Introductory description

Being a parent is a central project in many people’s lives. Being parented is something that most of us have experienced, and have been fundamentally shaped by. But bringing new people into the world and then raising them is fraught with moral and political controversies. In this module, we examine some moral and political questions that arise from the practices of creating new people, and raising children. This involve looking at: whether creating children is morally permissible, and whether there is moral reason to have (or not have) children for their own sake; whether we can rationally decide to become parents; what we owe to foetuses in the womb (beyond the issue of abortion); what a good childhood looks like; whom should get to parent which children; the limits of favouring our own children over others; the limits of what and how much we can ‘pass down’ to our children, and the extent to which we can shape their lives; and who should pay for the costs of raising children.

Module aims

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.

1. Introduction
2. The morality of procreation: the procreation asymmetry
3. Rational decisions; and smoking in pregnancy
4. Do children have good lives?
5. Who gets to parent? I – blood, genes, gestation
6. READING WEEK
7. Who gets to parent? II – interests
8. The limits of parental partiality
9. The limits of parental influence
10. Who should pay for children?

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key moral and political questions concerning the creation and raising of children
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key positions taken by philosophers on these important questions
• demonstrate the capacity to critically engage with the philosophical questions concerning procreation, childhood, and parenting

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Subject specific skills

The ability to understand, analyse and criticise philosophical ideas and arguments. The ability to develop a philosophical understanding of procreation, childhood, and parenting, and identify and answer moral and political questions about procreation, childhood, and parenting.

Transferable skills

The ability to argue, analyse complex ideas, and write clearly. The ability to grasp complex ideas and arguments, identify their strengths and weaknesses and write about them in a structured manner.