PH149-15 Key Debates in Moral and Political Philosophy
Introductory description
PH149 - Key Debates in Moral and Political Philosophy
Module aims
The aim of this module is to introduce you to fundamental concepts and theories in moral and political philosophy. The module will use classic texts as a launchpad to exploring debates in contemporary moral and political philosophy.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
- Moral Philosophy (weeks 1 – 5)
This part of the module will be based on Mill’s Utilitarianism and explore questions such as the following, for example:
What is the highest good?
What is the right thing to do?
The demandingness of morality
Moral integrity
Disagreeing about moral value - Political Philosophy (weeks 7 – 10)
This part of the module will be based on Hobbes’ Leviathan and explore questions such as the following, for example:
What would the world be like without states?
When is political authority legitimate?
Should we always obey political authorities?
Are states inherently unjust?
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- At the end of the module, you should have a good understanding of key debates in moral and political philosophy.
- At the end of the module, you should be able to use some of the main concepts that moral and political philosophers have used to analyse how we should live and how we should live together.
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Subject specific skills
TBC
Transferable skills
TBC
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 9 sessions of 2 hours (12%) |
| Seminars | 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%) |
| Private study | 123 hours (82%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.
Assessment group D2
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
|||
| Assessed Exercise 1 (500 words) | 10% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| Assessed Exercise 2 (500 words) | 10% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Assessment component |
|||
| Online Examination | 80% | No | |
|
~Platforms - AEP
|
|||
Reassessment component is the same |
|||
Feedback on assessment
Feedback on essays will be provided on the coversheet for the essay, addressing standard areas of evaluation and individual content. Feedback on exams will be available in the form of an examiners’ report.
Anti-requisite modules
If you take this module, you cannot also take:
- PH133-30 Introduction to Philosophy
- PH134-30 Introduction to Philosophy Without Logic
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of UPHA-VL78 BA in Philosophy with Psychology
- Year 1 of UPHA-V700 Undergraduate Philosophy
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
- Year 1 of UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
This module is Unusual option for:
- Year 1 of UPHA-L1CA Undergraduate Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
- Year 1 of UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
This module is Core option list A for:
- Year 1 of UPHA-V5L2 Undergraduate Philosophy and Politics
This module is Option list B for:
- Year 1 of UMAA-GV17 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy
This module is Option list C for:
- Year 1 of UMAA-GV17 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy
This module is Option list D for:
- Year 1 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy