Introduction to Ethical Theory

This course is an introduction to the most prominent moral theory.

Textbook: Rachels, James and Rachels, Stuart. The Right Thing to Do: Basic Readings in Moral Philosophy. 7th ed, New York: McGraw Hill, 2015. 

Week 1

  • Chapter 1: "A Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy", James Rachels
  • Chapter 2: "Some Basic Points about Arguments", James Rachels
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 250 words, explain which moral theory is most appealing to you and explain why. 

Week 2

  • Chapter 3: "Utilitarianism", John Stuart Mill
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 words, explain one advantage of acting according to utilitarian principles and one disadvantage of acting according to utilitarian principles. Make sure to explain why you think this. 

Week 3

  • Chapter 6: "The Subjectivity of Values", J. L. Mackie
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 words, explain whether you agree with Mackie that values are subjective and not objective and why you think this.

Week 4

  • Chapter 7: "Our Sense of Right and Wrong", C. S. Lewis
  • Summa Theologiae, "First Part of the Second Part, Question 94", St. Thomas Aquinas
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 words, explain whether or not you agree with Aquinas and Lewis that there is a Law of Nature, in other words whether or not you agree that there are objective values, and why you think this. 

Week 5

  • Chapter 8: "The Categorical Imperative", Immanuel Kant
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 words, explain an action, other than one presented in the reading, that would violate Kant's categorical imperative. Make sure to include a brief explanation of the categorical imperative and why the action you describe would violate it.

Week 6

  • Chapter 9: "The Virtues", Aristotle
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 of your own words, explain what Aristotle means by "happiness" and "virtue" and how the two are related.

Week 7

  • Chapter 10: "Master Morality and Slave Morality", Friedrich Nietzsche
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 words, explain whether you agree with Nietzsche that there is a master morality and a slave morality and why you think this.

Week 8

  • Chapter 11: "Caring Relations and Principles of Justice", Virginia Held
    • Paper Assignment: In approximately 500 words, explain whether you agree with Held that it is at times acceptable to give greater consideration to your relationships than to principles of justice (or impartiality) when making moral decisions. Make sure to explain why you think this.