Topics in Moral Psychology

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Much of philosophical ethics concerns what we ought to do and the kinds of people we ought to be – the standards, principles, and ideals that inform moral conduct, the character traits that count as virtues. Moral psychology is the study of how we function in realizing (or failing to realize) what morality urges. It seeks an understanding of the capacities of perception, judgment, emotion, and self-governance that are needed in living a moral life, a life in which we both take responsibility and are (justly) held responsible for what we do (our actions) and the kinds of people we are (our characters). We will approach this challenge through a close study of moral anger, shame, self-respect, forgiveness, and hope, focusing on both the promise and the perils of each of these moral psychological phenomena.