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This course will provide both a systematic introduction to normative ethical theory, as well as discussion of selected problems in applied ethics. The first part of the course, on normative ethical theory, will start by considering theories of wellbeing, that is, of what is good for people. We will then consider four types of answers to the question of how we ought to act, morally speaking: consequentialism, deontology, social contract theory and virtues ethics. The focus will be both on classic expressions of these frameworks, as well as on select contemporary controversies. Finally, we will consider the question of choice under moral uncertainty, of what we ought to do when we don’t know what the correct moral theory is. 

In the second part of the course, we will explore a series of topics in applied ethics, such as effective altruism, climate responsibility, procreation, punishment, consent, manipulation, attentional harm and privacy. The selection of topics will be guided by student interest.

compulsory course for MA students

8 ECTS - will be discussed in the first seminar