Memorial to Holocaust in Jerusalem |
Ethics 490: Philosophical and Theological
Foundations of Ethical Thought
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Description:
The premise of this course is that life is messy, full of
situations where the answer to the question of what one ought to do is not
obvious. We encounter ethical
dilemmas every day, both as individuals deciding how to conduct ourselves in
personal relationships and work situations, and in communities and societies
taking positions on large issues. Are
there right and wrong answers to ethical questions?
Or ultimately, does “right” and “wrong” vary according to one’s
personal values and point of view? How
do we think clearly about ethical questions and articulate the issues and
proposals well, in order to make good decisions or to have well-founded
positions on important topics? This
course seeks to acquaint the students with the language of ethical theory, so
that we can understand how the arguments or struggles we have about ethical
questions fit into a long history of people thinking about similar questions.
Further, it attempts to help us use this language to articulate
understandings about the purpose of our lives and how we ought to live in the
world. As a senior capstone course
in the Maryville Curriculum, the course seeks to equip students to think clearly
about ethical decisions they will face beyond graduation and to participate in
public dialogue about ethical questions. The
course also includes an emphasis on vocation, so that we move beyond specific
ethical issues to the larger questions of the purpose of our lives and how we
might use them to make a difference in the world.
Goals of the course:
This
senior capstone course will ask students to:
- reflect
on their general education courses and their major courses as they
embark on their life's journey after Maryville College
- confront
and wrestle with some of the great ethical questions that all humans face
and learn how those questions have been answered by others throughout human
history
- learn
the basic ethical frameworks within which decisions are made and have been
made in the past
- begin
to personally assess their own ethical stances regarding these questions and
be willing and able to defend their positions in class discussions and
formal debates with their peers
- reflect
on the ethical challenges faced by individuals in their chosen vocation
- engage
the ethical dimensions of service, global citizenship, and a sense of
responsibility for the common good
- recognize
that spiritual growth (in which one seeks to realize the integral unity of
one's beliefs and how one lives) is a life-long process of discovery
-
recognize that ethics is the domain of everyone
and not just of the specialists.
Methods of instruction:
We will use readings, films, class presentations, writing,
and discussion to explore both ethical theory and a variety of concrete ethical
issues together. Students
will use case studies to organize and focus their discussions. They also will be required to work in small groups within the class
as well as independently on researching, discussing, and writing case studies of
ethical dilemmas. Tests will focus on
understanding of major theories and the ability to apply theoretical approaches
to specific ethical issues.
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