Ethics is a field of study which concerns itself with the question of how one should act in a given situation: What is right and wrong? What is morally good and evil? In a wider sense, ethics seeks to answer the question first posed by Socrates: How may we live the morally good life? This course provides a comprehensive introduction to ethics. Students will examine and reflect upon some of the most central questions in moral philosophy, such as the following: What are the major ethical theories, and how do they relate to the varied kinds of moral problems that confront us in our lives? What reason is there for one to live a moral life? Is there one universal moral theory or are morals specific to particular cultures or even individuals? Is the rightness or wrongness of an action tied to its consequences? Is pleasure the only moral good or is virtue also central in determining morality?
The aim of this course is for studentss (1) to attain a basic understanding of a range of moral theories, (2) to gain a critical outlook regarding their approach to moral issues, (3) to be able to employ ethical concepts, (4) to be able to analyse the moral implications of real life issues, and (5) to gain a greater appreciation for the cultivation of basic human values such as personal responsibility, tolerance, and integrity.
- Teacher: Mirja Annalena Holst