PHIL 161 - Introduction to Moral Philosophy

This course will address such perplexing questions as: Must one be good? Is it in my best interest to be good? What do we owe each other? What actions are right? The answer given to any of these questions will have consequences for the answers one can give to at least some of the others. In contemporary theory, there are three major kinds of approach to these questions: Virtue Ethics, Utilitarianism, and Kantianism. Each approach chooses one question as its starting point but then moves on to answer the others. This class will introduce these three approaches, show students their respective strengths and weaknesses, and help them develop their ability to think about and discuss these matters constructively. We will read works by Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, and others.

Credits: 3