Practical ethics is a linking discipline that seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice. While normative ethics is the study of abstract principles that tell us how to act (morally speaking), it may not be possible to apply these principles in any straightforward way to particular problems. In the face of concrete dilemmas, abstract principles may conflict with one another, or we may need to consider revising our principles altogether. Some of the problems we will address pose unique problems that challenge our traditional moral categories. The ethics of war, for instance, may strike some as oxymoronic because we have a moral prohibition against killing and causing harm, yet it's easy to see why we might want some ethical constraints on the pursuit of war. Cases like climate change and genetic testing involve potential/future people who do not exist yet, although, it's arguable that it may necessary to take them into moral consideration. Practical ethics is about taking philosophical insights gained from traditional ethics and looking at contemporary ethical problems to critically analyze the problem, the principles, and the values at stake.

This course is an introductory level course in philosophical ethics that does not require any past philosophical education. Also, the course does not require or presume that students have any knowledge of traditional normative ethics. Every effort will be made throughout the course to explain central philosophical concepts, principles, and theories as we proceed. Students are always welcome and encouraged to ask questions during the lecture if you don't understand some of the material. The aim of the course will encourage students to test, and perhaps even challenge, some of their most deeply held ethical beliefs to see if they can withstand philosophical scrutiny. Instead of relying on an intuitive sense of “That's wrong!” or “That's right!” students will be taught to think through problems critically and reflectively, and to support their positions with philosophical arguments.