uwloo

PHIL 221Ethics

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Philosophy

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Moral philosophy is the systematic attempt to answer what might be the most important question of all: how should we live our lives? In this course, students will explore some of the major debates and theories in moral philosophy and consider how those theories are relevant to their own lives. By engaging with philosophical texts from the ancient to the contemporary world, students will build knowledge of competing moral theories that emphasize the importance of overall happiness, autonomy, and virtue, and will evaluate sceptical challenges to each of those theories, including challenges that emphasize the importance of racial or gender analysis to moral thinking. Through reading, writing, and other course activities, students will learn to apply philosophical theories, concepts, and arguments, and will develop the analytical and communication skills required to develop their own perspectives and arguments on complex moral questions.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 001376356 / 60MW 10:00–11:20

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 08135270 / 50Online or by arrangement
LEC 701122726 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

76% liked it62% easy48% useful

From 21 ratings and 5 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Typical ethics course that covers Utilitarianism, Deontology/Kant and Virtue Ethics. Fun course with Doucet, who encourages interesting discussions in class. Assessments were pretty easy, there was a short written assignment where you had to explain one of the counterpoints Mill addresses in Utilitarianism, an open book test on the three main moral theories, and a final essay. Doucet gives a free 5% to your final grade if you show up to class with an essay draft. Overall really enjoyed this course.

    Mar 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • I wasn't a huge fan of this course. If you've taken other 100 or 200-level ethics courses this will feel like a total repeat of content. The mid-term was fairly easy and straightforward but the two papers were more challenging to write. Philosophical theories can be very difficult to interpret and argue, especially in papers, so I would be weary of that for a super paper-heavy course. The breakdown was a 15% paper, 25% midterm, 30% essay and 30% final, so not bad in terms of four markables only. Took the course online and it only took about 30 minutes per week to make notes on the modules and readings.

    Dec 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Awesome course. Very useful and interesting material. Matt Doucet is an awesome teacher who cultivates a very comfortable classroom environment. He is very organized and his lectures are well thought through and well guided.
    Great course, would highly recommend.

    Nov 2018 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Don't do this online

    Jun 2017 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Thought this would be about moral issues but it was not. It was about definition of justice over the years. There's a different class for discussions about moral issues. I do not recommend this course

    Jan 2016 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

17 posts and comments in 16 threads mention PHIL 221, July 2013 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2023

Winter 2023

Fall 2022

Philosophy 3 points, 6 comments

“How challenging are the philosophy courses? As its mostly subjective marking of essays, is it still possible to get good marks?”

u/Ylvy_reddit: “… I'm also taking PHIL 221 (with Mathieu Doucet) in the winter term, so if you have any questions about that you can message me once it starts.”

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Spring 2022

A GUIDE ON HOW TO PLAN AN OPTION 29 points, 15 comments

u/1000Ditto: “… List A online without prereqs: soc 101, phil 145, phil 201, phil 202, phil 215, phil 221, phil 324, pacs 201, pacs 202, pacs 203, gsj 222, geog 207 \[ GEOG 207 is the online one only one offered online on list A eng\] List C online without prereqs: The list is huge but includes …”

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Fall 2021

What's a course you've taken that made you think "everyone needs to take this course" and why? 77 points, 48 comments

“Whether it had a lot of applicable information for daily life, really changed your point of view on something, or was just extremely interesting. …”

u/xhumptyDumptyx: “… &x200B; I second bio 273 and music 140 &x200B; I'll add psych 101 to the list and math 135 (or any course that introduces proofs in a fun way) &x200B; I feel like Phil 221 (ethics) would have made the list if I had stuck with it, but I ended up having to drop it for something …”

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Winter 2021

Winter 2019

Any one taken a philosophy minor before 3 points, 6 comments

u/katsukichan: “… Tolkien &x200B; PHIL 221: Ethics &x200B; PHIL 251: Metaphysics and Epistemology &x200B; PHIL 265: The Existentialist Experience &x200B; PHIL 302: Topics in Feminist Philosophy &x200B; PHIL 324: Social and Political Philosophy &x200B; PHIL 328: Human Rights &x200B; PHIL 384: …”

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Fall 2017

Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments

“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”

u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”

u/Jackhofmann: “… 120J PHIL 121 PHIL 145 PHIL 201 PHIL 201W PHIL 202 PHIL 209W PHIL 215 PHIL 216 PHIL 220J PHIL 221 PHIL 226 PHIL 240 PHIL 247W PHIL 251 PHIL 256 PHIL 258 PHIL 265 PHIL 283 PHIL 284 PHIL 319J PHIL 320 PHIL 327 PHIL 329 PHIL 340 PHIL 356 PHIL 371 PHIL 420 PHIL 459 PHIL 482 PHIL 498 …”

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Spring 2017

Bird/Interesting electives to take? 0 points, 6 comments

“Planning on doing an online course during my coop term so I can take 4 courses in my study term after. What are some easy or interesting courses to take? Right now I have HRM200 and FINE130 in mind. …”

u/AetherThought: “I thought PHIL221 was interesting, but it was a bit more work than it's worth. ENGL335 was great.”

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Winter 2017

How do online courses work? 0 points, 3 comments

“I'm thinking of taking ENG 109 and MATH 127 online. (I already know calculus, I just need the course to get into calculus II.) Good or bad idea?”

u/TheZarosian: “Online courses are both a blessing and a curse. You won't need to go to class and can work at your own pace. …”

u/mesutwilshere12: “Take PHIL221 atm. Lots of sitting mindlessly watching soccer in one window while listening to the monotone audio file in another and taking notes. Essentially like a normal lecture.”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar