Nutrition And Fitness - Paper Answers

I need guidance with the Analysis of Scientific literature.

kinesiology Nutrition Fitness

NUFS/KIN163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 01242

ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE #1 & #2

Directions

You will write two (2) Analyses of Scientific Literature papers. Each will be a 3 to 4 page critique of an

empirical research study that has been published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. The specific paper to be

critiqued for the 1st Analysis will be given to you by your instructor. For the second Analysis of Scientific

Literature you will need to find your own peer-reviewed paper that relates to whichever topic your group

selected from the list of suggested topics further down in this packet. The research study you select needs to be

recent, published within the last 10 years. The article you select will be the same one that you present for your

group oral presentation. The article must be referenced in your written assignment. Your instructor will provide

you with specific information on how to select a topic, how to find a worthwhile study to analyze, and how to

turn in your Analyses of Scientific Literature. Contact your instructor if you would like confirmation on the

paper you selected.

After the first Analysis of Scientific Literature, you will receive feedback on your critical evaluation skills.

Please use this feedback when preparing the second Analysis of Scientific Literature.

Please see the syllabus for the due dates for the two different analyses. Late papers will be docked 2.5 points

for each day or partial day late, so please be sure to turn your paper in on time.

Each student must do his/her own work. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade on the

assignment and the student being reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. Turnitin

will be enabled within Canvas and reports will reviewed by instructors prior to grading.

Form and Style Guidelines

Your paper should:

• be written in narrative, paragraph format, no numbering or bullets;

• be written in formal style-3rd person only (do not use 1st or 2nd person, such as “we”, “I” or “you”);

• be a professional critique and NOT contain overly personal opinion-based judgements;

• cite a professional reference for any nutrition or fitness guidelines or recommendations suggested in text
(see resource page in Syllabus);

• NOT use direct quotes or copied material from a source. Instead, paraphrase the source material using
YOUR OWN WORDS and cite appropriately in APA format;

• use past tense when describing the research;

• be typed, double spaced, and 3-4 pages in length;

• be in a font size that is Times New Roman 12 point or similar size (easy to read);

• be left justified (do not right justify/align, which centers text) and have 1-inch margins;

• be turned in on Canvas.

Guidelines for Analyzing Research:

Be sure to consider the suggestions from lecture and the handout “How to Understand and Interpret Food and

Health-Related Scientific Studies” when analyzing the articles. Use the questions below as a guide to critically

evaluate each section of the paper. Each one of these questions should be addressed within the paper.

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

Analyses of Scientific Literature #1 & #2

Purpose: To understand how to critically read and analyze research articles.

For #1, your instructor will provide you with an article on Canvas. You can access the link to the article in the

assignment description. For #2, you will select your own study. Make sure to select either an experimental or

observational study so that all components of the assignment can be addressed, a review paper or meta-

analysis is not acceptable. The study you select needs to be recent, published within the last 10 years.

Directions

In a 3 to 4-page essay, briefly describe and then critically analyze all of the following components of the

study:

1. What is the research problem? Another way to think about this is: Why was this study conducted?

2. What is/are the hypothesis/hypotheses stated by the author(s)? If not stated directly, what does the
hypothesis appear to be?

3. A. Who were the study participants? How many were there and how were they recruited?

B. What were the inclusion/exclusion criteria for selecting the participants?

4. What was the study design?

5. What were the main study results? (Briefly reference numerical data when appropriate.)

6. Did the results support the authors’ hypothesis/hypotheses? Why or why not?

7. What was/were the limitation(s) and strength(s) discussed by the author(s)? These are usually in the
Discussion/Conclusion section of the article. Were there any additional strengths and weaknesses not

discussed by the author(s)? If so, discuss with a professional critique and do not use overly personal

opinion-based judgements.

A. What conclusion(s) did the author(s) make?

B. How can the research findings be applied? If no applications were suggested by the authors, provide

ideas for how the findings could be applied.

C. Based on this study and past research discussed in the Introduction, what directions should

researchers take for future study of this topic?

Use your own words to discuss the answers using information from the article. DO NOT use direct quotes or

copied material from the article. Instead, paraphrase the source material using YOUR OWN WORDS and

cite appropriately in APA format. Do not include the questions. Your paper should be written in paragraph

form; it should NOT be a list of the questions and your responses.

Your paper will be submitted to CANVAS with turnitin.com enabled by the instructor to check for plagiarism.

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR NUTRITION PRESENTATIONS
Please choose from this list or choose your own topic (if approved by instructor)

LIPIDS/FAT

Possible sub-topics

• Dietary fat recommendations/needs for children (< 2 yr olds), elderly

• Dietary fat and risk for various cancers

• Omega-3 fatty acid (linolenic acid) and treatment or prevention of diseases

• Fat replacements used in the food industry

PROTEIN and AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS

Possible sub-topics

• Whey protein supplements for weight (muscle) gains

• Glutamine and the immune system and/or muscle recovery in athletes

• Creatine supplementation: effects on strength performance OR effects on endurance performance

• Nitrogen balance studies in determining protein needs for athletes

• Branched-chain amino acids and exercise performance

DRUGS, SUPPLEMENTS, HERBS & DIETS FOR WEIGHT CONTROL

Possible sub-topics:

• Evaluate hydroxycitrate supplement for weight loss

• Evaluate ketogenic diets for weight loss

• Evaluate intermittent fasting for weight loss

• Evaluate/review the “Phen-Fen” drugs

• Evaluate/review over-the-counter drug phenylpropanolamine, Alli, etc.

• Evaluate ephedrine (ephedra), EGCG, ginseng or Hoodia and weight loss

DISORDERED EATING ISSUES and OBESITY

Possible sub-topics

• Eating disorders: case studies, adverse complications, therapies, etc.

• Childhood obesity: prevalence, causes, and treatment

• Research in the area of obesity and genetics

• Adult obesity

VITAMINS & MINERALS IN HEALTH

Possible sub-topics

• Vitamin E’s role in reducing risk of heart disease or cancer

• Zinc and the common cold

• Folic acid deficiency and birth defects

• Folic acid, B6, and/or B12’s role in preventing heart disease

• Iron deficiency effects in the young (children)

• Vitamin D status and supplementation in the older population

VITAMINS, MINERALS & HERBS IN EXERCISE PERFORMANCE

Possible sub-topics

• Iron deficiency & anemia in female athletes

• Coenzyme Q10 and exercise performance OR Ginseng supplementation and exercise performance

• Vanadium and body composition

• Antioxidant supplementation (such as vitamin E and vitamin C) and exercise

• Medium-chained triglycerides (MCTs) supplementation and exercise performance/body comp

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR FITNESS PRESENTATIONS
Please choose from this list or choose your own topic (topic must be approved by instructor)

EXERCISE AND AGING

Possible sub-topics:

• Effects of training on muscle strength and/or muscle mass of older adults, including underlying mechanisms

• Effects of training on cardiovascular function in older adults, including underlying mechanisms

• Effects of exercise and aging on changes in flexibility and mobility

• Effects of training on body composition of older adults.

• Exercise and the prevention of falls in older adults, as well as other changes in balance and equilibrium

EXERCISE AND COGNITION

Possible sub-topics:

• Effects of exercise on learning and/or learning disorders

• Effects of exercise on memory

• Exercise and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• Exercise and prevention/treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia

EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS

Possible sub-topics

• Exercise and prevention or treatment of Type II diabetes

• Exercise and prevention or treatment of hypertension

• Exercise and prevention or treatment of cancer

• Effects of strength training OR aerobic training on metabolic syndrome

• Effects of training on women during pregnancy OR effects of training post-pregnancy

EXERCISE IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS

Possible sub-topics :

• Environmental impact on individuals exercising in the heat

• Environmental impact on individuals exercising in cold environments

• Environmental impact on individuals exercising in water environments

TRAINING CONSIDERATIONS

Possible sub-topics

• Effects of detraining on cardiovascular fitness or muscular fitness

• Effects of strength training on cardiovascular function

• Effects of overtraining

• Effects of strength training on improving fat utilization

• Effects of cardio training on body fat location and utilization

• Pre or Post exercise supplementation with fat, carbs or protein

EMOTIONAL/SOCIAL

Possible sub-topics

• Effect of physical activity on sleep OR stress

• Effect of physical activity on mood

• Effect of physical activity on anxiety

• Effect of physical activity on depression

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

NUFS/KIN 163 GRADING CRITERIA

FOR RESEARCH ANALYSIS

“A” papers (receiving 90% or more of the total points) have the following characteristics:

• Carefully follow the content guidelines given by the instructor; responding to each question with descriptions and
critique for all components of the study;

• Carefully follow the guidelines for format; which includes not exceeding by more than one-half page the
maximum double-spaced pages allowed;

• Are written in standard English, at an upper division college level, with complete sentences and appropriate
paragraphs;

• Are written in the student’s own words, with no direct quotes or copied material;

• Are free of redundancies, and have, at most, only 2-3 spelling and/or grammatical errors;

• Develop each section of the critique in a clear and logical fashion; have smooth transitions from one sentence or
idea to another;

• Include insightful interpretation that goes beyond the obvious or what the authors disclosed;

• Cover all of the major aspects of the assignment without going off track or padding;

• Are turned in on the due date and time.

“B” papers (receiving 80-89% of the total points) usually differ from an “A” report in one or more of the

following ways:

• Show less care in following the guidelines;

• Have a few lapses in good writing;

• Have less than full clarity in expression of ideas and interpretations;

• Show some tendency to go off track, pad the paper or have redundancies;

• Are old studies, published more than 10 years ago

• Are turned in one day or partial day late.

“C” papers (receiving 70-79% of the total points) usually differ from an “A” paper in 2 or more of the following ways:

• Show minimal care in following guidelines, leaving several components unaddressed;

• Have more than a few lapses in good writing;

• Use some ambiguous descriptions in the analysis or interpretation;

• Go off track, pad the paper, or have redundancy in more than one instance;

• Provide direct quotes rather than summarizing and/or paraphrasing;

• Are old studies, published more than 10 years ago

• Are turned in two days after the due date/time.

Papers less than “C” (receiving less than 70% of the total points) usually differ from an “A” paper in more than one of the

following ways:

• Do not follow guidelines, or do not address several of the required components;

• Are poorly written;

• Fail to interpret information correctly, or answer questions clearly;

• Frequently wander off track, are “padded” with extraneous information, or are redundant;

• Are old studies, published more than 10 years ago for nutrition, or 20 years for fitness

• Are turned in more than two days after the due date/time.

REMEMBER TO CONSULT THE GRADING RUBRIC FOR SUCCESS!

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

Name _____________________________________

GRADING SHEET FOR ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE #1 & #2

other articles; includes

article in introduction

and conclusion.

Student does an

excellent and thorough

job explaining how

article compares and

contrasts with others’
article; demonstrates

high level of

understanding
regarding how article
chosen fits in with
other articles; includes
article in introduction
and conclusion.

0 1 2 3 4

Total Points – Individual __________ / 25

Total Points – Group Average __________ / 25

GRAND TOTAL POINTS __________ / 50

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

CONSUMER PRODUCT: FITNESS & NUTRITION

Purpose of the Assignment: to evaluate an electronic advertisement in a way that the student becomes

a more critical consumer. The advertisement will be evaluated by comparing the claims made in the ad

to scientific evidence and research findings.

Ad Selection: For Nutrition, your instructor will provide two options, along with their URLs in the

Assignment itself on Canvas. You will choose which one you want to research for this paper. For

Fitness, you will also be provided the URL of the fitness ad on Canvas. If you opt to do this, make sure

to pick an advertisement that has some substance to it, the less the ad says, the harder it is to critique.

Original advertisements should not come from library sources or magazines.

Assignment Format:

Page 1: Title page with the product name/advertisement

Pages 2 to 4 (or 5): Consumer Product Analysis

This section contains your analysis of both the ad itself and the product advertised. Evaluating the ad

itself is very important however the primary purpose of this paper is evaluating the product and whether

there is research to support its claims. The paper should be 3-4 pages. You should comment on the
positive aspects (praise) and the negative aspects (criticism) of the ad. Your analysis should be in

paragraph form, and critical comments should be well developed and substantiated (cited) by the

research studies you use for this assignment. When discussing scientific articles to analyze the product,

do NOT use direct quotes or copied material from the scientific articles. Instead, paraphrase the

information in your own words and cite appropriately in APA format. In the text of your paper, the

author & year of the scientific source should be indicated. When more than two authors are cited, “et

al.,” may be used as per APA format (however, remember to include all names on Reference Page.).

See example below:

According to Maughan et al. (2013), creatine supplementation has been shown to significantly increase

total body mass in subjects over a 4-week period.

When discussing the advertisement or product description, you may make limited use of short

quotations (<40 words) from the ad or product description, but they should be in APA format and cited

properly with page numbers, and author/year.

When critically evaluating the advertisement, comment on the text, and use of color and graphics.

You need to include comments about all of the following questions:

• Who appears to be the intended consumer?

• What techniques are used to draw the attention of the reader? Are they successful or not? Again,
consider wording, terminology, graphics and more.

• Is the ad straightforward and factual? Explain.

• Is any important information omitted that should be disclosed to the consumer?

• What gimmicks are used to sell the product? Were the gimmicks successful?

When critically evaluating the product, incorporate responses to all of the following questions but do

not limit your critique to the questions below. This product evaluation should make up the majority of

the paper.

• Is the use of this product supported by scientific evidence? If so, are there any conflicting results
among various studies? Do the subjects’ age, health condition, fitness level, etc. match those for

whom the ad is directed? Were there limitations and/or flaws in these studies? Describe the studies,

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

in your own words, to defend your statements and give evidence for or against the claims made in

the ad.

• What, if any, contribution would the consumption or use of the product make to the nutrient intake,
physique, or fitness level of the intended consumer?

• How much does the product cost? Could some less expensive product be used to obtain the same
results? If so, what?

• What hazards/adverse effects might be associated with the use of this product? Are there any
conditions (e.g., medical, age-related) that would contraindicate the use of the product?

The Consumer Product paper is aimed to analyze the product and provide research studies to

demonstrate support, or lack thereof, of the product’s claims. This might necessitate a detailed

discussion of the study if relevant to the product directly. You should avoid summarizing the studies

independent from one another and the product.

Page 5 or 6: References

This is a separate page and should be headed “References” at the top center of the page.

List the source of the advertisement, and alphabetically list the references used to support your

evaluation. Do not alphabetize “within” each reference by changing the original order of authors.

However, alphabetize your order among the various references, using the last name of the 1 st author of

each reference.

You may use the course textbooks. However, in addition, you must use at least 3 other reliable (peer

reviewed) journal references to support your analysis. References need to be current (published

within the last 10 years) and must be cited in the evaluation. Give the full publication information of

each reference used, including all author(s), title of article and journal or title of book, year of

publication, volume or edition, and page number(s).

Indentation – Although the current Publication Manual advises standard (five spaces, first line)

indentation for the reference list, this is primarily designed to make typesetting easier; the typeset

version will have hanging indents (first line flush left, following lines five spaces indent). We

recommend for this paper that you use hanging indents for enhanced readability. We have formatted

our sample references list with hanging indents.

Capitalization – Capitalize only the first word of book titles and articles and the first word after a colon.

However, for name of journals, capitalize first letter of all major words.

Punctuation – Use a comma to separate:

• Surnames from initials

• A journal title from volume number

• A volume number from page numbers

• When given, an issue number from page numbers

• (Ed.) from book title

• City of publication from state

Spacing – All entries (the entire page) should be double-spaced.

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

References should be completed in American Psychological Association (APA) format. See examples

below.

Journal article:

Volek, J. S., Duncan, N. D., Mazetti, S. A., Putukian, M., Gomez, A. L., & Kraemer, W. J. (2000). No

effect of heavy resistance training and creatine supplementation on blood lipids. International

Journal of Sports Nutrition, 10, 144-156. doi:134-5678-321

Book (other than first edition):

Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. (2005). Understanding nutrition (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson

Wadsworth.

Article or chapter in edited book:

Eiser, S., Redpath, A., & Rogers, N. (1987). Outcomes of early parenting: Knowns and unknowns. In

A. P. Kern & L. S. Maze (Eds.), Logical thinking in children (pp. 58-87). New York: Springer.

Electronic Reference (see note of caution below):

Mack, G. W., & Bergeron, M. F. (May 30, 1997). Hydration and physical activity: Scientific concepts

and practical applications. Retrieved from: http://www.gssiweb.com/hydr.html

Quality of References: Acceptable references include any reliable, professional, nutrition, physical

education, sports medicine, or scientific journal or book. Unacceptable references include popular

magazines (e.g., Runner’s World, American Health, Prevention, Muscle and Fitness), blogs or

influencers’ posts, or popular books (The Zone Diet, 50 Ways to Stay Fit on a Busy Schedule, Total-Life

Exercise Book). If you are unsure of the reliability of a reference, check with your instructor!

Refer to the syllabus for a partial list of acceptable periodicals and on-line resources.

You may contact our reference librarian to make an appointment at the library for help in using the

databases and searching for appropriate references. See the course syllabus for contact information.

Use of WWW pages: The World Wide Web (The Internet) is an unmonitored, un-refereed source of

information. Consequently, information may be accurate or inaccurate, and each page must be judged

for accuracy and reliability. Authoritative web pages are written by individuals with appropriate

credentials (e.g., Ph.D., R.D., M.D., etc.) and should cite references used to write the page. Pages that

are sponsored or maintained by the seller of a product are most often biased toward the product and

should be read with this in mind. We highly recommend that you only use journal articles (or articles

coming from professional sources). Again, if you are unsure of the reliability of the source, check with

your instructor.

General Paper Form and Style Guidelines:

Your paper must:

• Be written in narrative, paragraph format, typed and double spaced

• Be written in the 3rd person (do not use first or second person, such as “we”, “I” or “you”)

• Be written in the past tense when describing the research study

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

• Not use direct quotations or copied material from the scientific sources

• Be in a font size that is New York Times 12 point or similar size (easy to read)

• Be left justified (do not right justify/align, which centers the text)

• Have 1-inch margins all around

• Have numbered pages

• Be submitted in the manner requested by your instructor

NUFS/KIN 163 – Physical Fitness and Nutrition, Spring 2022, San Jose State University

Revised 012422

Name ________________________________________

CONSUMER PRODUCT GRADING SHEET

Format/appearance/organization/complete information APA format

Poor Very Good
0-1 2 3.5 4 5

References (number and quality)

Poor Very Good
0-1 2 3.5 4 5

Use of references in paper (appropriate citations for all references)

Poor Very Good
0-1 2 3.5 4 5

Quality of writing (syntax, grammar, spelling)

Poor Very Good
0-5 6 7-8 9 10

Critical evaluation of advertisement (text, color, graphics)

Poor Very Good
0-5 6 7-8 9 10

Critical evaluation of product (how claims of ad relate to scientific evidence)

Poor Very Good
0-7 8-9 10-11 12-13 14-15

Subtotal: ___________

Deductions (if late): ___________*

* 2.5 points deducted for each calendar day or partial day late

Total Score: ___________

2/18/22, 1:33 PM Analysis of Scientific Literature Paper #1

https://sjsu.instructure.com/courses/1477261/assignments/6033861 2/3

Criteria Ratings Pts

5 pts

10 pts

4 pts

5 pts

3 pts

6 pts

Followed directions, formatted correctly,
Turnitin report confirms originality

5 to >4.0 pts
Excellent
format, followed
directions and
original writing

4 to >2.0 pts
Some directions
not followed or
errors in fomatting
or originality

2 to >0 pts
Major flaws in
formatting,
following
directions and
originality

Writing, Syntax, Spelling, Grammar 10 to >9.0 pts
Excellent
writing, showed
clear
understanding

9 to >5.0 pts
Some errors in
writing, syntax,
spelling and
grammar

5 to >0 pts
Major flaws in
writing, syntax,
spelling and
grammar.

Question 1 – State the research problem
clearly

4 to >3.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding

3 to >2.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding

2 to >0 pts
Poor, showed lack of
understanding, or
not included

Question 2 – Describe the author’s
hypothesis and research goals clearly

5 to >4.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding

4 to >2.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding

2 to >

0 pts
Poor, showed lack
of understanding or
not included

Question 3 – Describe the participant
inclusion and exclusion criteria

3 to >2.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding

2 to >1.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding

1 to >0 pts
Poor, showed lack
of understanding or
not included

Question 4 – Describe the study design

6 to >5.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding

5 to >3.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding

3 to >0 pts
Poor, showed lack of
understanding, or
not included

Question 5 – Describe the study results
clearly in one’s own words

6 to >5.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding
5 to >3.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding

3 to >0 pts
Poor, showed lack
of understanding or
not included

2/18/22, 1:33 PM Analysis of Scientific Literature Paper #1

https://sjsu.instructure.com/courses/1477261/assignments/6033861 3/3

Total Points: 50

Criteria Ratings Pts

2 pts

3 pts
6 pts

Question 6 – Did the results support the
researcher’s hypothesis?

2 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding

1 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding

0 pts
Poor, showed lack
of understanding or
not included

Question 7 – Describe the limitations and
strengths of the research study

3 to >2.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding
2 to >1.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding
1 to >0 pts
Poor, showed lack
of understanding or
not included

Question 8 – What were the conclusions
of the study and how can they be appled
to real life? What ideas for future
research did this study spark?

6 to >5.0 pts
Excellent,
showed clear
understanding
5 to >3.0 pts
Good, showed
basic level of
understanding
3 to >0 pts
Poor, showed lack
of understanding or
not included

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227591551

What Is Computer Ethics?

Article in Metaphilosophy · August 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9973.1985.tb00173.x

CITATIONS

334

READS

9,105

1 author:

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Privacy View project

Philosophy of AI View project

James Moor

Dartmouth College

60 PUBLICATIONS 1,659 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by James Moor on 20 October 2017.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227591551_What_Is_Computer_Ethics?enrichId=rgreq-2ef264c073fccdf8db61afe6dd218f64-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIyNzU5MTU1MTtBUzo1NTEzNzcyMzIyNTI5MjhAMTUwODQ2OTk4NDcyMw%3D%3D&el=1_x_2&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Privacy-20?enrichId=rgreq-2ef264c073fccdf8db61afe6dd218f64-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIyNzU5MTU1MTtBUzo1NTEzNzcyMzIyNTI5MjhAMTUwODQ2OTk4NDcyMw%3D%3D&el=1_x_9&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

https://www.researchgate.net/project/Philosophy-of-AI?enrichId=rgreq-2ef264c073fccdf8db61afe6dd218f64-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIyNzU5MTU1MTtBUzo1NTEzNzcyMzIyNTI5MjhAMTUwODQ2OTk4NDcyMw%3D%3D&el=1_x_9&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

https://www.researchgate.net/?enrichId=rgreq-2ef264c073fccdf8db61afe6dd218f64-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIyNzU5MTU1MTtBUzo1NTEzNzcyMzIyNTI5MjhAMTUwODQ2OTk4NDcyMw%3D%3D&el=1_x_1&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Moor?enrichId=rgreq-2ef264c073fccdf8db61afe6dd218f64-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIyNzU5MTU1MTtBUzo1NTEzNzcyMzIyNTI5MjhAMTUwODQ2OTk4NDcyMw%3D%3D&el=1_x_4&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

https://www.researchgate.net/institution/Geisel_School_of_Medicine?enrichId=rgreq-2ef264c073fccdf8db61afe6dd218f64-XXX&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIyNzU5MTU1MTtBUzo1NTEzNzcyMzIyNTI5MjhAMTUwODQ2OTk4NDcyMw%3D%3D&el=1_x_6&_esc=publicationCoverPdf

View publication statsView publication stats

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227591551

INTRODUCTORY NOTES

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

WHAT IS ETHICS (MORALITY)?

WHAT ETHICS IS NOT

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

So, what is this thing called Philosophy anyway? We might begin to answer that question by turning to

etymology, or the study of origins of words. Etymologically, the word “philosophy” came to us from

Classical Greek, by way of the Greek Philosophers Socrates and Plato. In this context, “philosophy”

means the lover of wisdom: a combination of “lover” (philia) and “wisdom” (sophia). While the
designation “philosophy” originally meant to describe the activities carried out by those men and

women who are lovers of wisdom, it has almost always included the activities of systematically
questioning and critiquing the nature of thought itself. In other words, philosophy might also be thought

of as the activity of thinking about thinking. As Stanford philosopher David Hills says: “Philosophy is the
ungainly attempt to tackle questions that come naturally to children, using methods that come naturally

to lawyers”.

Generally speaking, then, philosophy might be called the critical investigation of thought thinking about

itself, or simply put, thinking about thinking. Traditionally, philosophy has been identified with particular

historical figures and with the activities they performed or principles by which they lived. By each of

these accounts, philosophy is then the love of wisdom, or as some contemporaries would say, the love

of understanding. The 20th century philosopher Wilfrid Sellars put it this way: the point of philosophy is

“to understand how things in the broadest possible sense of the term hang together in the broadest

possible sense of the term”.

I want to suggest to you that philosophy is an activity, and that as an activity, we are already doing
philosophy whether we are aware of it or not. I also want to suggest that anything we can do is worth
doing well. If we look to gain a systematic understanding of philosophy, it is helpful to distinguish

different domains of investigation that seek to ask and answer different sorts of questions. So,

contemporary philosophy is often subdivided into five distinct areas:

1. Metaphysics (including ontology)

2. Epistemology

3. Axiology

4. Social & Political Philosophy

5. Logic

1. Metaphysics (including ontology) investigates the fundamental nature of existence, being,
counterfactuals, modality (possibility, necessity, contingency); the mental and physical; space and time;

causation; free will; the existence or nonexitence of supernatural beings or phenomena; mereology

(material constitution, heap paradox); change, and identity.

2. Epistemology investigates the domain of knowledge; what knowledge is, what it isn’t; what is a belief;
justification; the structure of knowledge; the ultimate source of knowledge; evidence, perception,

introspection, imagination, memory, reason, testimony; skepticism and the limits of knowledge;

knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

3. Axiology is the study of values; ethics and morality; the nature of right and wrong; duty and
obligation; virtues; care; justice; beauty; moral responsibility; metaethics; normative ethics; applied

ethics.

4. Social & Political Philosophy investigates the nature of social and political institutions; the state and
the individual; the essence of government; social responsibility; fairness; justice.

5. Logic is the study of argumentation; the nature of logical consequence, necessity; of validity and
invalidity; inductive and deductive inference patterns; truth preservation; formal systems; fallacies.

These five domains represent distinguishable areas of investigation subsumed under the activity of

doing philosophy. Questions asked from within these domains are often labeled first-order inquiries.

Second-order inquiries occur when questions from any of the five domains are applied to other areas of
inquiry. So, for any given area of inquiry, we can investigate that area with respect to philosophical

analysis, and adding the phrase “philosophy of”:

Area Second-order inquiries

Law philosophy of law

Science philosophy of science

Art philosophy of art

Technology philosophy of technology

Religion philosophy of religion

Computer Science philosophy of computation

WHAT IS ETHICS (MORALITY)?

Ethics is a branch of philosophy, under axiology (the study of values).

Ethics can be defined as the study and application of standards that distinguish between right and

wrong, good and bad. In this course, we will use the terms ‘ethics’ and ‘morals’ synonymously.

There are three branches of Ethics:

Applied Ethics

Normative Ethics

Metaethics

Applied Ethics

Applied Ethics studies ethical dilemmas, issues, and questions as they arise in various practical or

professional contexts. Also called casuistry, Applied Ethics is what we will be doing in this class, by

applying ethics to real cases.

Normative Ethics

Normative Ethics studies general theories and principles of ethics that can be applied to practical

situations. The ethical theories we will use are normative theories, or normative ethics. When you apply

Normative Ethics to cases, you are then doing Applied Ethics.

Rights Justice

Utilitarianism/Consequentialism Care Ethics

Deontology/Kantian Ethics Virtue Ethics

Metaethics

Metaethics studies the meaning of ethical concepts, theories, and principles. When you study the

meaning of ethical concepts, you question the meaning and the limitations of those concepts. You can

even question if there can be a good or complete ethical theory at all.

Why study Applied Ethics?

It’s important to realize that Applied Ethics isn’t an exact science, but that fact alone doesn’t imply

that doing Applied Ethics isn’t hard. Rather, it makes doing Applied Ethics even more difficult.

This is because we have no singular agreement about which ethical theory fits best in all cases. As a

branch of philosophy, a highlight of ethical analysis demands that we use logic to make our ethical views

clearer in our own minds, and to have a strong voice when we need to communicate important ethical

considerations. It is also a way for you to learn to reflect upon and make explicit your own assumptions

about what values you hold to, and perhaps why you hold to the values that you do. This is important

for every person who is to be considered educated, so that you can make your own informed ethical

decisions. These are the skills this course is meant to provide.

WHAT ETHICS IS NOT

Ethics is closely related to law…

Laws are standards of conduct enforced by power of government.

Laws usually reflect many of the moral values of society.

E.g., our society values honesty, so fraud is illegal.

Laws give us what a society holds as necessary rules of ethical conduct.

E.g., we hold that murder, rape, etc. are wrong. We all believe these actions are intolerable

behaviors. We believe that it is necessary to our society that these acts not be allowed, and our

laws reflect this belief. The important point here is necessary rules; rules that we feel are

ethically essential.

Laws can even change the moral values of a society.

…laws, however, are not ethics.

Often, rules of law are a minimum of ethical conduct.

E.g., we believe that identity theft is morally wrong but our laws controlling identity theft and

protecting those who suffer identity theft are minimal.

Some actions may be legal but unethical…

E.g., Jim Crow Laws.

…some actions may be ethical but illegal.

E.g., When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus.

Laws rarely go beyond the minimum, especially when laws pertain to business, and most especially

when laws pertain to technology.

E.g., Technology is cutting edge, and often develops much faster than governments can write

and pass laws. Technology is often many steps ahead of what lawmakers know about

technology (Lawmakers are not usually trained in technical fields).

Because of these factors, our laws give us minimum protection from those who use technology

unethically. Of course, spamming and identity theft are two very obvious examples of how laws lag

behind what we know to be unethical.

Ethics is not social code.

Here in the Bay Area we live alongside people from every race, country, and religion. We learn tolerance

and we value tolerance. We believe that we should try to understand people from other cultures. We

should not be too quick to morally judge other cultures. This tolerance is important and ethical, but just

because we should not be too quick to judge others, this should not mean that there is no universal

ethics, an ethics of all humanity.

Ethics is not mere social convention or custom.

ETHICAL RELATIVISM wrongly claims that Ethics is mere social convention or custom, and that ethical

standards are relative to particular societies or cultures.

● Ethical Relativism does not allow for a global human culture, and it fails to see that indeed there
is a global human culture.

● Ethical Relativism does not allow for ethical progress.
● Ethical Relativism does not allow for criticism of your own culture and the ethical practices of

your culture.

Ethics is not minimal compliance with one’s Professional Code of Ethics.

Here in the U.S. almost every profession now has a Professional Code of Ethics.

● Not all rules of a professional code are moral rules.
● Sometimes the rules in professional codes are just expediencies, designed to turn the most

profit.

● Some rules of professional codes might prove unethical in some circumstances.

So, be aware: ethics should not be confused with the law, mere social codes or customs, or professional

codes. Instead, it is the principles we can derive from the study of ethics that provide the ethical

foundation for laws, social beliefs, and professional codes. Sometimes the laws, social beliefs, or

professional codes do not stand up to what we know to be ethical. We use moral reasoning to argue for

changes to laws, changes to social beliefs, and changes to professional codes. So, do not use laws to

justify your ethical claims about a case. Do not claim that something is ethical as stated by the

Constitution. Do not claim something is ethical because a law says it is. In ethics, you are required to

prove that the law is ethical by explaining the ethics. You cannot prove the ethics by appealing to a law.

As we learn to apply different ethical theories, some will be obviously good fits in certain cases whereas

some will not. Over the course of the term, you will learn to identify ethical principles as they arise in the

context of our subject matter, especially when it becomes obvious that there are tensions between

competing ethical principles.

2/20/22,3:35 AM

Reflection 1

https://sjsu.instructure.com/courses/1478005/assignments/6100935 1/2

Reflection 1

Due Sunday by 11:59pm Points 10 Submitting a file upload (Turnitin enabled)
Available Feb 12 at 11:59pm – May 7 at 11:59pm 3 months

Start Assignment

PHIL. 134: COMPUTERS, ETHICS & SOCIETY

Kyle Yrigoyen

REFLECTION 1

In a short writing of roughly 500 words, please respond to the following questions:

1. In your own words, what is philosophy? And, what is ethics? Furthermore, what do you think is the
relationship to ethics in general and our use of computers in particular? Why might this be important
to our society, from both your own perspective and that of general society as a whole? Please be
sure to define your terms and give examples.

Grading

Write a short essay that addresses the questions above. When you respond to these questions, you
should be specific and cite specific details from the class readings and your own research. You may
provide references from your own research, but only in addition to material provided by the course. Also,
you MUST make sure to cite your sources in your response and include a reference list at the end of
your essay. Citations must be from reputable sources. Sites like Wikipedia, about.com, etc. are NOT
considered acceptable sources.

Higher credit will be given for responses that show evidence of a systematic and comprehensive
understanding of the topics involved.

Formatting

Standard font, preferably Arial in either 11pt or 12pt. Be sure to structure your paper in proper paragraph
form. Do not write one, long run-on paragraph.

2/20/22, 3:35 AM Reflection 1

https://sjsu.instructure.com/courses/1478005/assignments/6100935 2/2

MLA, APA, or any other format is acceptable provided that it is consistent through the entire paper.
Please, no cover sheets.

Turn in your highest-quality paper
Get a qualified writer to help you with

“ Nutrition And Fitness ”

Get high-quality paper

NEW! AI matching with writer

Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:

Turnitin Report

Formatting

Title Page

Citation

Outline

Place an Order