunity to read/listen, reflect, and respond to your ideas.
You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human and mistakes are part of learning and growing.

(This pact comes from Michelle Pacansky-Brock. Generally speaking, this whole welcome page draws on many of her insights—she’s an inspiration!)

Photo: Colleen Hayes / NBC.

Week 1 Success Kit

Online courses move quickly, and getting off to a good start is the best way to prepare yourself for success. Read this page carefully and you’ll have all you need to start this course on the right foot!

Week 1 suggested plan.
On Sunday, August 29: Introductory extra credit from Module 0 is due at noon.
On Monday, August 30: Watch the videos for Module 0, and do its module quiz.
On Tuesday, August 31: Read What is Morality? for Module 1. Tweet your thoughts and questions about the reading.
On Wednesday, September 1: Watch the videos for Module 1, and do its module quiz.
On Thursday, September 2: Read If It’s Legal, It’s Ethical… Right? and Tylenol’s Rebound for Module 2. Tweet your thoughts and questions about the reading.
On Friday, September 3: Watch the videos for Module 2, and do its module quiz.
On Saturday, September 4: A lot is due at noon! The introductory survey, the Honor Agreement, at least 5 tweets, and all the (Panopto, syllabus, and module) quizzes for Modules 0, 1, and 2.
On Sunday, September 5: Sleep in. Put together a plan for enjoying Labor Day while also getting your work, including the Unit 1 Exam, done for Week 2.
All times are Buffalo (Eastern Standard) Time. Also, remember there is an additional 12-hour grace period for all assignments.

Due Dates for Week 1

Sunday, August 29 at 12:00PM (noon), Buffalo (Eastern Standard) Time
(Keep in mind that everything here qualifies for the 12-hour grace period for completion.)

Complete all these items of introductory extra credit from Module 0:

1.	Watch all the orientation videos in the Watch This section, and complete their Panopto quizzes. (Some of these videos are the same as those posted here, but just open these up in Panopto so you can answer their quiz questions. Also, these quizzes should be super easy. And if you don’t know an answer, just rewind the video to find it!)
2.	Fill out the introductory survey that is posted on Google Forms.
3.	Read the Academic Honor Code for the course and “sign” the Honor Agreement.
4.	Look over the course syllabus and this website, and then take the syllabus/website quiz.
5.	Tweet me (@ProfessorDEG) that you have enrolled in the course. Don’t forget to include the course hashtag #I2E21 in your tweet!

The purpose of doing all these is to encourage you to get a jump start on the course. If you encounter any problems with this course website, UB Learns, Panopto, Box, or Twitter, let me know and I will be sure to fix them!

Saturday, September 4 at 12:00PM (noon), Buffalo (Eastern Standard) Time
(Keep in mind that everything here qualifies for the 12-hour grace period for completion.)

Fill out the introductory survey. This is not graded, but for every 24 hours it is late, you will lose 1.00 point (that is, one-tenth of a letter grade) from your overall participation grade.
Sign the Honor Agreement. Make sure you have read the Academic Honor Code for the course first. This is not graded, but for every 24 hours it is late, you will lose 1.00 point (that is, one-tenth of a letter grade) from your overall participation grade.
Post 5 relevant, substantive, and respectful tweets. See what people are saying on #I2E21. Have some fun getting to know me and your classmates by tweeting about the course readings and things in the videos. Or you might see if there are any current events related to ethics that seem relevant. (I bet you can find something. Ethics and morality are facts of life, after all!). The use of memes (attached to something relevant and substantive) is highly encouraged!
Complete the Panopto video quizzes for Module 0, Module 1, and Module 2. (Remember, you can always rewind the videos to find the answers.)
Complete the syllabus/website quiz. Of course, make sure you are familiar with the course syllabus and this website before starting the quiz.
Complete the module quizzes for Module 1 and Module 2. Remember, you will find a link to these quizzes on each module’s page in the Do This section, which comes after the Watch This section with the videos.