PHIL 860.001 – Research Seminar in Moral Theory

The title of the course is Faith, Hope, and Trust.

This course will examine the nature and moral significance of faith, hope, and trust. We will approach the topic from four main perspectives: (1) We will consider the charge that traditional moral theories do not adequately reflect the degree to which our social lives are made up of trusting relationships. (2) We will consider the view that part of being a good person is being disposed to trust certain people, or to have some form of faith in them. (3) We will consider the view that it is morally important for us to accept certain values as a matter of faith, and we will consider the relation between this sort of faith and religious faith. (4) Finally, we will discuss moral grounds for hope that human beings can live together in peace. The syllabus is likely to include readings from Robert Adams, Annette Baier, Bernard Boxill, Ronald Dworkin, Thomas Hill, Kant, Adrienne Martin, Onora O’Neill, Ryan Preston-Roedder, and John Rawls.