1. Introduction to Ethics  Definition of Morality and Ethics  Fields in Ethics –descriptive, normative, metaethics  Other Normative Disciplines –law, religion, etiquette  Domains of Moral Assessment –act, consequences, character, motive

2. Ways of Moral Reasoning  Deontological  Teleological/Utilitarian  Relativism  Egoism  Emotivism  Virtue Theory

3. Deontological Ethics  Defined: principle-based  3 Main Types of Deontology: –Divine Commands –Natural Law –Kantian deontology

4. Natural Law Ethics  Defined: general revelation in the area of moral values  Biblical Basis: –Jeremiah 33: 25-26, Proverbs 8:22-31 –Romans 2: 14-16 –Proverbs 6:6-11, 24:30-34

5. Teleological Ethics  Utilitarianism Defined: greatest good for the greates number.  Act and rule utilitarianism  Appeal of Utilitarianism  Problems with Utilitarianism –Can’t predict/measure harm and benefit; harm depends on prior principles, can’t protect minorities.

6. Teleological Ethics  Ethical Egoism defined: self-interest  Appeal of Egoism  Problems with Egoism  Balancing self-interest and altruism

7. Relativism  Different cultural standards  Multiculturalism and the revival of relativism  Types of Relativism: cultural, individual, situation ethics  Cultural Relativism defined:  Problems with relativism –self-defeating, can’t condemn tyrants

8. Virtue Theory  Action oriented ethics vs. virtue oriented ethics  Approach of the Virtue ethicist to cases  Intuitionist--right and wrong known directly by intuition/conscience

9. Conclusion  Systems have one main point of difference-- source of moral authority  Scripture uses a variety of types of reasoning, but is primarily deontological/virtue based  Watch the news for discussion of the issues- -watch how they determine right and wrong