Ethics and the New
Millennium:
Spirituality and Religion:
the difference.
Buddhist concepts including Shen-pen kyi sem, kun long, Shen
dug ngal wa mi sö pa, nying je, nyong mong, ‘skilful means
and insight’, chi sem.
The Dalai Lama’s recommendations on topics of war, religion
and society and the environment, and his recipe for
happiness.
Veritatis Splendor:
The role of Natural Law,
including the meaning of ‘intrinsic moral evil’ and the
actions that the Pope describes.
The concept of phronesis (understanding of which is
presupposed).
The relationship of Veritatis Splendor to
enlightenment thinking, particularly the discussion about
the true nature of autonomy, and the connection proposed by
the Pope between freedom and truth.
The Pope’s criticisms of Proportionalism and
Consequentialism.
The place of the encyclical in 20th Century
Catholic thinking, including the significance of Humanae
Vitae.
Lying:
Difficulties in defining
‘lying.’
Equivocation and reservation: what they mean, and associated
problems.
Basic reasons for preferring a policy of honesty (e.g. harm
that comes from lying, intrinsic connection between meaning
and truth).
Reasons that have been proposed for telling lies in politics
(the public good), medicine (protecting patients) and social
science (necessity for experiments), along with reactions to
these reasons.