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Introduction to Ethics


Course Description

The major philosophical positions concerning right and wrong, ethical values, and moral responsibility. The relevance of moral philosophy to current issues of personal and social ethics.


Athena Title

Introduction to Ethics


Equivalent Courses

Not open to students with credit in PHIL 2030, PHIL 2030H


Non-Traditional Format

This course will be taught 95% or more online.


Semester Course Offered

Offered summer semester every year.


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

Students will develop the skills and language needed to think and reason clearly about moral matters. Students will be able to engage in clear, self-reflective thought about how to live their lives, how to engage with others, and the philosophical grounding behind these ideas. Students will develop a working knowledge of the basics of theories of the good life, such as hedonism and desire satisfaction theory. Students will be able to reason about and discuss many of the major normative ethical theories within ethics, such as virtue ethics, Kant, consequentialism, and feminist ethics. Students will understand and be able to reason through the basics of metaethical debates surrounding moral objectivity, skepticism, and nihilism.


Topical Outline

i. Values and Theories of the Good Life ii. Normative Ethical Theories iii. Metaethics


General Education Core

CORE V: Social Sciences

Syllabus