Ethics in Citizenship, Politics, and Government

Catalog description

This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. It is often said that politics is a dirty business, meaning that unethical behavior is prevalent in politics. But this is often said with a twinge of disappointment, sometimes with bitterness or anger. We wish that it were not so. One part of an effort to improve the ethical character of politics is to strive for a clear understanding of what ethical political action is. This course endeavors to arrive at that understanding by considering some of the most profound and influential ways of understanding ethical action. One example is that which is derived from Aristotle and supplemented by Martha Nussbaum. Another example is that which is derived from the writings of Immanuel Kant. We will use perspectives written at this level of generality in the analysis of detailed case studies of ethical choices made by citizens, government employees, and elected officials.