Applied Ethics
Code
711031067
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Filosofia
Credits
6
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
The classes will be focused on the description, reflexion and eventual solution of ethical problems. Applied ethics require a theoretical framework, where such problems find their solution. In this sense students will be challenged to discuss some practical issues in ethics from different points of view. The methodological challenge will be how to construct a comprehensive knowledge of each problem, through the application of utilitarian, consequentialist or deontological (eventually other) perspectives. Some works of well-known authors (Philippa Foot, Peter Singer, Michael J. Sandel) in the field of contemporary applied ethics will be used.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Subject matter
1. The great landmarks of the philosophical tradition of Western Ethics: the classical ethics (Aristotled and Aquinas); Early Modern Ethics (Rousseau and Kant) ; Contemporary Ethics (RAwls and Habermas).
2. Some relevant issues in Contemporary Ethics: self-esteem; the desire; the problem of feeling and the new questioning of affectivity; the problem of justice.
3. The ethics of discussion of Habermas, its importance today, and the discursive reformulation of Kant´s ethics in the light of its four pillars: universal, deontological, cognitive and formal ethics.
4. New problems posed to Contemporary Ethics: globalization and ecology.
Bibliography
Michael J. Sandel, Justice – What’s the right thing to do?, London: Penguin, 2010
Philippa Foot, Moral Dilemmas and Other Topics in Moral Philosophy, Oxford UP, 2002
Peter Singer, Practical Ethics, Cambridge UP: Cambridge, 1993
Peter Singer (ed.), Applied Ethics (Oxford Readings in Philosophy), Oxford UP, 1986
Teaching method
The teaching methods include lectures and practical classes with the same academic weight. Discussion of the philosophical texts concerning the application of ethics to the problems of today´s society.
Evaluation method
The evaluation consists of frequency (40%); work with oral defense (40%); continuous evaluation and participation in class (20%).