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Introduction: What is Ethics?

(Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, Ch. 1; Hinman, Contemporary Moral Issues, Introduction) I. Ethics, morality and moral theory A. Rachels begins his book by highlighting two incredibly difficult cases where people are required to make seemingly impossible judgments about how they should act or not act. This highlights the essential subject matter of ethics human action. But ethics is not merely interested in human action as a only an event; it is interested in examining and evaluating the quality of human action in light of some expressed standards or set of values. B. Everyone asks ethical questions all the time. We ponder over whether our actions are helpful or hurtful to others. We wonder if one course of action is better than another; is it good to do action A and wrong to do action B? These are ethical questions. But ethics as a course of study is a branch of philosophy where we ask even more penetrating and conceptual questions, such as: What qualities or characteristic go into making an action a good action? How does one decide what right and wrong consist in? Can a person improve themselves and become better at judging the quality of actions, both our own and those of others? Who decides what standard(s) determine the rightness or wrongness of an action? All of these and much more are part of what makes up the subject of ethics. C. In pursuing the study of ethics we need to be clear about several important terms that will appear frequently in the readings and in our discussion of ethics. The word ethic is derived from the Greek word ethos, meaning custom or pattern and was used to describe a general character or way of life that a person evidenced in their behavior. The subject of ethics, then, seeks understanding about ways of living, or in the words of the great ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates, it seeks to understand how we ought to live.

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D. Sometimes the word ethics is used in the very specific sense of a standard of conduct or set of rules espoused by a particular profession. For instance, we often think of lawyers and legal ethics or medical doctors and medical ethics. This is a narrower use of the term than we will typically use throughout our study this semester. For all intents and purposes, we will use the terms ethics and morality interchangeably. Both terms are equally appropriate for describing the standards and subsequent judgments made in evaluating human behavior. By the same token, the term moral theory (or ethical theory) refers to the study of ethics/morality and the systematic points of view that have arisen to describe in general terms the standards, criteria and judgments regarding human action. II. Why study ethics? A. You may be asking this very question as you begin this course. But rest assured that you are not the first, nor will you be the last person to ask this question. Ethics has been a subject of interest and intense questioning since the earliest written accounts of western philosophy. And ethics courses have long been a traditional part of the curriculum for those seeking an undergraduate college degree. Why, then, do we study ethics? B. There are a number of reasons that we might site for the study of ethics and many are unique to particular moral theories or ethical points of view. But there is consensus about some of the most fundamental reasons for studying ethics. First, some have claimed that ethical knowledge is a key to becoming a good and virtuous person. While not everyone accepts this reason, it does seem that much of morality is learned (perhaps something like learning a skill, for example playing the piano or becoming good at a particular sport), so knowing what morality is about can play a role in helping one to become a better person. C. Another important reason for studying ethics is that the process of comparing and evaluating moral theories, and entering into the debate surrounding important contemporary moral issues helps one improve their moral reasoning skills. The goal is that our decisions about what actions to choose and our evaluation of other peoples actions will not be merely the result of blind, arbitrary forces like urges and mere personal desires. Rather, if we can understand the role and importance of moral reasoning, and even gain some practice in using our moral reasoning capacities, then we will be on the road to becoming competent and informed moral persons. An ethics course like this one gives you some basic tools and instruction regarding moral reasoning, as well as the opportunity to practice such reasoning.

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D. Perhaps over the course of our study together this semester you will add some of your own reasons why one should study ethics. If you have some insights on this, I would love to have you email me your thoughts, or perhaps you would be willing to post them on the discussion forum titled, Topics of Interest and Independent Discussion. III. Getting Started in Ethics 1330 A. By now, you should have had an opportunity to explore the course site, read and print a copy of the course syllabus, etc. If you have not completed the Start Here!!! section of the course, go back and do that now. B. If you have completed that portion of the course, then you are ready to finish the course introduction section by taking the Introductory Quiz (under the Quizzes & Surveys navigation button) and the Moral Orientation Quiz that helps you explore your own moral point of view. Both the Introductory Quiz and the Moral Orientation Survey must be completed should by Sept. 3 at midnight. These are graded assessments and each will count for 10 points toward the Quiz/Survey score for the course. These items can also be accessed through the Assignments folder for this lesson. C. It is also vitally important that you acquire and begin reading the assigned chapters for each Learning Unit within Module 2 of the course. These reading assignments are also found in the Assignment folder of each learning unit as well as in the Lecture, etc. folder each Learning Unit. D. If you have any questions about the course structure, assignments or anything else, please email or post your question on the discussion forum titled, Post Any Course Questions Here. If you want a direct and timely response from me, the best way to get an answer to your question is via email. Good luck and I look forward to studying ethics with you this semester!