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An Introduction to Legal Philosophy
Contributor: Murphy
Publisher: PALNI
This textbook is an introduction to some of the most important issues in legal philosophy. It will has 10 chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to what exactly legal philosophy is, and why it is important; Chapter 2 focuses on the relationship between what is legal and what is moral; Chapter 3 focuses on the important concept of legal validity. Chapter 4 uses legal validity as a bridge to survey some of the main views about the general nature of legal systems and bodies of laws; Chapter 5 focuses on an important point of dispute among those views – the ethics of civil disobedience; Chapter 6 is a case study in evaluating the ethics of some particular laws – specifically, those that cover the buying, selling, possession, and use of guns; Chapter 7 moves from gun laws to the more general issue of the morally permissible limits of the law; Chapter 8 focuses on the nature of criminal responsibility. Chapter 9 focuses on the ethics of the ethics of criminal punishment; and Chapter 10 expands on the idea of replacing criminal punishments with a paradigm of restorative justice. While the issues covered are standard for an introductory philosophy of law textbook, several things set it apart. First, to aid students heavy use is made of examples. Throughout the book, they are the principal tool that is used to explain, support, and test, general theoretical claims (much like what is done in law school). Second, the primary goal of each chapter is to identify, and evaluate, the main supporting arguments for the competing positions on the central issue of that chapter. Exposition of views is important; but the primary goal is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different positions, so that students can arrive at their own (at least tentative) views on these matters. Also each chapter has the following features: it begins with an overview that connects the chapter to the main focus of the previous chapter; it is organized around one or two key questions; and it ends with a summary and a set of carefully crafted, road-tested study questions. The study questions are a particularly powerful learning tool. They allow students to engage actively and continuously with the material throughout a course, just as they would in a foreign language or math course. Since most of the questions have clear correct and incorrect answers, they provide students with timely feedback on their understanding of the material, something that students often have to do without in philosophy classes. An accompanying appendix provides hints to help students when they get stuck answering a study question. A second appendix collects the definitions of all of the key terms used in the book; and a third appendix lists all of the examples used in the book. It will also include links to helpful web resources in each chapter.
Morality for Professionals: Developing a Moral Conscience through Christian Virtue Ethics
Contributor: Willowby
Publisher: PALNI
The first generation of weaponized drone pilots would not have received ethics training during their college ethics courses. New technological advances create moral challenges to society faster than those societies’ ethical frameworks can create ready analyses of what is right and wrong. Many researchers have shown that human beings often react first from their emotions or habits instead of through rational deliberation. This textbook will present the standard moral theories for a class that does not have an introduction to ethics prerequisite, but then turn to present reasons that students need to develop their own moral conscience and formative tools through awareness of the ways virtue ethics, utilitarianism, and deontology set up to face challenges to ethical and moral execution of professional duties. It will point to the challenges of the agentic state (Stanley Milgram), the temptation of coverup, the threat of technological advance that exceeds the pace of moral formation (Robert Fogel), and the long-term vision needed for ethical situations like environmental concerns and public health.
Comunidades
Contributors: Ikeda and Baumgardt
Publisher: PALNI
A textbook for first- and second-semester Spanish targeted toward university students in Indiana. This text will center on culture and local Spanish-speaking communities as its focus, using authentic materials, cultural concepts, and real-life conversations with Indiana Spanish speakers to teach students to communicate in Spanish. In addition, we also propose to create a set of complementary activities and resources that can be used to reinforce the concepts outside of class.
An Open Guide to Data Structures and Algorithms
Contributors: Bible and Moser
Publisher: PALNI
This open-access data structures and algorithms in computer science textbook, written for undergraduates, serves as a gentle introduction to theoretical concepts while providing coverage of practical implementation (coding) issues.
Linear Transformations on Vector Spaces
Contributors: Kaschner and Russell
Publisher: PALNI
Linear Transformations on Vector Spaces will serve primarily as a textbook for undergraduate Linear Algebra courses. Approximately three quarters of it is already roughly written, and the authors have used it in their own classes. While standard Linear Algebra books focus on solving systems of linear equations and associated procedural skills, our book begins by developing a conceptual framework for the topic using central objects of the topic, linear transformations and vector spaces. It covers the same concepts, skills, and applications as conventional texts in a one-semester course, but students walk away with a much richer and more useful mastery of the topics. The book is structured to facilitate the implementation of the flipped classroom. The text focuses on narrative and fitting concepts together into a big picture and is written to help students develop their textbook reading skills. Also, there are “Explorations” scattered throughout each section. These are quick first examples intended for students to complete while reading before class meetings. Each section concludes with a worksheet that can be used for class meetings or extra practice.
Crop Improvement
Contributors: Suza and Lamkey
Publisher: Iowa State University
This textbook covers basic principles in the genetic improvement of crop plants. Emphasis will be used to expose students to decision-making processes in breeding programs.
Fish, Fishing, and Conservation
Copyright Year: 2023
Contributor: Orth
Publisher: Virginia Tech Publishing
License: CC BY
People, places, and approaches to fishing are as varied as the diverse fish fauna that exist on the planet. As conservation planners recognize the value of substantial engagement of stakeholders in decision making and ineffectiveness of rigid top-down management approaches, Fish, Fishing, and Conservation asserts that all peoples must play a role in conservation. Through case studies, engaging narrative and graphics, and exercises, this undergraduate-level text explores major motivations for fishing and non-fishing related values, responsible fisheries practices, the rights of all people to decide how to manage and conserve fish, their habitats, and how they are utilized in the context of overfishing as a pressing global problem for which appropriate solutions are not easily found nor implemented.
Scientific Writing for Publication: A transdisciplinary approach
Contributors: Link, Nav, and Brunner
Publisher: Oklahoma State University
This book presents a genre-based approach emphasizing strategies that derive from a field of research focusing on strengthening the language skills of multilingual English speakers. These materials will advance knowledge across disciplines as they help graduate student writers to grow as writers and move closer to their publication goals.
Communication for College, Career, and Civic Life
Contributors: McGeough, Rudick, McGeough, and Golsan
Publisher: Iowa State University
To address the challenges facing us as a society and a species, students must develop a robust set of skills, ethics, and dispositions that help them work with others to promote justice, peace, and equity. This OER, in promoting a robust set of communication skills, will serve as a foundational preparation for students who want to be successful in their education, careers, and civic lives.
Adaptive Apparel Design
Contributors: McKinney and Eike
Publisher: Iowa State University
This instructional text and designer resources have been prepared to support those learning about adaptive apparel design. The text is easy for students, scholars, and designers to use, and is organized around the apparel design process: research, sketching, developing a sample notebook, mood or inspiration board, pattern work, first sample, and the completed ensemble.