Morality and the Good Life

Catalog description

Morality pervades everyday life. Far from being confined to the ivory tower, we make moral decisions and engage in moral behavior every day, ranging from the ordinary (e.g., whether to volunteer or return a lost wallet) to the extreme (e.g., whether to donate one's kidney to a stranger or fight and die for a cause). Morality is central to our evaluations of ourselves and others, and to the wellbeing of ourselves and the societies in which we live. In this course, you will learn about psychological research on morality. We will cover topics such as (1) How people make moral judgments, (2) How and why people have differing judgments of everything from tax rates to dietary preferences, (3) Psychological factors contributing to moral (e.g., altruistic) behavior, and (4) Intersections between moral psychology and our ideals, aspirations and well-being at the individual and societal level. This course aims to introduce you to the psychology of morality, to enable you to be more aware of and effective in navigating moral challenges in daily life.