PHIL 1318:  Contemporary Moral Problems

Course Description

We will begin with a general introduction to ethics by examining several different ethical theories. Familiarity with the dominant ethical traditions (e.g., virtue ethics, utilitarianism, and Kantian ethics) will provide an important framework for considering contemporary ethical issues. We will then discuss a number of different ethical issues including: capital punishment, abortion, capitalism and distributive justice, euthanasia, the treatment and use of animals, and war. Note that we will be examining opposing views with regard to each of the following issues:

• Capital Punishment: We will begin by distinguishing the two keys issues in the debate: justice and deterrence. We will then look at arguments for and against capital punishment with regard to each of these key issues. Is capital punishment a just punishment for murder? If so, is it the only just punishment, or is life in prison also a just punishment? How do worries regarding the execution of innocents affect the justice of capital punishment? Also, does capital punishment deter potential murderers from killing?
• Abortion: When, if ever, is abortion morally permissible? Do fetuses have a right to life? If one grants that a fetus has a right to life is one committed to the impermissibility of abortion? Or, can a woman’s right to control her own body trump the fetus’s right to life?
• Capitalism and Distributive Justice: How should the fruits of a society’s labor be distributed amongst its members? Can taxation for the benefit of the needy be justified? Do the affluent have a moral obligation to assist those in absolute poverty?
• Euthanasia: We will begin by distinguishing several different forms of euthanasia (e.g., active/passive, voluntary/non-voluntary) and discuss several cases. We will then examine arguments for and against the permissibility of euthanasia.
• Animals: Is it morally permissible to use animals for profit? If so, is there any limit to the ways in which we might treat such animals? Are animals worthy of any moral consideration whatsoever? If so, to what extent does this suggest that we should revise our attitudes toward the use of animals for profit?
• War: First of all, does morality even apply to war? If so, what are the criteria for a just war? Also, how does the death of innocents affect the morality of particular wars?

Instructor Biography

Ken Daley received his Ph.D. from University of Colorado, Boulder in 2007. He has been a professor at SMU since 2007 and has taught “Contemporary Moral Problems” every semester since coming to SMU.

Learning Outcomes and Benefits

• A familiarity with important topics in the history of philosophy including the major ethical positions and their supporting arguments
• Techniques of formal reasoning
• The ability to apply techniques of formal reasoning to contemporary ethical issues
• Writing and analytic skills
• A familiarity with arguments for opposing views regarding central ethical issues that are relevant to today’s world