Postgraduate Course: Ethics (Online) (PHIL11129)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course examines to what extent we can find a place for ethics in a naturalistic, scientific picture of the world. We start with the issue of whether or not we have free will. On the face of it this seems to be a precondition for the possibility of holding people morally responsible for their actions, and thus a precondition for there being moral requirements at all. We then move on to examine the nature of ethics, beginning with the topic of moral realism and the arguments for it. We then examine various challenges to the realist view, including challenges from evolutionary theory and neuroscience. We end by revisiting moral realism and asking what difference it makes whether or not moral realism is true.
Formative feedback available:
- students can submit a formative essay by the week 6 closing deadline. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
| Course Start Date |
11/01/2016 |
| Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Online Activities 20,
Revision Session Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
164 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
85 %,
Practical Exam
15 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Students will be assessed by a 2500 word essay due at the end of the semester (85%) and successful participation in the on-line activities associated with the course (15%).
Essay deadline: Monday 20th April 2015 by 12 noon
Word limit: 2500 words maximum
Return deadline: Tuesday 12th May 2015 |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
| Students will gain knowledge of some of the key issues in contemporary ethics. They will also develop their skills in critical thinking and in the oral and written presentation of philosophical arguments.
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
Please see Learn page |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
This course is only for MSc/Dip/Cert Epistemology, Ethics and Mind students. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Deborah Roberts
Tel: (0131 6)51 5171
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: |
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