What's Good on TV? Understanding Ethics Through Television

What's Good on TV? Understanding Ethics Through Television presents an introduction to the basic theories and concepts of moral philosophy using concrete examples from classic and contemporary television shows. Utilizes clear examples from popular contemporary and classic television shows, such as The Office, Law and Order, Star Trek and Family Guy, to illustrate complex philosophical concepts Designed to be used as a stand-alone or supplementary introductory ethics text Features case studies, study questions, and suggested readings Episodes mentioned are from a wide variety of television shows, and are easily accessible Offers a balanced treatment of a number of controversial ethical issues including environmental ethics, animal welfare, abortion, homosexuality, capital punishment, assisted suicide, censorship and the erosion of values

Jamie Carlin Watson is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Young Harris College, Young Harris, Georgia. He has published in the fields of philosophy of science and popular culture and philosophy. His current research is in the epistemology of a priori justification.

Robert Arp taught aspects of philosophy at several colleges and universities, including Southwest Minnesota State University, Florida State University, and Saint Louis University. He has published works in many philosophical areas, including philosophy of biology, philosophy of mind, and popular culture and philosophy.

SECTION ONE: METAETHICS (DESCRIPTIVE, NON-NORMATIVE ETHICS).Introduction to Metaethics.Chapter: Free Will and Morality.Episode: "Inheritance" Law and Order, SVU, season 3.Chapter: Ethical Relativism.Episode: "The Death Camp of Tolerance" South Park, season 6.Chapter: Good and Evil, Right and Wrong.Episode: "College" The Sopranos, season 1.and.Episode: "Lexmas" Smallville, season 5..SECTION TWO: NORMATIVE ETHICS.Introduction to Normative Ethics .Chapter: Religious Ethics.Episode: "God Bless the Child" Law and Order, season 2.or.Episode: "Apocrypha" Law and Order, season 3.or.Episode: "Disciple" Law and Order, season 9.Chapter: Power, Pleasure, and Hedonism.Episode: "Death Wish" Star Trek: Voyager, season 2.and.Episode: "The Masks" The Twilight Zone (Older), season 5.Chapter: Ethical Egoism.Episode: "The Finale" Seinfeld, season 9.and.Episode: "The Shelter" The Twilight Zone (Older), season 2.Chapter: Kantianism and Duty-Based Ethics.Episode: "Lisa the Iconoclast" The Simpsons, season 7...Chapter: Kantianism and Telling the Truth.Episode: "Not without My Daughter" Arrested Development, season 1.or.Episode: "Reality Bites" The Simpsons, season 9.Chapter: Kantianism and Justice.Episode: "Justice" Star Trek: The Next Generation, season 1.Chapter: Utilitarianism, Consequences, and the Common Good.Episode: "Symbiosis" Star Trek: The Next Generation, season 1.or.Episode: "You Can't Go Home Again" Battlestar Galactica (Newer), season 1.or.Episode: "Cradle of Darkness" The Twilight Zone (Newer), season 1.and.Episode: "The Ned Zone," The Simpsons, season 16.Chapter: Utilitarianism and By Any Means Necessary.Episode: "Final Exam" Outer Limits (Newer), season 4.or.Episode: "Thinking Makes It So" Law and Order, season 16.or.Episode: "Confidence Man" Lost, season 1.or.Episode: "Torture: 9pm-10pm" 24, season 5.or.Episode: "Jailbait" The Shield, season 5.Chapter: Utilitarianism and Punishment.Episode: "Older and Far Away" Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 7.Chapter: Virtue Ethics and The Virtues.Episode: "Front and Center" JAG, season 5.and.Episode: "Sticks and Stones" My Name is Earl, season 2.Chapter: Virtue and Role Models.Episode: "The Freshman" Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 4.or.Episode: "The Gift" Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 5.Chapter: Virtue Ethics and The Golden Mean.Episode: "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire" Family Guy, season 2.Chapter: V