Moral Choices


Course Description

With its unique union of theory and application, the Moral Choices course sets a standard for college-level study of ethics.


Designed to help students develop a sound and current basis for making ethical decisions in today's complex postmodern culture, Moral Choices outlines the distinctive elements of Christian ethics while avoiding undue dogmatism. The course also introduces other ethical systems and their key historical proponents, including Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Immanuel Kant.


After describing a seven-step procedure for tackling ethical dilemmas, ethicist and professor Scott Rae uses case studies to address some of today’s most pressing social issues. He guides students in thinking critically and biblically about:

  • abortion
  • reproductive technologies
  • euthanasia
  • capital punishment
  • sexual ethics
  • war
  • genetic technologies and human cloning
  • economics

By completing this course, you'll gain:

  • familiarity with foundational ethical systems
  • insight into Christian ethics and how they differ from the guidelines and conclusions of other ethical systems
  • experience in thinking critically about ethical dilemmas and applying Christian ethics to areas of ethical disagreement
  • confidence in your growing knowledge through unit assessments and personalized review sessions that include award-winning memory building tools

Course Instructor

Scott Rae

Ph.D., University of Southern California


Scott Rae is Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Ethics and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Talbot School of Theology. His primary interests are medical ethics and business ethics, dealing with the application of Christian ethics to medicine and the marketplace. He has authored 10 books in ethics including The Ethics of Commercial Surrogate Motherhood; Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics; Brave New Families: Biblical Ethics and Reproductive Technologies; Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics; and Body and Soul: Human Nature and the Crisis in Ethics. His work has appeared in The Linacre Quarterly, Religion and Liberty, Journal of Markets and Morality, Southern California Journal of Law and Women's Studies, National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, and Ethics and Medicine. He is a consultant for ethics for four Southern California hospitals. He is a fellow of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity and a fellow of the Wilberforce Forum.

Course Outline

1.    Introduction: Why Study Ethics?

2.  Christian Ethics

3.  Ethical Systems and Ways of Moral Reasoning

4.  Making Ethical Decisions

5.  Abortion and Embryonic Stem Cell Research

6.  Reproductive Technologies

7.  MIDTERM EXAM


8.   Biotechnology, Genetics, and Human Cloning

9.   Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

10.  Capital Punishment

11.   Sexual Ethics

12.  The Morality of War

13.  Ethics and Economics

14.  FINAL EXAM

Course Textbook

This Course is based on the book Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics by Scott Rae. While taking this course, you will have online access to most of this book's contents. However, if you want offline access or want this book in your personal library as a long-term reference, you may purchase it by clicking on the button to the right which will link you to amazon.ca.

Course Details

Moral Choices

by Scott Rae


12 Units, Self-paced

6 Hours of Video

12 Months of Access to All Online Content

3 Credits toward a Certificate, Diploma or Degree

Support by a Clearwater College Professor


Cost: $510 CAN