Unit name | Value Theory |
---|---|
Unit code | PHILM0026 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Pearson |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of Philosophy |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This is a Masters level foundation course in the theory of value, meta-ethics, ethics, political philosophy or related fields of philosophy, and aims to provide a solid grounding in practical philosophy for all masters of philosophy, and aims to provide a solid grounding in these central areas of philosophy for all masters and doctoral students in philosophy. The seminars consists in a close reading of a central philosophical text or texts. The text may sometimes be a single work by an author, or a series of articles. Topics to be covered will include some of the following: Realism and anti-realism in ethics; the nature of normative reasons; moral motivation; moral epistemology; conceptions of moral psychology; theory vs. anti-theory views in ethics; central ethical theories (Kantianism, Aristotelianism, contractualism, consequentialism, Humeanism); moral scepticism.
Aim:
To provide a grounding in (a) central area(s) of practical philosophy, e.g. ethics, meta-ethics, political philosophy
On successful completion of this unit, students should:
2-hour seminar each week + essay tutorials
One essay of 5,000-6,000 words (including notes, but excluding bibliography)
Core readings in metaethics can be found in:
Russ Shafer-Landau and Terence Cuneo (eds.) Foundations of Ethics: An Anthology, (Blackwell, 2007)