Applied Ethics

(4 Credits)

Torture, abortion, taxes, physician-assisted suicide, terrorism. People disagree fiercely about the morality of these and countless other human concerns. What moral theories and concepts shape these debates? Can we use these debates to refine or evaluate those theories and concepts? Is it possible to find common ground in shared ethical principles that will allow us to engage in rational debates rather than in disrespectful shouting matches (or worse)? These topics will be the guiding questions in this course as we investigate several contemporary moral controversies.