This area introduces students to the analysis of values, to ways of addressing ethical problems and choices, and to systems of thought or religion that affect value judgments. Given the centrality of moral and ethical values to human conduct, a deeper understanding of the bases of these judgments is critical. Courses in this area examine the foundations upon which such systems are constructed and the processes through which judgments are made.
Several departments include courses in this area. Anthropology, classics, French, German, international studies, philosophy, and religion all offer courses that examine ethics, value judgments, and the understandings of reality by which people conduct their lives.
Courses in ethics and values do not teach morality; however, they do teach how societies express morals and norms. They introduce students to the most significant types of human value systems and/or ethical decision making and examine ways in which such systems develop, spread, and change. The focus and organization of these courses may vary, but all place important problems in a context that has a widespread cultural impact.
