UNSW Handbook Course - Ethics and Society

Ethics and Society - PHIL1008


	Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
	School: School of Philosophy
	Contact: Cohen,Stephen
	Campus: Kensington Campus
	Career: Undergraduate
	Units of Credit: 6
	EFTSL: 0.125 (more info)
	Contact Hours per Week: 3
	Session Offered: See Class Timetable
	Fee Band: 1 (more info)

Description

This is political philosophy and moral philosophy at the intersection of the political with the personal. When we make decisions in important areas such as euthanasia, reproductive freedom and reproductive technology, the allocation of health resources or the environment, we must balance the rights and duties of the individual with the demands and obligations of society. This team-taught course considers the moral issues raised by such decisions, along with some of the political, philosophical principles which inform our public debate. Also examines the nature and justification of rights, as well as contemporary concepts of justice and equality.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you should:

Appreciate the reflective and critical nature of moral reasoning
Be able to critically engage with a number of important ethical issues, including prejudice and discrimination, abortion, assistance to those in need, and civil disobedience
Understand the nature of moral theories and their relation to everyday practice
Have an acquaintance with utilitarianism as a moral theory
Appreciate the moral tension present between acting as an individual and acting as a member of an organisation or a society
Have encountered critical analysis in the area of moral philosophy and produced your own work of this kind orally and in written form.

Assessment

Short exercise (400-600 words) - (15%)
Essay (1200 words) - (25%)
Essay (1200 words) - (25%)
Participation - (10%)
Multiple choice exam - (25%)

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