Course Description, Goals, and Requirements

Course Description
This course is designed to introduce you to three major ethical theories. This semester we will work through the contributions of Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill to ethics, in the form of the theories of virtue ethics, deontological ethics, and utilitarianism. These different ethical programs continue to influence the way that we think about how human beings should act, what acts have moral worth, and what the final ends of human life should be. In other words, far from being a dry exercise in intellectual history, this semester we’ll be uncovering the reasons behind the ways that we live today.

Although most of the semester will be devoted to engaging the works of Aristotle, Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill, we will also have opportunities to consider contemporary revisions of these ethical systems, as well as to consider certain ethical problems.

Course Goals
1) The course will present you with a general knowledge of the ideas of all of the philosophers addressed, specifically in relation to their ethical theories. That is, at the end of this course, you will be able to talk about these philosophers and their ideas; you will be able to see connections between those ideas and issues in our contemporary world; and you should be able to use basic philosophical vocabulary.

2) The course will help develop your skills in critical thinking. Critical thinking is a general term used to describe the mutually overlapping activities of reading, writing and discussion in an interrogative mode. At the end of this course, you will be able to use these skills, not only in philosophy courses, but in all aspects of your life.

Course Requirements
1) Reading: you must do 10-50 pages of reading each week. Philosophical books and essays can be difficult to read and understand, requiring much more concentration and attention than the newspaper or a novel. Taking notes while reading is highly recommended.

2) Attendance and participation: attendance is mandatory and will be recorded. More than three absences (excused or otherwise) will negatively affect your final grade (see below). Although the course shall generally assume a lecture format, you are expected to participate by asking questions during the lecture or contributing to discussion if a question is raised. Your participation is calculated based on your six blog comments (each circa 100 words), and debate participation, as well as your completion of critical thinking exercises (of which there will be approximately one every week, available on fordham.blackboard.com).

3) Blogging, essays and examinations: you must write one (400-500 words) blog post, six blog comments, two essays (3-4 pages); two examinations will be given. Blog posts will address the week’s reading and comments will address the blog posts and course lectures/discussions. For each essay assignment, three topics will be offered from which the student shall select one. More information on these requirements is available on fordham.blackboard.com.