PHI 130 - Introductory Studies in Ethics and Social Philosophy [SUN# PHI 1105]

1. Examine the philosophical method.
2. Define and assess the foundations of moral philosophy.
3. Identify and analyze ethical-value judgments and human nature.
4. Compare and critique theories of social morality and justice.
5. Discuss and assess the role of emotions and faith in ethics.

1. Philosophical Method
   1. Logic
      1. Deductive and inductive reasoning
      2. Formal and informal fallacies
   2. Analytic v. synthetic
   3. A priori v. A posteriori
2. Foundations of Moral Philosophy
   1. Normative nature of moral philosophy
   2. Rational nature of moral philosophy
   3. Absolutism and relativism
   4. Basis of moral choice
      1. Reason and analysis
      2. Reason and affection
      3. Reason and authority
         1. Types of authority
         2. Authority and personal responsibility
   5. Principles and ideals
      1. Universals and absolutes
      2. Individual and group experience
3. Ethical-Value Judgments and Human Nature
   1. Individual morality
      1. Defining the good life
         1. Plato
         2. Aristotle
      2. Virtue, pleasure
         1. Aristotle
         2. Epicurus
         3. Epictetus
      3. Natural law: Thomas Aquinas
   2. Moral character
      1. Defining the good person
         1. Plato
         2. Aristotle
         3. G.E. Moore
      2. Principles of utility
         1. Bentham
         2. Mill
      3. Principles of duty: Kant
      4. Individual and societal conscience, freedom
         1. Hume
         2. Camus
         3. Sartre
         4. De Beauvoir
4. Theories of Social Morality and Justice
   1. Common good and Individual good
      1. Individual justice, equality, liberty
      2. Distributive justice
         1. Plato
         2. Aristotle
         3. Hobbes
         4. Marx
   2. Utilitarianism
      1. Greatest happiness principle
      2. Theory of sanctions
      3. Quantity and quality of pleasure
   3. Bentham
   4. Mill
5. Deontology:  Kant
   1. Notion of duty
   2. Categorical imperative
6. Justice and the social contract theory
   1. Rousseau
   2. Rawls
7. Emotions and Faith
   1. Religious experience
      1. Augustine
      2. Kierkegaard
      3. James
   2. Faith and trust