Module PHLM015 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
PHLM015: Contemporary Ethics
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
This module aims to give you a broad understanding of present-day discussions in philosophical ethics.
The module covers concepts such as responsibility, power and self-understanding as a moral agent. The aim is arrive at an understanding of the challenges of and to ethics in our contemporary world by discussing specific examples such as humanitarian medical aid, transnational adoption and human genome editing. In these cases the interlinkages between knowledge, technologies, power relations, and human self-understanding are configures in complex ways. We explore them to develop a sharper understanding of ethics in the Anthropocene.
The aims of this module are twofold, to equip you with the philosophical knowledge to participate in ongoing debates about facts and values, and to advance your knowledge about current thought in ethics and the normative and epistemic assumptions they entail.
You will gain a good understanding of topical questions in philosophical ethics in theory and practice. We will discuss topical subjects in small groups and you will practice presenting arguments.
The writing of short review essays will advance your ability to summarize arguments succinctly and you will be guided to write one brief essay on a theme of your choice from the course.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate solid knowledge and understanding of current theories and problems in philosophical ethics; 2. Demonstrate understanding of the methodological and conceptual problems of applied ethics; 3. Present your own analyses of the implications of theories on pressing ethical debates of our time. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. Demonstrate a high level of knowledge about ethical theory and its application; 5. Demonstrate sound knowledge of different types of philosophical ethics. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. Demonstrate capacity to conduct research independently; 7. Demonstrate aptitude for succinct oral presentations to groups; 8. Write reflective academic review and research essays. |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation of essay plan | 10 minutes | 1-4, 6, 7 | Oral |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 80 | 3,000 words | 1-6, 8 | Written |
| 1 x Reading Review | 20 | 1 x 800 words | 1-5, 8 | Written |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (3,000 words) (80%) | 1-5, 6, 8 | August/September reassessment period |
| Reading Review | Reading Summary (800 words) (20%) | 1-4, 6, 8 | August/September reassessment period |
