103. Ethics

The purpose of this topic is to enable you to come to grips with some questions which exercise many people, philosophers and non-philosophers alike. How should we decide what is best to do, and how best to lead our lives? Why should we care about our moral obligations? Are our value judgments about these matters objective or do they merely reflect our subjective preferences and viewpoints? Can we really be held responsible in a deterministic world? You will have the opportunity to analyse a variety of ethical concepts, such as those of justice, rights, equality, virtue, and happiness, that are widely used in moral and political argument. You will consider some of the leading theories of moral right and wrong, as well as topics in applied ethics such as abortion and voluntary euthanasia.