Learning objectives
By the end of the class the student will be able to:
-Knowledge and understanding: Identify and recognize the conceptual and methodological structure of the most current moral theories;Know and analyze ethical problems, as well as their development in the history of ethics and in the contemporary debate;Discuss in a logical and articulate fashion the philosophical texts assigned in class.
-Applying knowledge and understanding: Apply the acquired theoretical foundations to contemporary moral, social and educational issues; Answer in a clear and articulate manner a written open question assignment. orient herself in interdisciplinary areas of inquiry.
-Making judgements; Communication skills: Argue orally in a clear manner her critical reflections; engage rationally different positions.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
The first unit of this class aims at providing a general overview on the topics and problems of moral philosophy, focusing particularly on contemporary issues. We will introduce the canonical subdivision of the discipline in metaethics, normative ethics and applies ethics and develop some topics within each of the three disciplinary areas.
Full programme
The theme of moral philosophy is the nature of good and evil. This theme is discussed both at the level of individual actions, which can be good or bad, and at the level of our overall moral personality (we can be good or bad people).
Metaethics is the branch of ethics dealing with the metaphysical and epistemological status of moral discourse. It asks whether there are moral facts and how they can be grasped. Normative ethics aims at articulating the criteria for moral evaluation. In the history of Western thought there are at least three broad traditions in normative ethics: Aristotelian eudaimonism, which adopts as criterium happiness qua flourishing of individuals and communities, Kantian deontology, which adopts as criterium duty qua conformity to the moral law, and empirically oriented utilitarianism (Mill), which adopts as criterium the maximization of well-being for the majority. Finally, applied ethics discusses specific topics such as abortion, the end of life, the environment, the way we treat animals, etc. In the first unit of this class we shall explore all three dimensions of ethics.
Bibliography
M. De Caro, F. Magni, M. Vaccarezza, Le sfide dell'etica (Mondadori: Milano 2021)
Teaching methods
Frontal lecture, seminar-style discussion, discussion with invited international experts.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination. Possibility to take a written midterm examination on the first unit.
Assessment criteria and assessment thresholds:
30 cum laude: Excellent, excellent solidity of knowledge, excellent expressive properties, excellent understanding of the concepts
30: Very good. Complete and adequate knowledge, well-articulated and correctly expressed
27-29: Good, satisfactory knowledge, essentially correct expression.
24-26: Fairly good knowledge, but not complete and not always correct.
22-23: Generally sufficient knowledge but superficial. Expression is often not appropriate and confused.
18-21: Sufficient. The expression and articulation of the speech show important gaps.
<18: insufficient knowledge or very incomplete, lack of guidance in discipline, expression seriously deficient. Exam failed.
Other information
The course consists of two units (Moral Philosophy integrated):
First part - Moral Philosophy I (for students "Studi Filosofici" and "Scienze dell'educazione")
Second part - Moral Philosophy II (for students "Studi Filosofici")
