CE5022: The Moral of the Story

School Continuing and Professional Education
Department Code LEARN
Module Code CE5022
External Subject Code 100793
Number of Credits 10
Level L4
Language of Delivery English
Module Leader Dr Michelle Deininger
Semester Autumn Semester
Academic Year 2019/0

Outline Description of Module

What does Gyges’ Ring tell us about our reasons for being moral? Can we learn something about wisdom from The Little Prince? Does the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrate the care we owe to strangers? What can the adventures of Bilbo Baggins teach us about the nature of goodness and the roots of evil? Whether created as tools of moral education, challenges to established morality or simply ripping good yarns, stories are an important focus for ethical reflection and moral imagination. This module will use stories as starting points for explorations of key questions in moral philosophy. No previous knowledge of philosophy will be assumed.

On completion of the module a student should be able to

Knowledge and Understanding:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will be able to:

  • demonstrate an understanding of core elements of the course material;
  • identify values, ethical perspectives and moral commitments in stories;
  • appreciate the ways in which our narratives both reflect and shape moral understanding;
  • evaluate ethical claims in the context of historical and contemporary discussions;
  • bring the insights of moral philosophy to bear on ethical questions raised by individual and collective experiences, and public policy.

Intellectual Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will be able to:

  • analyse the structure of an argument;
  • critically evaluate an argument;
  • compare and contrast different positions on an issue;
  • adjudicate disputes.

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will be able to:

  • critically read and analyse a philosophical text;
  • use philosophical vocabulary appropriate to the subject matter of the specific course;
  • formulate and defend a philosophical thesis;
  • constructively discuss philosophical ideas with others.

How the module will be delivered

This course is taught in 9 two-hour sessions, delivered on a weekly basis.

 

There will be a mixture of lectures and seminars, the precise proportion to be determined by the needs of the students enrolled. The seminar element may include debate, discussion, group activities, presentations and readings. Additional reading material will be recommended and a reading list will be supplied. If appropriate, other materials such as documentaries may also be included. Course handouts will be provided as appropriate.

The seminars 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.

Skills that will be practised and developed

Academic Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will have:

  • found relevant resources in the library and online;
  • assessed the reliability of different sources of information;
  • demonstrated a critical approach to academic texts.

 

Transferable/employability Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will have shown that s/he can:

  • recognise, analyse and criticise arguments;
  • explain and defend a view clearly and concisely whether orally or in writing;
  • respond constructively to disagreement;
  • evaluate claims in the context of historical and contemporary debates about morality;
  • formulate useful questions in the context of ethical theory, human experience and public policy.

How the module will be assessed

Type of assessment     %  Contribution Title Duration (if applicable) Approx. date of Assessment

Exegesis of 300-400 words  20%  Glossary entry Agreed by week 3/4 and submitted in week 6/7 

Essay of 1200-1500 words    80%   Paper    Set by week 4/5 and submitted shortly after end of course

Assessment Breakdown

Type % Title Duration(hrs)
Written Assessment 100 Coursework N/A

Syllabus content

The following list of sample topics indicates the kind of subject matter which may be discussed but the specific issues selected will vary:

  1. metaethical questions; the status of moral claims; the relation between ethical judgement and moral motivation; the grounds of morality
  2. moral character and right action
  3. moral psychology
  4. major ethical theories; consequentialism/utilitarianism; deontological/Kantian ethics; virtue ethics
  5. ethical relativism
  6. feminist ethics
  7. the nature of evil
  8. social justice

The course will draw on stories from fiction and non-fiction to illustrate the theoretical positions discussed, and students are encouraged to draw further examples from their own experience.

Essential Reading and Resource List

Reading and resources will vary according to the specific topics covered in the module. Students considering the module may find the following resources helpful:

Pojman, Louis P., ed. 2004. The Moral Life: An Introductory Reader in Ethics and Literature. 2nd ed. New York and London: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 0195166086.

Students may also like to explore related resources available at http://cfrees.wordpress.com/teaching/.

 


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