EthicsWorks 2001

by Robert J. Pielke

This is the first instructional software package designed specifically for ethics courses. EthicsWorks eases the teaching of introductory ethics by providing students with interactive practice with 1,200 exercises and original text. This electronic workbook allows for considerable writing and interaction with the instructor, far more than a typical introductory course built around lectures and exams. The carefully designed mix of questions (including fill-in-the-blanks), multiple, choice, and analogies) encourages dialogue whenever there is disagreement over an answer, and both correct and incorrect answers generate informative feedback.

The program includes explanatory overviews of philosophy and ethics, as well as multimedia introductions to several basic moral dilemmas. This is followed by sections on Ordinary Language & Ethics, Key Analytical Concepts, Classical Theorists, Basic Principles, Liberty & Harm, Rights & Duties, and Justice. Each section has its own set of questions that can be assigned by the teacher as desired. Since the instructions in the program are extensive and detailed, instructors can spend more class time working individually with students having difficulty or with those who wish to progress at a faster pace. Instructors will also appreciate the convenient grading features of the program, including the ability to automatically compute grades.

EthicsWorks is not designed to be used alone, and is intended for use with two kinds of texts: a standard exposition of ethical theory or a collection of normative, issue-oriented articles. The conceptual scheme used in EthicsWorks has become almost universal in recent years, and the specific articles mentioned in the program are among the most well known in contemporary moral philosophy. Instructors should know that the philosophical orientation of EthicsWorks is decidedly analytic in approach.

EthicsWorks is available in Windows compatible format (only), and runs on various Windows operating systems (95, 98, ME, 2000, and NT). Contact the PDC for departmental, site and system license pricing.

Each student purchases a Student Package, which contains the software and a Student Manual. The Student Package can be ordered through bookstores or from the Philosophy Documentation Center. Instructors who adopt EthicsWorks will receive a free Instructor Package, which includes a Student Package, the Grader, the Editor, and a Guide for Instructors.

Student package: ISBN 1-889680-27-3; $25.95
Instructor package: ISBN 1-889680-26-5; Free

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