HUMA1920 Introduction to Moral Philosophy Fall 2012 Instructor ...

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Various beliefs and questions underlie our moral lives. ... James and Stuart Rachels, The Elements o/Moral Philosophy (Boston: McGraw-Hill,. 2010) 5 th edition.
HUMA1920 Introduction to Moral Philosophy Fall 2012 Instructor: Professor CHONG Kim-chong Email: [email protected] Office: Room 3352 Division of Humanities Course Description Various beliefs and questions underlie our moral lives. These include the relation between morality and religion, subjectivism, relativism, self-interest, the rights and wrongs of euthanasia, etc. Also, certain ethical theories claim to help us make the right moral decisions, e.g. utilitarianism. This course is a systematic exploration of such beliefs and theories, emphasizing critical thinking and reasonable justification of moral beliefs. Learning Outcomes I. Students will have knowledge of central moral theories and concepts. 2. Students will learn to be reflective about wider social moral issues. 3. Students will learn to approach moral issues through critical thinking. Course Outline 1. What is Morality? 2. Cultural Relativism 3. Subjectivism 4. Morality and Religion 5. Egoism 6. The Utilitarian Approach 7. The Debate over Utilitarianism 8. Are there Absolute Moral Rules? 9. Kant and Respect for Persons 10. The Idea of a Social Contract 11. Feminism and the Ethics of Care 12. The Ethics of Virtue 13 & 14. Revision of Key Ideas and Concepts Assessment of Student Learning I. First Quiz 2. Second Quiz

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3. Presentation 4. Final Quiz

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(1) The quizzes will test the students' grasp of the concepts discussed in class and in the texts. They will consist of multiple choice questions and some questions which require short written answers. (2) Students will be assigned a topic for presentation. They will be assessed on clarity, grasp of arguments for and against a particular issue, depth of discussion, originality, research done, etc. Required Readings James and Stuart Rachels, The Elements o/Moral Philosophy (Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2010) 5th edition. Michael Sandel, Justice-What is the Right Thing to Do? (New York: Penguin Books, 2010). Lectures mainly based upon James Rachels’ book. Presentations will be based on chapters in Michael Sandel’s book. Both the above readings are available in "Reserve" in the library. They may also be purchased from the campus bookstore. References Peter Singer, How are we to live-ethics in an age 0/self-interest (New York: Prometheus Books, 1995) Louis P. Pojman, Ethics-Discovering Right and Wrong (Singapore: Wadsworth Thomson Learning, 2002, 4th edition). Peter Singer, edited, Ethics (Oxford University Press, 1994). The above references are available in "Reserve" in the library.