PHIL 440A ETHICS

Talbott, 5 credits

This course will focus on contemporary discussions of important issues in philosophical ethics. In the first half of the course, the main issue to be discussed will be: What are we doing when we make a moral judgment? This will lead to a discussion of the question: What are we doing when we make judgments about what it is rational to do? This will lead to a consideration of various types of moral and normative realism and anti-realism. In the second half of the course, we will discuss various substantive ethical theories, including utilitarian ethics, social contract ethics, virtue ethics, and feminist ethics. There will be a Midterm Exam and a Final Exam. Each exam will include an in-class portion and a take-home portion. The take-home portion will be a 5-page essay. No prerequisites, but PHIL 240 or at least one other course in philosophy is recommended. Meets I&S Requirement.

Texts: Louis P. Pojman, Ethical Theory (5th ed.) and a photocopied reader.