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Ethics and Society - PHIL1008
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Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
 
 
School:  School of History and Philosophy
 
 
Course Outline: http://philosophy.arts.unsw.edu.au/
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.125 (more info)
 
 
Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Fee Band: 1 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

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, students 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 their own work of this kind orally and in written form.

Assessment

  • Short exercise (400-600 words) - 15%
  • Essay 1 (1200 words) - 25%
  • Essay 2 (1200 words) - 25%
  • Participation - 10%
  • Multiple choice exam - 25%

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