Ethics

PHIL60051 Ethics 15 Semester 1 Postgraduate Taught Level 7 Stephen Ingram Unit coordinator Paula Satne Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 7.5 The exact content may differ from year to year, but central questions include: (i) what sorts of things are of ethical value, and why? (ii) How does such value relate to our reasons to act in certain ways? (iii) How do we determine what we ought to do? (iv) what is the status of ethical statements?, and (v) what is the nature of particular ethical phenomena such as promising and forgiveness? This year the course will include two parts. The first part will examine some of our responses to evil including forgiveness, punishment and revenge. Some of the central questions include: what is evil? Is there a distinction between evil and wrongness? Are there any good reason to forgive evil acts? Do we have a duty to forgive or is forgiveness merely elective? Should we forgive unconditionally? What is forgiveness? Can punishment be justified? Is revenge a warranted response to wrongful action? Is there a difference between punishment and revenge?The second part of the course will be on metaethics and, in particular, moral reality. We will examine competing views of how morality fits into the world, with a focus on contemporary metaethical discussion. Specifically, we will explore error theoretical, constructivist, naturalist and non-naturalist metaethical views. <ul> <li> To familiarise students with some central philosophical concepts in ethics</li> <li> To introduce some of the main philosophical issues discussed in the contemporary literature on forgiveness, revenge and evil</li> <li> To compare, contrast, and evaluate competing accounts of whether and how morality fits into the world</li></ul> On completion of this unit successful participants will have:(a) read and understood some of the main texts from the relevant reading lists and from elsewhere; (b) attended the seminars, and participated in discussion; (c) acquired and developed the analytic skills which are necessary for the formation of their own considered views, for the evaluation of questions, and for putting forward good answers.(d) improved the communication skills which are necessary for delivering a clear, concise, and informative presentation.  Analytical skills Innovation/creativity Oral communication Teaching will be seminar based, with a two-hour seminar each week over eight weeks. A student will introduce each week’s topic by giving a presentation on it. There will also be an initial one-hour meeting in which the convenor will present an overview of the course and its topics, and a final two- hour meeting designed to provide individual assistance on assessment. 0 Other 100% MA - Assessed Essay 4000 words 100%   MA Political Science MA Pol Sci - Phil & Pol Theory PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Political Science MA Pol Sci - Phil & Pol Theory PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Political Economy MA Political Economy PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Political Economy MA Political Economy-Research PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Political Economy MA Political Economy PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Political Economy MA Political Economy-Research PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Philosophy MA Philosophy PGDT Taught Component Optional MA Philosophy PT MA Philosophy PT PGDT Taught Component Optional N Murphy, J.G and Hampton, J. Forgiveness and Mercy (CUP, 1988) Seminars 20 0 130 Timetable  Wednesday 11-1Humanities Bridgeford Street 2.053