Why Be Good? An Introduction to Ethics
Syllabus
Course Description
What is there to live for? Is there anything worth pursuing apart from money, love, and your own desires? How can we live an ethical life? This course is an introduction to philosophical ethics. It will be structured around twelve topics, such as: Do you have a moral duty to donate most of your money to charity? Are we unfree and thus not responsible for anything? Is moral virtue a matter of luck? If someone you love dies and you’re not upset, does that mean you never really cared about them? In addition to thinking about particular ethical issues, we will discuss some of the most powerful and persuasive theories in moral philosophy, including utilitarianism (the view that an action is right if it promotes happiness), deontology (the view that an action is right if it is done from duty), and virtue ethics (the view that an action is right if one has the right moral character or virtues).
Essay Questions
LECTURE SCHEDULE
June 25
• Lecture 1 — 10:15am - 11:30am
• Famine, Affluence, and Morality
• Lecture 1 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.]
• Lecture 2 — 11:45am - 1:00pm
• Moral Saints
• Lecture 2 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3.]
July 1
• Lecture 3 — 10:15am - 11:30am
• Absolute Moral Rules
• Lecture 3 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.]
• Lecture 4 — 11:45am - 1:00pm
• The Grounds of Morality
• Lecture 4 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3.]
July 5
• Lecture 5 — 10:15am - 11:30am
• Moral Luck
• Lecture 5 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.]
• Lecture 6 — 11:45am - 1:00pm
• The Impossibility of Moral Responsibility
• Lecture 6 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.]
• Also: Lecture on Writing a Philosophy Essay
July 9
• Lecture 7 — 10:15am - 11:30am
• Happiness and Harm
• Lecture 7 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4.]
• Lecture 8 — 11:45am - 1:00pm
• Love and Death
• Lecture 8 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4.]
July 15
• Lecture 9 — 10:15am - 11:30am
• Psychological Egoism
• Lecture 9 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4.]
• Lecture 10 — 11:45am - 1:00pm
• When to Psychologize
• Lecture 10 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4.]
July 22
• Lecture 11 — 10:15am - 11:30am
• The Duty to Speak Your Mind
• Lecture 11 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4.]
• Lecture 12 — 11:45am - 1:00pm
• Moral Grandstanding
• Lecture 12 slides
• [Supplementary readings: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.]