161-101 Moral Conflicts

Credit Points

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

A critical examination of (1) some of the sources, ancient and modern, of scepticism about the possibility of a rational and agreed basis for moral argument; (2) some of the main theories about the nature of moral value and the possibility of moral obligation; (3) a range of current moral conflicts, including animal rights, euthanasia, some problems about war. The subject will enable students to: recognise the distinctive nature of philosophical problems and their significance for other areas of human thought; know how to go about working through such problems; be in a position to engage with more advanced philosophical material in a wide range of areas; and to bring philosophical skills to bear upon their studies in other disciplines.

Assessment

Two essays, one of 500 words and one of 1500 words, regular attendance and participation in tutorials, and a 2-hour end-of-semester examination.

Prescribed Texts

Teaching material will be made available in booklet form from the Philosophy Department.