This course applies the ethical theories studied in Philosophy 331 (or in the first half of Philosophy 330) to several contemporary moral questions, where the questions chosen are of particular interest to the medical, business, legal, and other professions. These questions include the rights and responsibilities of professionals, patients, and consumers; euthanasia and abortion; sexual harassment and affirmative action; the social and financial responsibilities of corporations; human sexuality, pornography, and the family; the role of the law in legislating and enforcing morality. Three credits.

Prerequisite: Philosophy 331 (or the first half of Philosophy 330)

• The class will have a 'lecture and discussion' format. The professor will introduce a topic with a summary of the relevant arguments or a commentary on a text. This will be followed by questions and discussion of the material by the class as a whole (e.g., points of clarification or criticism and of comparison; comments on the relations between or among different issues).
• Students are expected to have prepared the readings before class, to attend all of the classes and to participate in discussion.
• Students who have more than 3 unjustified absences in a term will be penalized.
• It is essential in learning how to do philosophy that students be prepared to ask and answer questions in class.
• Students should make a point of reading and reviewing the material on these web pages.

Course Outline:

• What limits on liberty are justifiable? (Mill's On Liberty)

• When are individuals responsible for their actions?
• the conditions for moral responsibility

• On the basis of the theories discussed in the first part of the course, we also shall discuss such problems in contemporary moral philosophy as the following:

1. Ethics in Law and in Journalism: Freedom of speech, censorship and the law #
2. Ethics in Law: Punishment and capital punishment*
3. Social and Personal Ethics /Responsibilities of Patients and Health Care Professionals: Euthanasia #
4. Social and Personal Ethics /Responsibilities of Patients and Health Care Professionals: Abortion #
5. Ethics in the Workplace: Equality and affirmative action*
6. Famine relief and the duty to alleviate suffering #
7. Ethics and the Environment #
8. Ethics in Business: Globalization and morality*

• The morality and obligations of business
• Legalisation of the non-medical use of drugs
• The morality of war #
• The moral legitimacy of terrorism #
  
• Health care and allocating scarce medical resources #
• Autonomy and Sexual labour #
• The rights of non-human animals #
  
• Parental licensing
• The value of rights and culture
  

Texts / Readings:

* = articles from philosophy journals and books (to be distributed in class)
# = Ethical Issues, ed. Eldon Soifer, 2nd ed., Broadview Press

Group presentations - 20%
Written assignment [research essay or 'in class' essay] (March 14 / Feb. 19) - 30 %
Final examination (Sat. April 19th, 9 am) - 50 %