Social Ethics OpenCourseWare: Free Undergraduate Level Ethics Theory Course by Dixie State College of Utah

Published Jan 07, 2009

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Dixie State College of Utah presents a free OpenCourseWare class called 'Social Ethics' that addresses ethical issues through a historical survey of Western philosophical thought, with readings by famous philosophers like Nietzsche and Kant. This basic, undergraduate-level course is a good stepping-stone to pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, but could be helpful for students of any field.

Social Ethics: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
Yes Yes No

Social Ethics: Course Description

Edwin Reber, associate professor in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at Dixie State College of Utah, teaches this free OpenCourseWare 'Social Ethics'. This lecture-based class is intended to instruct students from any background on the history of Western ethical thought. Along the way, you'll start to question the reasons behind your own ethical values and learn how to apply lessons from history to contemporary socio-political problems.

According to the professor, the goal of this free online course is to encourage students to gain critical awareness of their moral traditions and be able to compare different value systems. With readings drawn from both the literary and philosophical realm, 'Social Ethics' exposes student to some of the West's great thinkers, including Nietzsche, Jeremy Bentham and Immanuel Kant.

This survey of the past few centuries of ethical theory poses some of philosophy's major ethical questions, such as if human beings are fundamentally good or evil and if there are any universal rules of ethical behavior. This class was intended to fulfill the humanities requirement for students of any major and is recommended to students pursuing degrees in law, education, science, business or pre-med. However, 'Social Ethics' could also be a good introduction or review if you're pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy.

This OpenCourseWare class includes a syllabus (which states course goals and includes descriptions of written assignments), a course schedule with recommended readings and three downloadable PowerPoint presentations. If you'd like to learn more about this free online class, check out the social ethics home page.

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