Introduction to Moral Philosophy

What will you learn. The principles of the three major moral theories in Western philosophy: utilitarianism, deontology and virtue ethics. How to apply those theories to real life ethical dilemmas, such as stealing and killing animals.

How to unpick meta-ethical questions, such as whether there's such as thing as a moral fact. Who is this course for. This course gives a basic introduction to Moral Philosophy and can be studied by those who have never studied Philosophy before.

It will appeal to those who are simply interested in the topic; those wanting to take an A level qualification in Philosophy, or those teaching the topic who want fresh ideas on how to explain various topics. What does the course cover. It focuses on the the three main normative ethical theories of the Western world: utilitarianism, deontology and virtue ethics.

It looks at some of the key figures in Moral Philosophy from Aristotle to Kant to John Stuart Mill. It then focuses on how their ethical theories can be applied in practice to answer whether its ever okay to steal, lie, play violent video games or kill and eat animals. The course finishes by exploring where morality might come from.