Key Issues in Ethics (Fall, 2016)
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
