Introduction to Ethics

This course will provide an introduction to central topics in ethics and the most prominent approaches to thinking about them. We will examine different theories of what makes an action right or wrong, how we might respond to the view that we should only ever act in line with self-interest, what could make a given entity worthy of moral concern, and what might explain the place of morality in our lives. Particular attention will be paid to consequentialism and deontology as frameworks for thinking about key ethical questions. In addition, we will think about how philosophical work in ethics can inform decisions that we regularly make in our lives.