MindEdge Online Learning

Ethics

Ethics

MindEdge’s Ethics learning resource provides an introduction to the fundamentals of ethics (the study of moral values and conduct of an individual, group, or culture). It reviews ethical frameworks and theories through games, videos, and other interactive elements.The course also explores what these frameworks and theories tell us about human nature and behavior.

 

Module 1: Introduction to Ethics

  • Define the terms “ethics” and “morality”
  • Describe the differences between morality and legality
  • Understand the theories about the origins of human morality
  • Describe the foundation of personal ethics
  • Explain psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg’s six stages of moral development
  • Describe the relationship of ethics to society (death penalty, cloning, euthanasia, just war, economic inequality, abortion)
  • Recognize the conflict between moral or ethical imperatives that lead to ethical dilemmas
  • Discuss the Doctrine of Double Effect and its use in military thinking and bioethics
  • Describe Moral Universalism, Ethical Relativism, Moral Absolutism, and Moral Nihilism
  • Identify the time periods in which different philosophical systems emerged

Module 2: Early Ethical Systems and Religious Ethics

  • Discuss Divine Command Theory and explain its use as a basis for morality and its limitations
  • Describe early ethical texts (the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Code of Hammurabi, and the Hebrew Torah)
  • Outline the ethical beliefs of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and their contributions to moral philosophy (the Forms, Golden Mean, etc.)
  • Explain the ethical views of the Classical Greek schools of philosophy (Epicureans, Stoics, Skeptics, Neoplatonists)
  • Explain the views of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity on morality
  • Explain the views of Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Daoism, and Confucianism on morality
  • Explore how different religions view the afterlife
  • Discuss the role of religion in ethical choices
  • Explain the concept of Conscientious Objection
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 3: Virtue Ethics

  • Define Virtue Ethics
  • Describe the Virtue Ethics of the early Greek philosophers
  • Explain the ethical beliefs of the Greeks on virtue (Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle)
  • Describe Islam, Judaism, and Christianity on ethics and virtue.
  • Explain the Ethics of Care
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Virtue Ethics
  • Discuss modern applications of Virtue Ethics
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 4: Natural Law and Natural Rights

  • Define Natural Law and natural rights
  • Explain the natural law ethics of Aristotle and Aquinas
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Natural Law
  • Describe the Social Contract Theory enunciated by Hobbes and Locke
  • Explain the key concepts of Empiricism
  • Discuss modern applications of Natural Law and Social Contract Theory
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 5: Consequentialism and Utilitarian Ethics

  • Define Consequentialism (teleology)
  • Describe the Utilitarianism of Bentham and Mill
  • Explain the Utility Principle
  • Describe Act and Rule Utilitarianism
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Utilitarianism
  • Explain Pragmatism and Instrumentalism (Dewey)
  • Discuss modern applications of Consequentialism
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 6: Duty-Driven Ethics

  • Define Duty-Driven Ethics (deontology)
  • Discuss Kant’s Categorical Imperative
  • Outline Kant’s thinking on Absolute Rules
  • Describe the importance of human dignity to Kant’s system of ethics
  • Explain Kant’s position on punishment and the Ethics of Retributivism
  • Outline the differences between Kantian ethics and Utilitarianism
  • Discuss the criticisms of Duty-Driven Ethics
  • Discuss modern applications of Duty-Driven Ethics
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 7: Egoism

  • Define Psychological Egoism and Ethical Egoism and explain the difference
  • Describe Ethical Egoism and Ayn Rand’s theories
  • Explain the tenets of Libertarianism
  • Analyze the assumption that human beings tend to sympathize with one another
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Ethical Egoism
  • Discuss modern applications of Ethical Egoism
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 8: Ethical Relativism

  • Define Cultural Relativism and Ethical Relativism and explain the difference
  • Describe Ethical Relativism.
  • Discuss Ethical Relativism, Moral Absolutism and Moral Nihilism
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Ethical Relativism
  • Contrast Ethical Relativism with other ethical theories
  • Discuss modern applications of Ethical Relativism
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 9: Contemporary Ethics

  • Explain the philosophy of nonviolence
  • Describe Existentialism, both secular and religious
  • Discuss Feminist Ethics
  • Explain Environmental Ethics
  • Describe Rawls’ Theory of Justice
  • Discuss Moral Universalism and Universal Rights
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study

Module 10: Ethics in Practice

  • Describe Business Ethics
  • Outline key ethical issues faced in the workplace
  • Explain how good people can make unethical decisions
  • Discuss ethics codes and ethical guidelines in decision-making
  • Discuss Medical Ethics and Bioethics
  • Outline key ethical issues faced in medicine
  • Discuss ethical guidelines for decision-making in medicine
  • Explain ethical issues and the Internet
  • Apply your knowledge of these concepts in a case study