Undergraduate Module Descriptor

PHL3114: Aristotle's Ethics

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

Module Aims

This module aims to introduce you to one of the most influential books of Western philosophy, Aristotle’s Ethics, and to encourage you to think carefully about some of the key issues in moral philosophy. Study on this module will enrich your grasp of central ideas and concepts that are vital to both a historical appreciation of the development of philosophical of ethics, and to understanding contemporary debates on ethics. You will enhance your skills of interpretation, analysis and evaluation through careful and detailed close textual study of what is perhaps the most important work of moral philosophy.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. critically engage in in-depth study of a text through detailed reading and analysis; 2. understand the historical and social context of production of the philosophical book; 3. question/criticise the texts approach from different perspectives;
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. demonstrate the ability to analyse philosophical arguments; 5. reason critically about the abstract and concrete problems addressed in texts; 6. write well-argued essays using appropriate philosophical arguments and language;
Personal and Key Skills	7. construct and critically evaluate arguments; 8. formulate and express ideas at different levels of abstraction; 9. assess, analyse, discuss, and criticise the views of others;. 10. demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:’

1. Introduction

2. Book 1

3. Book 2

4. Book 3

5. Book 4

6. Book 6

7. Book 7

8. Book 8

9. Book 9

10. Book 10

11. Summary and Revision

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	22	Weekly seminars. The course will be devoted to detailed discussion and analysis of the text. This format allows for in-depth analysis, exploration of your own ideas and discussion between students and lecturer.
Guided Independent Study	66	Reading and preparation for weekly seminar analysis and discussion of the core text
Guided Independent Study	36	Preparation for assigned essay
Guided Independent Study	26	Reading materials to supplement the core text

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).