Course Description
The nature and justification of fundamental ethical concepts and moral principles.
Athena Title
Ethical Theory
Prerequisite
PHIL 2010 or PHIL 2010H or PHIL 2010E or PHIL 2020 or PHIL 2020H or PHIL 2020E or PHIL 2030 or PHIL 2030H or PHIL 2030E or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students are expected to be able to articulate and discuss several major ethical theories and identify proponents of various theories. Students should also be able to articulate reasons relevant for the evaluation of ethical theories and to write clearly and cogently about these theories.
Topical Outline
Topics covered in this course will include some of the following: This course will normally cover some of the following Ethical theories: utilitarianism, emotivism, expressivism, realism, relativism, Kantian ethics, intuitionism, virtue ethics, contractarianism, divine command theory, error theory. The course is sometimes structured around a selection of topics in ethical theory including: Ethics and practical reasoning Contemporary ethical theories Deontological Theories v. Teleological Theories Geneology of values Game theory and Value theory Practical Ethical Choice The History of Ethics Evolutionary theories of value Normally, works of some of the following philosophers will be read and discussed: Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Seneca, Epictetus, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Mill, Sidgwick, Moore, A.J. Ayer, Charles Stevenson, Bernard Williams, John Rawls, Jurgen Habermas, Thomas Scanlon, Derek Parfit, Christine Korsgaard, Barbara Herman, Martha Nussbaum, Claudia Card.
Syllabus