Philosophy 116: Ethical Theories

This is an advanced course in ethical theory, focusing on an area of moral philosophy called "normative ethics". At the most basic level, we might say that normative ethics concerns what kind of actions are morally right and morally wrong, and what makes them so. We'll contrast main forms of "consequentialism" -- the view that the rightness of an action is determined solely by the goodness of its total consequences -- with such rivals as "deontology," "contractualism," and "virtue ethics". To distinguish and evaluate these theories, we'll address such questions in normative ethics as these: In distributing benefits and burdens, should we value equality, or give priority to the worst-off or the deserving, or just not care about patterns of distribution at all? What kind of personal sacrifices does morality require of us? Are we ever morally permitted or even morally required not to act so as to produce the best available outcome, and if so, when and why? Do we have a moral duty to save others from dying when we can, and if so, ought we always to save the greater number? On what grounds are we to decide between competing ethical theories? Are there any general moral principles concerning what actions are right and wrong in the first place? The aims of the course are two: first, to introduce you to some of the major theories, issues, and debates in contemporary normative ethics; and second, to assist you in developing your philosophical and analytical skills.