Ever considered the moral motivation of characters in The Dark Knight? The Joker, one might say, strives for a Hobbesian “state of nature” by trying to eliminate social values. Thomas Hobbes argued that social structures eliminate the inclinations of the state of nature, which pit all men in a war against one another. Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, could be considered moral using Kantain ethics. While his actions did not always turn out the way he’d like, he always had good intentions. However, Wayne’s reluctance to let others act as vigilante violates the concept of acting in a way that could become universal law.
Investigate all these issues and many more in PHIL 152: Introduction to Moral Theory. This course allows you the opportunity to earn Arts and Humanities GEP as you explore the philosophical theories of morality. Investigate various moral theories including moral skepticism, virtue ethics, utilitarianism, Kantianism and other forms of non-consequentialism.
PHIL 152 emphasizes critical and charitable reading, argument analysis, and writing.
