Ethical Analysis, A-PHIL 2329

3 credit hours

Excerpt from the St. Edward's University Mission Statement:

"Graduates should be prepared, through training in critical and creative thinking as well as moral reasoning, to analyze problems, propose solutions, and make responsible decisions."

People become morally educated, as against trained, insofar as they achieve a grasp of the principles of ethical analysis and the motivation to choose, organize, and assess their own values and actions by means of those principles. Ethics is more than being religious, following a code of conduct, or having proper etiquette. It implies deciding for ourselves by means of a moral decision making process, based upon human reason and defensible moral principles, what to do and to believe. To be ethical implies that one has acted through self-motivation, with open-mindedness, and always with an eye to normative moral principles. This course will focus on normative theories and moral decision making. By means of online lectures, class discussions, and group working sessions, we will explore the questions, "what does it mean to be ethical and how do we make good ethical decisions?"

Since this is a web-based online section all work can be completed at a distance. This mode of delivery requires more discipline and self-motivation than the more traditional campus sections so be sure you have the qualities for this form of education. Also, review the web site closely and if you have questions, email your instructor as soon as possible.