Ethics

The ethics class uses the ideas of various philosophers to examine ethical questions of interest to students. There are three argument papers to learn philosophical examination and to distinguish between philosophies.

The semester will be divided into various segments. 

• Rule Ethics:  One philosophical approach is to follow a rule to make ethical decisions.

        Kant:  Universal Rule Ethics
        Mill:  Greatest Happiness Principle.

• Ethics of Lying:    This segment of the class will examine various reasons for lying.  We will consider lies which are intended to do good, white lies, lies in a crisis, lying to liars, and lying to someone in order to care for her.                    

Sisslela Bok. Lying.  

• Social Contract Theory:     This topic considers ethics of social groups.

Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan (excerpts)
Martin Luther King: Letter from the Burmingham Jail

• Character Ethics

Aristotle:  Nicomachean Ethics (excerpts)

• Applied Ethics:     The final segment of class will cover a variety of arguments and counterarguments about contemporary questions of ethics.  For example, we might develop arguments for and against mercy killing, animal rights, giving to the poor,  and obeying the law.

Lots of talking in this class--join us!