University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Goal A

To familiarize students with:
• The history of ethical theory, including these major ethical theories:
  • Ancient: Virtue Theory
  • Medieval: Natural Law
  • Modern: Kantian ethics, Utilitarianism (act and rule versions)
  • Contemporary: Feminist Ethic of Care
• A Non-Western version of one of the above or departure from the above categories
• The general distinction between Consequentialist and Deontogical theories;
• Cultural Ethical Relativism÷the normative variety, not merely descriptive
• the issue of whether moral judgments are subject to rational examination vs. being no more than expressions of emotion/taste (Emotivism).

Blue Ribbon Core Competencies: Social and Cultural Awareness, Historical Consciousness, International Awareness, Aesthetic Experience, Verbal Literacy

Learning objectives

Students should be able to:
1. Recognize the central concepts and claims of Virtue, Natural Law, Kantian, Utilitarian (act and rule), Feminist, Relativist, and Emotivist, ethical theories.
2. Identify a given theory as Consequentialist, Deontological, or as representing a theoretical departure from these two standard categories.
3. Recognize the way a thinker from one of the theories listed in A1 might reason about a moral issue.

Goal B

To introduce students to the philosophical notion of an argument and enhance the critical thinking and literacy skills required for the evaluation of ethical theories and arguments.

Here, the development of critical thinking includes refining the skills needed to:
• Identify an argument in a passage
• Recognize the two general ways one might criticize an argument (challenge a premise and/or question whether the conclusion follows from the premises)

Blue Ribbon Core Competencies: Critical Thinking, Verbal Literacy

Learning objectives

Students should be able to:
1. Recognize what an argument is and is not.
2. Identify a simple argument contained in a written passage.
3. Evaluate an argument, including the arguments given in support of the approaches highlighted in Learning Objective A1.