The Center is pleased to announce a new course on the Political Philosophy of the American Revolutionary Era, which will be offered for the first time during the spring 2009 semester. The course will be taught by Professor Jules Gleicher and will cover the era of the American Founding (1776-1800), perhaps the most philosophic period in our history. The course will examine texts by John Locke, Baron Montesquieu, Thomas Paine, the Declaration of Independence, and the writings of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. See the Political Philosophy of the American Revolutionary Era course flyer (PDF) and view Professor Gleicher’s brief video introduction to the course below. For information on course dates and times please visit Rockford College’s IQ.Web.

The Center is pleased to announce Rockford College philosophy department’s spring 2009 course lineup. Eight different courses will be taught. View the Philosophy Department Spring 2009 courses flyer with course listings and brief descriptions. Information on course dates and times is also available at Rockford College’s IQ.Web.

The Center is pleased to announce a new Entrepreneurship course, which will be offered for the first time during the spring 2009 semester by Professor Steve Kadamian. It examines the role of entrepreneurship in a changing and complex global business environment and the special challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face when developing, starting and growing an entrepreneurial organization. Particular focus is put on writing and developing a business plan that turns an entrepreneur’s ideas and dreams into reality. See the Entrepreneurship course flyer (PDF) and view below Professor Kadamian’s brief video introduction to the course. For information on course dates and times, please visit Rockford College’s IQ.Web.

To be offered in the Fall 2008 semester. In this course students will consider a range of ethical, political, and economic issues about sports: Why are sports so universally popular? What physical and psychological values do they provide? Does the playing of sports develop good character? Why are many sports fans so fanatical? What is the proper place of sports in higher education? Is there anything wrong with ticket-”scalping”? How should mega-sports complexes be funded—politically or through the market? See the Sports Ethics flyer.

Professor Stephen Hicks will teach a new course this fall 2008 semester at Rockford College: Entrepreneurship and Ethics. The purpose of this course is to integrate entrepreneurship, business history, and business ethics. It will consist of case studies of major entrepreneurs in modern history, e.g., Commodore Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Samuel Insull, John Johnson, Martha Stewart, Bill Gates, and others. Part of each case study involves learning the entrepreneur’s business practices and how he or she achieved business success. What traits and practices did they have: intelligence, risk-tolerance, leadership, ambition, ruthlessness? And part of each case study will involve learning about the ethical controversies their activities generated: Were they “predatory competitors,” “monopolists,” “robber barons”—or were they extraordinarily productive individuals who benefited both themselves and their customers? Students read and analyze business histories and biographies by both proponents and detractors. See the Entrepreneurship and Ethics course flyer.