Moral Philosophy

Description: This class will function as an introduction to the foundations of moral thought. Everyone approaches ethics from a certain philosophical framework. A recurring problem, though, is that many cannot identify or refine that framework so that ethical issues may be dealt with responsibly. Therefore, this course will be an exploration into the foundations of moral formation. Our concerns in this class are fundamental: What kind of person am I called to be? What does it mean to be “good”? Why does it matter? The foundation of ethics concerns the heart of man and the created order, and it’s this foundation that will be dealt with primarily as a beginning to make ethical decisions well. We will also deal with ethical issues and how to respond to those specific issues, through a logical, systematic approach, that emphasizes primary sources. Students will grasp the historical and philosophical contours of ethical thought, by interacting with different thinkers and the principles by which they reason. The grade is based on attendance, participation, study question, a midterm and final essay. This class is worth 1/2 a high school credit.

Grade Level: 11-12 (ages 16-18) (strong 10th graders allowed) 

Prerequisites: Students should be strong readers, able to read a college-level textbook, be willing to think and work hard, and be able to write grammatically correct, complete sentences.

Required Materials: After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre (must be 3rd edition from University of Notre Dame Press). Various other readings will be assigned throughout the school year. Students will also need a USB headset microphone (built-in microphones also work).