This will be a survey of contemporary moral theory and the scientific study of morality, with an aim to improving your own moral decision-making, and encouraging the same in others. Register now. It’s a one-month, online, do-at-your-own-pace course in which you can participate as much or as little as you want. Lots of people just lurk, do the readings, and read the ensuing discussions, and that’s totally fine. But there will also be challenging assignment questions each week that will help you grasp and benefit from the readings and discussions, for anyone who wants to take that additional step.

Subjects covered in this course will include:

  1. What the words “morals” and “morality” can variously mean and how to make use of that knowledge in public discourse.
  2. What we must mean when we argue others should share or adopt or agree with a moral opinion and how we can more effectively argue they should.
  3. How we can use science and philosophy to determine what our moral values are or should be, and how to reason from values to best actions.
  4. And what brain science and sociology tell us about the cognitive errors that impair sound moral decision-making and how to overcome them or control or compensate for them.

Unlike religious moral systems, atheist moral systems are evidence- and science-based, incorporate logic and reason in an informed way, and attend to the factual realities of human life and emotion. Completing this course will help improve your ability to become a better, more thoughtful and aware person, and provide you with information and techniques to help bring others to the same state of being.

The required course book is Personality, Identity, and Character (eds. Darcia Narvaez and Daniel Lapsley), available in print and kindle. Students must purchase their own copy (print or electronic) before course begins. Additional materials are provided electronically inside the online classroom at no cost to students.

 

 

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