What makes an action right? How should one live? What kind of person should one be? How are individual morality and social justice connected? Ethical theory can inform our understanding of moral issues and relationships. This course introduces students to a variety of topics in both theoretical and applied ethics, focusing primarily on ideas from the Western analytic tradition. The course draws on examples from fiction and non-fiction to illustrate the theoretical positions discussed and students are encouraged to draw further examples from their own experience. No previous knowledge of philosophy is assumed.

1. To develop students' knowledge and understanding of key theories in normative ethics, including Kantian ethics, Utilitarianism and Virtue ethics.
2. To develop students' knowledge and understanding of some important meta-ethical theories.
3. To encourage students to develop their analytical and argumentative stills throughout the course.

Demonstrate an understanding of core elements of the course material.

Knowledge and Understanding:

A student should be able to:

1. To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key theories in normative ethics, including Kantian ethics, Utilitarianism and Virtue ethics.
2. To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some important meta-ethical theories.

Intellectual Skills:

A student should be able to:

1. Appraise and assess arguments and discern they key features of the case-studies used.
2. Reach conclusions about the strength and weaknesses of  the arguments discussed in the course, and base these conclusions on sound reasoning.

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

A student should be able to:

1. Use (and derive value from) a number of sources.
2. Use appropriate philosophical vocabulary.
3. Develop their own views and argue consistent positions about the issues raised in the course

There will be a mixture of lectures and seminars, the precise proportion to be determined by the needs of the students enrolled. These will encourage the development of knowledge and understanding of the ideas and concepts discussed in the course. Intellectual skills will be encouraged through participation in class discussion, reading and coursework.

 A student should be able to:

1. Communicate concepts and arguments clearly and accurately in written form.
2. Present written work that has a logical structure.

Essays or other equivalent written assignments to a total of 1500 words demonstrating an understanding of core elements of the course material.

Assessment will be through coursework. This may take the form of either one 1500 - word essay or a number of shorter written pieces totalling approximately 1500 words. Coursework will allow a student to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of some of the central concepts of the philosophers discussed; also to display their intellectual, discipline-specific and transferable skills.

Topics may include:

• ethical relativism
• moral character and right action
• major ethical theories:

— consequentialism/utilitarianism

— deontological/Kantian ethics

— virtue ethics

• social justice
• resistance and respect
• moral psychology
• feminist ethics
• particular social or political issues

Please see Background Reading List for an indicative list.