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PHIL 230 Introduction to Ethics

Theories of obligation and value; moral reasoning; normative ethics, descriptive ethics and meta-ethics. Readings in classic and contemporary texts.

This course is eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading. To determine whether you can take this course for Credit/D/Fail grading, visit the Credit/D/Fail website. You must register in the course before you can select the Credit/D/Fail grading option.

Credits: 3


Status Section Activity Term Interval Days Start Time End Time Comments
PHIL 230 001Web-Oriented Course1 Mon Wed Fri14:0015:00
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Course Description: This course surveys some of the main roots and thinkers of the Western ethical tradition, focusing on virtue ethics, deontology, and consequentialism. Texts include Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics," Kant's "Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals," and Mill's "Utilitarianism." A selection of contemporary readings will also be covered to illustrate more recent developments of these theories. Topics include the places of reason, emotion, culture, happiness, and care in ethics, friendship, and whether ethics is subjective or objective.

COVID-19 notice: the course is scheduled for M, W, F 14:00 - 15:00. Mondays have asynchronous course components. Wednesdays and Fridays have synchronous components.

PHIL 230 002Web-Oriented Course2 Mon Wed Fri14:0015:00
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I will produce a video-recorded lecture in lieu of class on most Mondays of the term; students do not need to be available to meet on Mondays. I will produce a video-recorded lecture for some Wednesdays, but some Wednesdays will be synchronous class discussions, which will be recorded. All Fridays will involve synchronous discussions and sometimes exercises during class time. Students who are in variant time zones may be assigned to meet with other students in similar time zones and/or sometimes with the TA at times other than during the normal class meeting time to engage in class discussion and exercises. Participation is not evaluated in this course, though strongly encouraged.

PHIL 230 003Web-Oriented Course2 Mon Wed Fri12:0013:00
Arrow  Section Comments

This course surveys some of the main roots and thinkers of the Western ethical tradition, focusing on virtue ethics, deontology, and consequentialism. Texts include Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics," Kant's "Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals," and Mill's "Utilitarianism." A selection of contemporary readings will also be covered to illustrate more recent developments of these theories. Topics include the places of reason, emotion, culture, happiness, and care in ethics, friendship, and whether ethics is subjective or objective.

COVID-19 notice: the course is scheduled for M, W, F 12:00-13:00. Mondays have asynchronous course components. Wednesdays and Fridays have synchronous components.