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, 2nd..LINK.
Class Notes 1: Introduction I: What is Philosophy?
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