Key Issues in Ethics (Fall, 2016)

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Key Issues in Ethics

 

Lecturer: Dr Luis Cordeiro Rodrigues

Office hours: Fridays 13:30-15:30

 

This module will introduce students to key issues in ethics, with a special focus on normative and applied ethics.

 

Teaching Arrangements and Assessment Method

Teaching in this module is done through lectures and seminars. An outline of the lecture content, together with additional reading and some suggested questions for seminars is given on the following pages.

Assessment

1.                   One essay of up between 2000 (40%)

2.                   A written exam (25%)

3.                   Attendance (10%)

4.                   Participation in class (15%)

5.                   Homework (10%)

 

Module Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module students should have:

1.            Critical philosophical skills

2.            Knowledge of ethical issues

3.            Capacity to address ethical dilemmas

 

 

Lecture 1: Introduction to Ethics

Reading:

Chapter 1, Thiroux, J.P., Krasemann, K.W., 2013. Ethics: Pearson New International Edition: Theory and Practice, 11 edition. ed. Pearson.

 

Lecture 2: Moral Relativism

Reading:

“Moral Relativism.” In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta, Winter 2016. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/moral-relativism/

 

Lecture 3: Utilitarianism

Reading:

(“Utilitarianism, Act and Rule | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy” 2017)

 

Lecture 4: Kantian Ethics

Reading:

Chapter 12, Denise, T., Peterfreund, S., White, N., 2007. Great Traditions in Ethics, 12 edition. ed. Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont, Calif.

 

Lecture 5: Aristotelian Virtue Ethics

Reading: (“Aristotle: Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy” 2017)

 

 

Reading:

“Aristotle: Ethics | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.” 2017. Accessed May 15. http://www.iep.utm.edu/aris-eth/.

 

Lecture 6: Metzian African Ethics

 

Reading:

Metz, Thaddeus. 2007. “Toward an African Moral Theory*.” Journal of Political Philosophy 15 (3): 321–41. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9760.2007.00280.x.

 

Lecture 7:  Is Homosexuality Morally wrong? The Conservative view

 

Reading:

Law, Morality and Sexual Orientation, by John Finnis in John Corvino (ed.), Same Sex: Debating the Ethics, Science, and Culture of Homosexuality (Lanham-New York-London, Rowman and Littlefield 1997) pp.31-43.

 

Lecture 8: Is Homosexuality Morally Wrong? The Pro-view

Reading:

Koppelman, Andrew. 1988. “The Miscegenation Analogy: Sodomy Law as Sex Discrimination.” Yale Law Journal 98. https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/publications/the-miscegenation-analogy-sodomy-law-as-sex-discrimination.

Lecture 9: Animal Ethics – Utilitarianism

Singer, Peter. 2015. Animal Liberation. Bodley Head. Chapters 1 and 2

Lecture 10: Exam

Two hours exam

 

Lecture 11 Animal Ethics – Animal Rights

Regan, Tom. 2004. The Case for Animal Rights: Updated with a New Preface. Revised edition edition. Berkeley: University of California Press., chapters 2-4

 

Lecture 12 Animal Ethics - Abolitionism

Reading:

 

“Mission Statement – Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach.” 2017. Accessed September 5. http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/about/mission-statement/.

“The Six Principles of the Abolitionist Approach to Animal Rights – Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach.” 2017. Accessed September 5. http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/about/the-six-principles-of-the-abolitionist-approach-to-animal-rights/.

 “What YOU Can Do to Help Achieve Abolition! – Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach.” 2017. Accessed September 5. http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/about/what-you-can-do-to-help-achieve-abolition/.

 

Lecture 13: The Ethics of Immigration I

Reading:

TBA

 

Lecture 14: The Ethics of Racism II

Mallon, Ron. 2004. “Passing, Traveling and Reality: Social Constructionism and the Metaphysics of Race.” Noûs 38 (4): 644–73. doi:10.1111/j.0029-4624.2004.00487.x.

———. 2006. “‘Race’: Normative, Not Metaphysical or Semantic.” Ethics 116 (3): 525–51. doi:10.1086/500495.

 

 Lecture 15: Students’ Presentations

Lecture 16: Students’ Presentations

Lecture 17: Students’ Presentations