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 freshmen.  Prerequisites:  At least one other course in philosophy.  Meets I&S Requirement.

 

Texts: Louis P. Pojman and James Fieser, Ethical Theory (6th ed.) and a photocopied reader.