261032 Michael Smith: The Moral Problem (GradS) (SoSe 2009)

On the one hand, moral judgments seem to be objective. We think that it is simply wrong to torture children for fun, and that everyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken. On the other hand, moral judgments appear to be ‘practical’: Someone who is really convinced that it is wrong to torture children for fun will probably not do so (and will prevent other people from doing so, if he can). The problem is: How can both of these things be true? Michael Smith argues that standard metaethical approaches fail to give a satisfactory answer to this question and develops his own solution to “the moral problem”.
Michael Smith’s book is very clear and accessible, and it introduces the main positions in the field of metaethics in a fair and accurate way. Therefore, this course is not only a course about Michael Smith, but also an introduction to contemporary metaethics.

This course will be conducted in english.
Grundlage für die Vergabe von Leistungspunkten (BA- und MA of Education-Studiengang) ein Essay (5-10 Seiten). Im Masterstudiengang erfolgt der Erwerb von Leistungspunkten ausschließlich auf Modulebene.

Requirements for participation, required level

Diese Veranstaltung richtet sich in erster Linie an Masterstudierende im Fach Philosophie. BA-Studierende der Philosophie oder andere Studierende können nach persönlicher und rechtzeitiger Rücksprache mit dem Veranstalter zugelassen werden. Im Bedarfsfall kann die Veranstaltung (mit 3 LP) für ein BA-Hauptmodul angerechnet werden.

Bibliography

Michael Smith (1994): The Moral Problem. Oxford: Blackwell.