Critical and Historical Development of Public Ethics

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to ethical theory to compliment public policy studies. It approaches the subject by way of historical exploration of moral philosophy, integrating areas of Western philosophy of religion, social and political philosophy as necessary. It surveys Western ethical thought by reading selected figures representative of Western ethical traditions. The selected traditions will highlight theoretical developments critical to the ethical dimension of public policy, including virtue theory, utilitarianism, deontological theory, natural law, as well as contemporary theories. Students will interact with the primary writings from representative ethical thinkers. They will explore the differing conceptions of morality with respect to their scope, purpose, and content. In addition, the course will trace the interactions of Western ethical thought with Christian theistic ethics. (Formerly ETHC 323)