PHIL 236(S) Contemporary Ethical Theory (W)
Moral life is filled with difficult decisions. For instance, is it ever appropriate to sacrifice the welfare of an individual for the sake of the community, or does each individual have an inviolable status that must be respected? Are some actions so morally objectionable that they must never be done, even to promote very good ends? And how centrally should moral considerations figure in our personal decision-making? Should they always take priority, even at the expense of our personal projects and intimate relationships, or are there some spheres in which we should be free to pursue our goals without concern for morality? Finally, should our moral regard extend only to our fellow rational beings, or should it reach to non-human animals and the environment as well?
We will explore these and related questions by systematically comparing what the two dominant ethical theories of the twentieth century, consequentialism and deontology, have had to say about them. While both theories find their roots in earlier thinkers-consequentialism in Bentham and Mill, deontology in Kant-our focus will be on contemporary developments of these views. After examining these two approaches in depth, we will turn our attention to recently developed alternatives that attempt to transcend the dichotomies that continue to divide consequentialist and deontological approaches. Readings will include works by the following authors: Bentham, Mill, Nozick, Railton, Brink, Williams, Wolf, Taurek, Rawls, Smart, Scheffler, Nagel, Kant, Kamm, Quinn, Kagan, Ross, Scanlon. This is a writing intensive course.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: several short response papers; two 8- to 10-page papers
Prerequisites: Philosophy 101, Philosophy 102, or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 15).
Hour: BARRY