Introduction to Ethics Resource Center

Part I: Readings not in the Johnson/Reath anthology, the Shafer-Landau text, or the Jason anthology.

Syllabus:

• William Frankena classic 1973 text, Ethics, 2^nd..LINK.

Class Notes 1: Introduction I: What is Philosophy?

• Wiki on philosophy…LINK.
• Robert French on the branches of philosophy…LINK.

Class Notes 2: Introduction II: What is Ethical Theory?

Class Notes 3: Theories of Happiness I: Mental State Theories.

• Seligman & Royzman “Authentic Happiness”…LINK.

Class Notes 4: Theories of Happiness II: Desire Satisfaction Theory.

Class Notes 5: Theories of Happiness II: Objective Desiderata Theories.

Class Notes 6: Happiness, Current Economics and Government Policy.

• Kesebir & Diener “In Pursuit of Happiness: Empirical Answers to Philosophical Questions”…LINK.

Class Notes 7: Consequentialism I: Ethical Egoism.

Class Notes 8: Applications of Egoism in Social Science.

• Wiki on moral hazard…LINK.
• Wiki on principal/agent problem…LINK.
• Wiki on pork barrel spending…LINK.
• Shaw on public choice theory…LINK.

Class Notes 9: Egoism in Classic Cinema.

Class Notes 10: Consequentialism II: Utilitarianism.

• Bastiat on what is seen and what is not seen…LINK.

Class Notes 11: Consequentialism III: Pure Altruism and Tribalism.

Class Notes 12:  Deontologism I: Act Theories.

Class Notes 13: Deontologism II: Single Rule Theories: FCT/TCT/LCT/DCT.

Class Notes 14: Deontologism III: Single Rule Theories: Kantianism.

Class Notes 15: Deontologism IV: Single Rule Theories: Natural Law Theory and Natural Rights Ethics.

• Wiki on negative vs. positive rights…LINK.

Class Notes 16: Deontologism V: Multiple Rule Theories.

Class Notes 17: Teleological Theories I: Virtue Theory and Virtue Ethics.

Class Notes 18: Teleological Theories II: Care Ethics.

Class Notes 19: Meta-Ethics I: Free Will.

• Wiki on free will…LINK.

Class Notes 20: Meta-Ethics II: the Meanings of Ethical Terms.

Class Notes 21: Meta-Ethics III: Relativism versus Objectivism