Le Bien, le Juste, l'Utile. Introduction aux éthiques philosophiques from Coursera

Course in French with English and Chinese subtitles

Ce cours présente les principaux courants qui marquent aujourd'hui la réflexion éthique et touchent tout un chacun dans sa vie personnelle, sociale et citoyenne. D’Aristote à Kant, de Bentham à Derrida, à travers un voyage philosophique passionnant nous entrerons dans le vif du débat éthique contemporain.

Notre monde toujours plus complexe semble nous échapper. Réchauffement climatique, questions de début et de fin de vie, évolution vertigineuse des bio-technologies, inégale distribution des richesses, pressions migratoires accentuées… La tentation est grande d’une vie morale repliée sur elle-même à partir d’une éthique minimale : « fais ce que tu veux, du moment que tu ne mets pas en péril la liberté des autres ». Nous proposons de prendre le contre-pied : défendre l’idée d’une éthique qui nous plonge dans notre réalité sociale et politique, parmi nos semblables et avec eux. Et pour cela nous reposons la question de ce qui est juste, de ce qui est bien. Sans repartir de rien, sans tout réinventer.

C’est pourquoi nous présentons un cours qui permet de se familiariser avec les plus importantes perspectives éthiques traversant le monde contemporain : l’éthique des vertus (ou perfectionnisme) ; l’éthique du devoir (ou déontologisme) ; l’éthique utilitariste (ou conséquentialisme) ; l’éthique de l’amour (ou éthique du don). Ainsi chacun pourra mettre de l’ordre dans ses idées, repérer les différentes manières de s’orienter dans la vie morale, comprendre les différences d’appréciation face aux diverses situations qui interpellent et sollicitent.

Quels que soient votre champ de savoir académique, votre engagement professionnel ou vos choix personnels, il s’agit de proposer des clés d’analyse dont vous disposerez. Pour cela, nous alternerons tout au long de ce cours les présentations des grands courants, sous leur forme ancienne puis contemporaine, et des questions plus transversales ou des cas concrets. Avec un seul but : clarifier les idées pour mieux comprendre le réel et mieux orienter l’action.

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About this course:

This course presents the main schools of thought that frame today’s ethical reflection and affect everyone in their personal, social and civic life. From Aristotle to Kant, from Bentham to Derrida, we will take you to the heart of contemporary ethical debates through a fascinating philosophical journey. Our increasingly complex world seems to elude our grasp. Global warming, beginning and end-of-life issues, the dizzying evolution of bio-technologies, the unequal distribution of wealth, heightened migratory pressures ... In response, we are tempted to make the moral life a self-legislating and isolated affair: "do what you want, as long as you do not put at risk the freedom of others". We propose to go against this trend and to defend the idea of an ethics that immerses us in our social and political reality, in and amongst our peers. We thus reformulate the question of what is right and what is good. This is not to say we are starting from scratch and reinventing the wheel. Rather, we will offer a course that allows you to encounter the most important ethical perspectives of our contemporary world: virtue ethics (or perfectionism); ethics of duty (or deontology); utilitarianism (or consequentialism); ethics of love (or ethics of the gift). Everyone will thus have a chance to evaluate his or her ideas, to identify different approaches to the moral life, and to understand a range of perspectives on different situations that face us in our lives. Whatever your field of academic knowledge, your professional commitments or personal choices, this course presents key concepts for further analysis. Therefore, we will alternate discussions of the founding schools of ethical thought, in their ancient and contemporary formulations, with cross-disciplinary issues and applied case studies. The goal throughout is to clarify ideas in order to better understand reality and orient human action.

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善、正义、功用：哲学伦理学导论

本课程旨在向大家介绍伦理学的主要流派，这些流派对如今的伦理思考意义非凡，并且涉及到每个人的个人生活、社会生活和公民生活。

从亚里士多德到康德，从边沁到德里达，通过引人入胜的哲学之旅，我们将进入当代伦理学辩论的核心问题。

What's inside

Syllabus

Leçon 1 : Aristote et l'éthique des vertus – Aristotle and virtue ethics

Bienvenue dans cette première leçon du cours! Dans quelques instants nous partirons à la découverte de la pensée d’Aristote qui s'inscrit dans le courant auquel on a donné le nom d’éthique des vertus ou éthique eudémoniste. Après avoir visionné les différentes séquences vidéo, nous vous invitons à lire les chapitres tirés de l’"Ethique à Nicomaque" d’Aristote que vous trouverez au format pdf. Une bibliographie et un support de cours associés à la leçon 1 sont à votre disposition. Après chaque leçon, vous avez l’occasion de tester vos connaissances grâce à des questions à choix multiple (QCM). N’hésitez pas à poster vos questions et commentaires sur les forums de discussion. ----------- Welcome to this first lesson of the course! In a moment we will start our journey with the thought of Aristotle. His ideas are part of the school of thought that has been given the name of virtue ethics or eudemonistic ethics. After viewing the various videos, please read the chapters from the "Nicomachean Ethics" by Aristotle available at the bottom of this page. A bibliography and further course material related to Lesson 1 are at your disposal. After each lesson, you have the opportunity to test your knowledge with a multiple choice quiz (MCQs). Feel free to post your questions and comments on the discussion forums.

Leçon 2 : Les éthiques des vertus contemporaines – Contemporary virtue ethics

Après avoir exploré la pensée d’Aristote, lors de cette deuxième leçon nous nous interrogerons sur la pertinence actuelle des éthiques des vertus. Ce sera l’occasion de découvrir la pensée de trois auteurs centraux pour la réflexion autour des éthiques contemporaines : Friedrich Nietzsche, Alasdair MacIntyre et André Comte Sponville. Nous vous invitons à visionner les différentes séquences vidéo et à tester vos connaissances grâce au test d'évaluation QCM. Une bibliographie et un support de cours associés à la leçon 2 sont à votre disposition.N’oubliez pas que les forums sont à votre disposition pour poster vos questions et vos commentaires.------ After exploring the thought of Aristotle, we will, in this second lesson, examine the current relevance of virtue ethics. In this lesson, we will discover the thought of three main authors of contemporary ethics: Friedrich Nietzsche, Alasdair MacIntyre and André Comte-Sponville. We invite you to view the various video clips and to test your knowledge with the assessment test. A bibliography and additional course material related to Lesson 2 are available at the bottom of this page. Remember that the forums are open to post your questions and comments.

Leçon 3 : Kant et l'éthique du devoir – Kant and deontological ethics

Bienvenue dans la troisième leçon du cours ! Dans quelques instants vous allez vous familiariser avec la pensée éthique du grand philosophe allemand du XVIIIe siècle Emmanuel Kant ! Dans la bibliographie qui accompagne cette leçon vous trouverez quelques indications de lecture concernant Kant. Nous vous conseillons en particulier d’entreprendre la lecture de la deuxième section des "Fondements de la métaphysique des mœurs". N’hésitez pas à intervenir dans les forums et n’oubliez pas de compléter le test QCM ! ------------- Welcome to the third lesson of this course! In a few moments, you will encounter the ethical thinking of the eighteenth Century great German philosopher Immanuel Kant! You will find some guidance on reading Kant in the bibliography that accompanies this lesson. We especially recommend beginning the reading with the second section of the "Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals". Do not hesitate to participate in the forums and make sure you complete the assessment test!

Leçon 4 : Les éthiques déontologiques contemporaines – Contemporary deontological ethics

Dans cette quatrième leçon consacrée aux éthiques déontologiques contemporaines nous allons découvrir la pensée éthique de Jürgen Habermas, Karl-Otto Apel, Hans Jonas, Paul Ricoeur et John Rawls. Une petite bibliographie avec des conseils de lecture vous orientera à la découverte de ces auteurs.N'oubliez pas de tester vos connaissances grâce aux quiz QCM ! Les discussions dans les forums se poursuivent; elles offrent un complément utile au cours et sont l’occasion d’approfondir de façon interactive les questions abordées dans cette exploration des éthiques philosophiques. ---------- In this fourth lesson devoted to contemporary deontological ethics, we will discover the ethics of Jürgen Habermas, Karl-Otto Apel, Hans Jonas, Paul Ricoeur and John Rawls. A small bibliography with reading tips will guide you on this inquiry. Remember to test your knowledge completing the quiz! The discussions on the forums provide an ongoing complement to the course and offer the opportunity to interactively explore the issues addressed on this journey.

Leçon 5 : Bentham et l'éthique utilitariste – Bentham and utilitarianism

Bienvenue dans la cinquième leçon du cours ! Après avoir étudié ensemble les éthiques des vertus et les éthiques déontologiques, lors de cette cinquième étape du cours nous allons plonger dans un troisième grand courant, à savoir celui des éthiques conséquentialistes et utilitaristes. Cette leçon tournera autour de la figure de Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), qui est considéré comme le fondateur de l’utilitarisme.Nous vous conseillons de lire les textes de Bentham indiqués dans la bibliographie de cette leçon. Nous vous rappelons également que le forum est toujours à votre disposition si vous souhaitez approfondir l’un ou l’autre aspect du cours : nous répondrons volontiers à vos questions. --------- Welcome to the fifth lesson of this course! After considering both virtue and deontological ethics, we will now dive into a third great school of thought, namely consequentialism and utilitarianism. This lesson revolves around the figure of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), considered the founder of utilitarianism. We advise you to read the texts of Bentham listed in the bibliography of this lesson. We also remind you that the forum is still available if you want to deepen an aspect of the course. We will gladly answer your questions.

Leçon 6 : Les éthiques utilitaristes contemporaines – Contemporary utilitarianism

Après avoir analysé les fondements de l’utilitarisme classique, dans cette sixième leçon nous vous invitons à une réflexion sur l’héritage de Bentham, du XIXe siècle jusqu’à nos jours. Ce sera l’occasion de découvrir de quelle manière John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) a réorienté l’utilitarisme benthamien, mais aussi d’aborder ensemble quelques cas pratiques d’application de l’éthique utilitariste dans le monde contemporain.En plus des séquences vidéo à regarder, nous vous proposons comme lecture de référence le quatrième chapitre de l’ouvrage "L’Utilitarisme" de John Stuart Mill. Nous vous invitons également à consulter la bibliographie du cours et à compléter le test d'évaluation QCM. Les forums de discussion restent à votre disposition pour toute question ou commentaire : n’hésitez pas à participer. -------- After analysing the foundations of classical utilitarianism, this sixth lesson invites you to reflect on the legacy of Bentham, from the nineteenth Century to the present. This lesson is an opportunity to discover how John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) reoriented Bentham’s utilitarianism, but also to jointly address some practical applications of utilitarianism in our contemporary world. In addition to watching the video clips, we suggest you read the fourth chapter of the book "Utilitarianism" by John Stuart Mill. We also invite you to consult the bibliography for this lesson and to complete the multiple choice assessment test. Discussion forums are available for any question or comment. Feel free to participate.

Leçon 7 : Vers un au-delà de l’éthique ? Les éthiques du don – Beyond ethics ? Ethics of the gift

Lors de cette septième leçon nous allons introduire un quatrième courant éthique, un courant que l’on peut nommer "éthiques du don". Nous découvrirons ce courant à travers trois auteurs, qui explorent l'éthique jusqu'aux limites et posent le problème de la générosité et de l'amour : Henri Bergson, Emmanuel Levinas et Jacques Derrida.Nous vous invitons à approfondir la pensée de ces trois philosophes importants et originaux en lisant les ouvrages conseillés dans la bibliographie qui accompagne cette leçon.Les discussions dans les forums se poursuivent et nous vous encourageons à poser vos questions et à laisser vos commentaires. ------------ During this seventh lesson, we will introduce a fourth school of thoughts in ethics, the "ethics of gift". We will approach this intellectual current through three authors who explored the limits of ethics and raised the issues of generosity and love : Henri Bergson, Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida. We invite you to deepen your thinking on these three important and original philosophers by reading the books recommended in the bibliography. Once again, we encourage you to partake in the discussions on the forums.

Leçon 8 : Mises en perspective - pour aller plus loin – Perspectives - To go further

Nous sommes désormais arrivés au terme de ce parcours d’introduction aux éthiques philosophiques. Lors de cette dernière leçon nous allons tenter de réfléchir ensemble à l’articulation entre les différents courants éthiques que nous avons étudiés dans les semaines précédentes. Vous aurez aussi l'occasion de découvrir la pensée de Spinoza ainsi que l'éthique confucéenne.Nous vous rappelons que le forum est toujours à votre disposition pour toute question, réflexion ou commentaire. ----- We have now reached the end of this introductory course to philosophical ethics. During this final lesson, we will try to reflect together on the articulation of different ethical currents studied in the past weeks. You will also have the opportunity to discover the thoughts of Spinoza and Confucius. We remind you that the forum is always available for questions, discussions or comments.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces Aristotelian ethics and contemporary virtue ethics, which is useful for understanding virtue ethics in practice

Examines the relevance of deontological ethics in the work of Habermas, Apel, Jonas, Ricoeur, and Rawls

Investigates the foundations of classical utilitarianism and its contemporary applications, which is key for understanding ethics in business, government, and law

Explores ethics of gift, which broadens the standard philosophical approach to ethics

Requires no background knowledge, making it accessible to beginners in philosophical ethics

Articulates the relationship between different ethical currents

Reviews summary

Éthique intéressante

Ce cours offre une excellente introduction aux principes éthiques de base, en explorant les perspectives de grands philosophes tels qu'Aristote, Kant, Bentham et Derrida. Les étudiants louent les professeurs pour leur clarté et leur engagement, et apprécient la structure bien organisée du cours, qui présente différentes perspectives philosophiques de manière accessible et attrayante.

Reprise d'idées connues et apport d'autres

"Existe-t-il un autre cours pour approfondir cette notion d'éthiques philosophies ?"

Structure, organisation et progression

"C'est un cours qui est vraiment très important et il nécessite une concentration profonde. Je remercie toute l'équipe pédagogique "

"Cours utile, passionnant et très bien équilibré."

Cours bien structuré et clairement expliqué

"Cours très clair, construit et particulièrement instructif."

"Merci aux organisateurs de ce MOOC.Encore aujourd’hui Je relis souvent les supports de cours tant les thèmes traités sont au fondement du bon fonctionnement de nos démocraties."

Cinq étoiles pour les professeurs

"Excellent, trés bon professeurs!Merci beaucoup!"

Accessible même sans connaissance préalable

"Merci infiniment, j'ai pu developper mes idées et mes iformations sur l'histoire et les prinicpes de l'éthique philosophique, surtout je prépare ma thèse sur l'éthique médicale dans une vision sociologique..."

"accessible même sans connaissance préalable d'éthique ou de philosophie."

"Excellent cours, tout à fait passionant."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Le Bien, le Juste, l'Utile. Introduction aux éthiques philosophiques with these activities:

Organize your notes and materials

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Organizing your notes and materials will help you to stay on top of the course material and to prepare for assessments.

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Gather all of your notes, handouts, and other materials for the course.
Create a system for organizing your materials.
File your materials in an organized manner.
Review your materials regularly to ensure that you are up-to-date.

Read "Nicomachean Ethics" by Aristotle

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Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is a foundational work in the field of ethics. Reading this book will provide you with a deep understanding of virtue ethics and its relevance to contemporary ethical issues.

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Purchase or borrow a copy of the book.
Set aside time to read the book.
Take notes and highlight important passages.
Reflect on the book's main arguments and ideas.

Read "Utilitarianism" by John Stuart Mill

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John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism is a classic work in the field of ethics. Reading this book will provide you with a deep understanding of utilitarianism and its relevance to contemporary ethical issues.

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Purchase or borrow a copy of the book.
Set aside time to read the book.
Take notes and highlight important passages.
Reflect on the book's main arguments and ideas.

Six other activities

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Test your understanding of different ethical concepts

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Doing these exercises will provide you with an opportunity to test your understanding of the main ethical concepts and to identify areas where you may need to focus your studies.

Browse courses on Virtue Ethics

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Identify the main ethical concepts that are covered in the course.
Find practice questions or exercises that cover these concepts.
Attempt to solve the practice questions or exercises.
Review your answers and identify areas where you need to improve your understanding.

Join a study group or discussion forum

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Participating in a study group or discussion forum will allow you to interact with other students and to learn from their perspectives.

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Find a study group or discussion forum that is relevant to the course.
Introduce yourself to the group and participate in the discussions.
Share your knowledge and insights with other group members.
Learn from the perspectives of other group members.

Create a compilation of ethical principles

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Reinforce your understanding of key ethical principles by compiling a list of important concepts and their definitions from the course materials.

Browse courses on Ethical Principles

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Review the course materials and identify the main ethical principles discussed
Create a table or spreadsheet to organize the principles and their corresponding definitions
Add examples and real-life applications of each principle to enhance your understanding

Apply ethical principles to real-world scenarios

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Completing these case studies will allow you to apply the ethical principles that you have learned in the course to real-world situations, which will help you to develop your critical thinking and decision-making skills.

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Identify a real-world scenario that involves an ethical issue.
Research the ethical principles that are relevant to the scenario.
Apply the ethical principles to the scenario and develop a solution.
Evaluate the solution and consider its implications.

Write an essay on the strengths and weaknesses of different ethical theories

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Writing an essay will allow you to synthesize the knowledge that you have gained in the course and to develop your critical thinking and writing skills.

Browse courses on Ethics

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Choose a specific topic for your essay.
Research the different ethical theories that are relevant to your topic.
Develop a thesis statement that expresses your main argument.
Write an outline for your essay.
Draft your essay.
Revise and edit your essay.

Develop a code of ethics for a specific profession or organization

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Developing a code of ethics will allow you to apply the ethical principles that you have learned in the course to a specific real-world context.

Browse courses on Ethics

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Identify the profession or organization for which you will develop a code of ethics.
Research the ethical issues that are relevant to the profession or organization.
Develop a set of ethical principles that will guide the profession or organization.
Write a code of ethics that incorporates the ethical principles.
Get feedback on the code of ethics from stakeholders.
Revise and finalize the code of ethics.

Career center

Learners who complete Le Bien, le Juste, l'Utile. Introduction aux éthiques philosophiques will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Ethician

An Ethician designs and implements ethical codes and guidelines for organizations and institutions. Their work helps these organizations operate ethically, which can strengthen employee and stakeholder relationships and the organization's status in its field. This course provides a good foundation for your role by introducing core ethical concepts and frameworks that you may use in your work. You will start with foundational concepts and work your way up to complex ethical issues that contemporary organizations face.

See salaries and explore the career path for Ethician

Philosopher

Philosophy asks big questions about existence, morality, and thought. As a Philosopher, you apply these questions and methodologies to analyze problems, develop theories, and make informed decisions. This course will lay an excellent foundation for this career by introducing you to ethical frameworks and theories. You will be more prepared to ask the right questions and critically evaluate your own and others' thoughts and actions, skills necessary to be an effective Philosopher.

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Policy Analyst

This course in ethics will help you understand the ethical considerations in public policy work, such as the distribution of benefits and burdens, the role of government, and the rights of individuals. You will learn to think critically about policy issues, identify ethical dilemmas, and develop policy recommendations.

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Judge

This course in ethics will allow you to learn about the ethical principles that judges must follow, such as impartiality, fairness, and integrity. You will also learn about the ethical challenges that judges face, such as conflicts of interest and political pressure.

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Social Worker

This course in ethics will help you identify the ethical issues that social workers face, such as confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and the duty to report child abuse. You will also learn how to apply ethical principles to social work practice.

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Guidance Counselor

This course in ethics will help you develop the ethical decision-making skills you need to help your students make good choices. You will also learn about the ethical issues that guidance counselors face, such as confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and the duty to report child abuse.

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Lawyer

This course provides a strong foundation in ethical reasoning, which is crucial for success as a Lawyer. The ethical principles you will learn about will help you navigate ethical dilemmas that arise in the legal profession, such as conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and the duty to represent clients zealously.

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Human Resources Manager

The course will assist in the development of your critical-thinking skills so you can analyze and resolve ethical issues in the workplace, such as discrimination, harassment, and conflicts of interest. You will also learn about the ethical responsibilities of HR professionals.

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Journalist

The course will help you develop the analytical skills to think critically about the information you encounter in your work. You will also learn to identify the ethical issues that arise in journalism, such as conflicts of interest, the right to privacy, and the duty to report the truth. This learning will provide a great foundation for your career as a Journalist.

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Academic Advisor

This course in ethics can help prepare you to address ethical issues that arise in advising students, such as conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and the duty to report student misconduct.

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Nonprofit Manager

This course can help you understand the ethical issues that nonprofit managers face, such as conflicts of interest, fundraising ethics, and the duty to serve the public interest.

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Civil Servant

This course may help in providing you with a solid understanding of the ethical principles that civil servants must follow. You will learn about topics such as conflicts of interest, whistleblowing, and the duty of loyalty.

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Politician

This course may assist in your work by helping you to understand the ethical issues that politicians face. You will learn about topics such as conflicts of interest, campaign finance, and the use of power.

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Teacher

This course may be useful for your role by helping you think critically about the ethical issues that arise in education. You will learn about topics such as equity, diversity, and inclusion, and how to create a positive and ethical learning environment.

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Activist

This course may be useful by introducing you to the ethical issues that activists face, such as civil disobedience, the use of violence, and the duty to respect the rights of others.

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