PHI-286 Contemporary Ethics
Contemporary Ethics is a broad introduction to the discipline of ethics, which is the study of morality and critical analysis of moral theories. Though we may not all agree on the details, for most of humanity it seems as if certain actions are right or good, while other actions are wrong or bad. It seems like some ways of living are better than other ways of living. The discipline of ethics can then be thought of as the practice of asking important philosophical questions about right and wrong, good and bad. This course explores topics in ethical theory such as relativism, egoism, and consequentialism as well as issues in applied ethics such as the moral status of abortion, poverty, and euthanasia. Emphasis is placed on learning key ideas and arguments as well as developing the ability to articulate and critically evaluate those ideas and arguments through course activities.