Ethics Minor

Coordinator: Karen Hoffman

The ethics minor provides an academic structure to the rigorous study of both ethical theory and ethical practice. Grounded in philosophy and religious studies, the program is nevertheless interdisciplinary in the wide range of majors with which it can interface. Students who complete the minor will have (1) a solid grasp of the foundations of and differences between the major theories of normative value, (2) a facility with the application of these theories to practical situations that includes an awareness of their respective advantages & disadvantages, potential conflicts, and areas of corroboration, (3) a recognition of the diverse instantiations of the main ethical theories in divergent cultures, and (4) an awareness of ethical thinking as embodying sensibilities about and remedies to inequitable power differentials and other injustices.

Requirements for the Minor

Required

PHIL 221Ethics

3.0

Advanced Ethical Theory

At least one course in Advanced Ethical Theory from among the following:
PLRL 306Chinese Thought

3.0

PHIL 319Biomedical Ethics

3.0

History of Ethics

At least one course, and up to two courses, in the History of Ethics from among the following:

PHIL 305Great Figures in Western Political Thought

3.0

PHIL 307History of Philosophy: The Ancient World to the Renaissance

3.0

PHIL 308History of Philosophy: The Early Modern Era to the 20th Century

3.0

PHIL 360Topics in Ancient Greek Philosophy

3.0

REL 342From Abolitionism to Human Rights

3.0

Inequitable Power Differentials

At least one course, and up to two courses, that document and analyze different ethical responses to Inequitable Power Differentials from among the following:

AFAM 470/AFAM 570African American Feminist Thought

3.0

AFPS 301African-American Political Autobiography

3.0

AFRL 311Black Theology

3.0

AFPS 353Contemporary African Political Thought

3.0

ECON 320The Economics of Gender

3.0

PHIL 203Philosophical Issues in Feminism

3.0

PSCI 354/HON 354African Political Autobiography

3.0

PSCI 323Politics of the Developing World

3.0

PSCI 336Gender and the Law

3.0

SOC 311Sociology of Gender

3.0

SOC 318Global Social Problems

3.0

SOC 323Ethnicity in the United States

3.0

Ethical Theory in Context

If a fifth course has not been chosen from the above lists, the student may choose one of the following courses that allow the student to apply ethical theory in specific contexts:
ENGL 364/HON 364Exploring Utopia

3.0

ENPL 267Thematic Studies: Vice and Virtue

3.0

HON 304Censorship in America

3.0

PHIL 200Contemporary Philosophical Topics

3.0

PHIL 211Philosophy Through Film

3.0

PHIL 220Professional Ethics

3.0

PHIL 315/HON 315Literature of Moral Reflection

3.0

PLRL 219Ethics & Leadership

3.0

PSCI 304Philanthropy and Civic Life

3.0

PSCI 323Politics of the Developing World

3.0

PSCI 332Ancient Medieval Political Thought

3.0

PSCI 333Modern Political Thought

3.0

PSCI 405/PSCI 505Civil Liberties

3.0

REL 203Old Testament

3.0

REL 204The New Testament

3.0