General Ethics

Catalog description

Taught by DSPT. This course is an introduction to the philosophical study of ethics, focusing on key ethical questions (e.g., how we are to live, what we are obliged or permitted to do, etc.) and concepts (virtue, happiness, obligation, the good, and so forth). Through a careful reading of great philosophical works in the western tradition, important ethical theories will be presented within their historical context, including utilitarianism or consequentialism, deontological ethics, virtue theory, and natural law. Class discussion will center on the philosophical merit of these ethical approaches as well as their relevance to contemporary issues. Lecture/discussion format. Student evaluation will be based on class participation, two short written essays, and a final exam. Intended audience: MA, MTS, and MDiv. students.[Auditors excluded]