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Understanding Moral Blinders*

Fall 2013

“What were they thinking?” It’s what we often ask ourselves when people do something obviously wrong and obviously selfdefeating. Examples abound in public life from politicians to financial officers to disgraced leaders of major nonprofits to failed religious leaders. Why do people who ought to know better do the wrong thing and, in many cases, fail to recognize fully what and that they did wrong? Why do people make bad decisions? Can we learn to avoid their mistakes? The answers to these questions are the focus of the course. One theological answer is self-deception that epitomizes the problem of sin. We will look at a variety of specific ways we stumble into self-deception including rationalization, indifference, arrogance, misplaced loyalty and unchallenged organizational/cultural assumptions. A combination of readings from a variety of disciplines (e.g., ethics, theology, cognitive science, organizational leadership, etc.) along with numerous examples (including those of the class participants) will inform lively class discussion as we work together to sharpen our recognition of blinders and consider how to help others and ourselves to avoid them.

Tuesdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Oct. 29, Nov. 12, Dec. 3, Dec. 17 (Make-up day if needed)

Michael Rion

Adjunct Professor in Ethics
Syllabus: 

Course Readings

NOTE:  The readings for this class do not follow a traditional textbook format.  Much of the assigned reading will be articles and documents available on the course website.   Instructor's original manuscript on "Understanding Moral Blinders" will be available on the website with individual chapters assigned for each class. Selections from the following books (all available in paperback) will also be assigned as required reading, but students should understand that these books are not fully representative of the wide range of topics and readings that will be assigned.   

  • Prior to Class One:  Selections (approximately 200 pages total) from EITHER Titan (biography of John D. Rockefeller) by Ron Chernow (New York: Random House, 1998) OR  Joseph J. Ellis, American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson (New York: Alfred A. Knofp, 1997) AND Henry Wiencek, An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves and the Creation of America (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2003).
  • Prior to Class Two:  Joseph T. Hallinan, Why We Make Mistakes (New York: Broadway Books, 2009).
  • Prior to Class Four:  Anne Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1997).
  • Prior to Class Five:  Stephen L. Carter, Integrity (New York: Harper Perennial,1996).

 

Assessment Expectations

  • Class participation: evidence of having read assigned materials, contribution to class discussion - 40% of course grade
  • Brief assigned class presentations (example of contemporary moral blinders, sacred text example of moral blinders)- 10% of course grade
  • Final project (usually a paper or documented ministry project on a mutually agreeable topic) -50% of course grade

Attendance Policy

Attendance is required.   As we meet only 5 times, missing even one class is a serious challenge to your learning and contribution to your colleagues.  If you must miss a class due to extenuating circumstances, let the instructor know as soon as possible.   We will work out a "make-up" assignment or session.  If you miss more than one class you will have missed at least 40% of the course.  You and the instructor will consult with the Dean to determine if you can still fulfill the requirements of the course.  Your class participation portion of the grade would, of course, be lowered.

Office Hours

Instructor will be available before class by appointment, after each class as needed, and by appointment for telephone or in-person conversations scheduled individually via email.  The instructor will be available on email with reasonably quick responses and flexibility in scheduling with individual students at mutually convenient times.