PH211-15 Ethics
Introductory description
PH211-15 Ethics
Module aims
To introduce students to a set of central questions in normative ethics and metaethics.
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.
The module covers core issues in normative ethics and metaethics. It will put the emphasis on
texts by contemporary moral philosophers, but also include some classic texts, e.g. by Aristotle,
Hume, or Kant. Examples of issues include consequentialism/non-consequentialism, virtues,
moral reasoning, expressivism, realism, constructivism, moral psychology, etc.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Subject knowledge and understanding: students should be able to understand and differentiate views on central issues in normative ethics and metaethics, and offer relevant support for and critical responses to those views.
- Key skills: students should be able to communicate clearly and substantively in speech and in writing on the questions addressed in the module.
- Cognitive skills: students should be able to isolate the important claims within readings, understand the structure of arguments, test views for strengths and weaknesses, make pertinent use of examples, and compare the substance of views consistently.
- Subject-specific skills: students should be able to pursue and organize philosophical research using a range of sources (print and electronic media), documenting research carefully, and showing the ability to engage independently in philosophical debate.
Indicative reading list
There is no main text for Ethics. Instead, the module will be based on a list of selected readings.
Good introductions:
Copp, David (ed.) 2006. The Oxford Handbook of Ethical Theory. Oxford: OUP.
Darwall, Stephen. 1998. Philosophical Ethics. Boulder: Westview.
Miller, Alexander. 2003. An Introduction to Contemporary Metaethics. Cambridge: Polity.
Rawls, John. 2000. Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy. Ed. Barbara Herman. Cambridge
(MA) and London: Harvard University Press.
Singer, Peter (ed.) 1991. A Companion to Ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/contents.html (various entries)
Anthologies:
Fisher, Andrew and Kirchin, Simon (eds.) Arguing About Metaethics. Routledge. 2006.
Shafer-Landau, Russell and Terence Cuneo (eds.) 2006. Foundations of Ethics: An Anthology.
Oxford: Blackwell.
Shafer-Landau, Russell (ed.) 2007. Ethical Theory: An Anthology. Oxford: Blackwell.
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Subject specific skills
TBC
Transferable skills
TBC
Study time
Type | Required |
---|---|
Lectures | 18 sessions of 1 hour (12%) |
Seminars | 8 sessions of 1 hour (5%) |
Private study | 124 hours (83%) |
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 A8
Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
---|---|---|---|
1000 word essay | 20% | Yes (extension) | |
2500 word essay | 80% | Yes (extension) |
Assessment group R
Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
---|---|---|---|
3000 word essay | 100% | Yes (extension) |
Feedback on assessment
Feedback on essays will be provided on the coversheet for the essay, addressing standard areas
of evaluation and individual content.
Courses
This module is Core for:
-
UPHA-V700 Undergraduate Philosophy
- Year 2 of V700 Philosophy
- Year 2 of V700 Philosophy
-
UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
- Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
- Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
This module is Core optional for:
- Year 2 of UPHA-V5L2 Undergraduate Philosophy and Politics
-
UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Year 2 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
- Year 2 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
- Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 2 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
- Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
- Year 2 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
This module is Optional for:
-
UPHA-VL78 BA in Philosophy with Psychology
- Year 2 of VL78 Philosophy with Psychology
- Year 3 of VL78 Philosophy with Psychology
- Year 4 of UPHA-VL79 BA in Philosophy with Psychology (with Intercalated year)
-
UPHA-L1CA Undergraduate Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
- Year 2 of L1CA Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
- Year 2 of L1CC Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Behavioural Economics Pathway)
- Year 2 of L1CD Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Economics with Philosophy Pathway)
- Year 2 of L1CE Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Philosophy and Psychology Pathway)
- Year 2 of L1CF Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Tripartite Pathway)
- Year 3 of L1CA Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
- Year 3 of L1CC Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Behavioural Economics Pathway)
- Year 3 of L1CD Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Economics with Philosophy Pathway)
- Year 3 of L1CE Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Philosophy and Psychology Pathway)
- Year 3 of L1CF Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (Tripartite Pathway)
-
UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
- Year 2 of V1V5 History and Philosophy
- Year 3 of V1V5 History and Philosophy
- Year 4 of UHIA-V1V6 Undergraduate History and Philosophy (with Year Abroad)
-
UMAA-GV17 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy
- Year 2 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
- Year 2 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
- Year 2 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
- Year 3 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
- Year 3 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
- Year 3 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
-
UMAA-GV18 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of GV18 Mathematics and Philosophy with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of GV18 Mathematics and Philosophy with Intercalated Year
-
UMAA-GV19 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy with Specialism in Logic and Foundations
- Year 2 of GV19 Mathematics and Philosophy with Specialism in Logic and Foundations
- Year 3 of GV19 Mathematics and Philosophy with Specialism in Logic and Foundations
- Year 4 of GV19 Mathematics and Philosophy with Specialism in Logic and Foundations
-
UIPA-V5L8 Undergraduate Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
- Year 2 of V5L8 Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
- Year 2 of V5L8 Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
- Year 3 of V5L8 Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
- Year 3 of V5L8 Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
- Year 4 of UIPA-V5L9 Undergraduate Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development (with Intercalated Year)
-
UPHA-VQ72 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature
- Year 2 of VQ72 Philosophy and Literature
- Year 3 of VQ72 Philosophy and Literature
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ74 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature (with Work Placement)
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ73 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UPHA-V5L2 Undergraduate Philosophy and Politics
- Year 4 of UPHA-VL80 Undergraduate Philosophy with Psychology (with Work Placement)
-
UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
- Year 2 of VQ52 Philosophy, Literature and Classics
- Year 3 of VQ52 Philosophy, Literature and Classics
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ53 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics (with Work Placement)
-
UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Year 3 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
- Year 3 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
- Year 3 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 3 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 3 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 3 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
- Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
- Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
- Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
-
UPHA-V7MM Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MS Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major) (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 4 of V7MS Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major) (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 4 of V7MQ Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite) with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of V7MM Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MH Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Philosophy Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MF Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Politics Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MI Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Economics Bipartite (Philosophy Major) (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MJ Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Politics Bipartite (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of V7MG Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Politics/Economics Bipartite (Politics Major) (with Intercalated year)