This course serves as an introduction to some of the major normative ethical theories based on the study of original writings of selected philosophers, and includes applied ethics.
We focus on 3 different ethical theories: Virtue Ethics (Aristotle), Utilitarianism (Jeremy Bentham & John Stuart Mill), and Deontology (Kant).
This course will not give you answers. It is an attempt to give you the basis of ethical decision-making. This course will be frustrating if your initial hunch is that there are easy answers to any ethical dilemma.
Why This is Relevant Today
In a time of crisis on all levels—political, social, economic, and existential—alienation and existential crises can easily emerge. Everyone seems to know what the answer is, and virtue-signaling has become an easy maneuver to claim moral high ground.
It is important to take a step back and examine the different models and ethical decision-making tools that have been the result of years of reflection and have been subject to meticulous criticism and refinement.
This course provides a space for discussion and the tools as well as questions to reflect on life and the complexities that underlie ethical decision-making.
Course Structure
Session 1: Virtue Ethics
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
- Focus on character, virtue, and human flourishing
Session 2: Utilitarianism
- John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism
- Consequences, greatest happiness principle, and moral calculation
Session 3: Deontological Ethics
- Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals
- Duty, categorical imperative, and moral law
Learning Approach
The course combines historical background and conceptual explanation with moderated discussions among participants to make philosophical ideas as relatable as possible to contemporary ethical challenges.