Units: PH Philosophy | ET Ethics
ET100/5100: Ethics [ET5100 – MPA students only]
Prerequisites: Nil
In the moral traditions of both East and West, Ethics is concerned with three interrelated themes: what we value as 'Good' or 'Bad'; what we regard as 'virtuous' or 'vicious' behaviour, or character; and what we define by rule as 'Right' or 'Wrong' to protect ourselves and society from harm and promote the health and well-being of the community. This unit introduces you to the themes and methods of Ethics as an academic discipline with the emphasis on practical skills in sound ethical decision-making and critical examination of current moral issues.
ET205/305/505/605: Moral Philosophy
Prerequisites: Nil
In Ethics we examine critically the following questions: How do we define membership of a moral community? What is required to ensure ‘the good life’, ‘well-being’ or ‘happiness’ for myself and society? What principles, rights & duties are necessary to protect society and the environment? What competences and personal qualities do we need to act as responsible moral agents? The unit explores the issues of subjective and objective values, relativism and absolutism, and the role of pleasure and pain in determining moral choices, concepts such as conscience, rights and duties, the moral law, the nature of moral reasoning and the status of moral truth. We survey the ethical tradition of both secular and religious thinkers from classical Greece to the Modern day.
ET501: Business Ethics
Prerequisites: Nil
In all societies, whether religious or secular, ethics is concerned with attempts by human beings to define what is good or bad, that is, to determine what conditions will ensure human well-being, fulfilment or happiness, and what prevents this possibility. Ethics is also concerned with defining what is right and wrong , that is, what rules need to be laid down by society to ensure that the health and well-being of people is promoted and wrong-doing prevented. In ethics we seek to establish understanding and agreement about these matters by rational argument and debate. Our object is to establish what general principles and practical rules are necessary to ensure the flourishing of individuals and the whole of society, including business and economic activity, scientific endeavour, culture and the arts, and the whole political order.
ET502/602: Ethical Issues in Professional Life
Prerequisites: Nil
In this unit we explore the relations between moral Philosophy and practical Ethics in professional life. Further, we study such issues as the relevance of ethics to specialisation, power and privilege in the professions, performance assessment, codes of Ethics institutional values and corporate Ethical culture. Specialist seminar topics may include: confidentiality, secrecy and truth telling in counselling; professional and management responsibility and accountablity; dealing with power and authority, conflict resolution, performance assessment & discipline. Elective options may include: Ethics in teaching; legal practice, corporate life; pastoral care, academic research; and health care (both clinical & administrative).
PH100: Introduction to Philosophy
Prerequisites: Nil
In PH100 we study some of the central themes of philosophy - the nature of the good life, the nature of knowledge, the nature of being human and the world and universe we inhabit - by examining a range of influential thinkers in the western philosophical tradition from the ancient world to the twenty-first century. Students are encouraged to reflect on these fundamental questions and to examine their own beliefs. They increase their cultural literacy by exploring how these great philosophers have influenced western culture. The study of these thinkers exposes students to different styles of thinking, requiring them to develop skills in critically evaluating different arguments.
PH208/308/508/608: Natural Law
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit traces the tradition of Natural Law, from classical philosophy, through the medieval period and especially the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, to modern and contemporary arguments. The debate between Natural Law and Legal Positivism is highlighted. The relationship between morality and metaphysics is also examined, especially in terms of there being a continuity that is possible between descriptive and moral propositions. Is morality written into our nature? Are there “unjust laws”? And to what extent should a society permit conscientious objection to what are viewed as unjust laws?
PH211/311/511/611: History of Philosophy – Medieval
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit examines the great philosophers of the Middle Ages, especially in terms of their impact on the development of Western Christianity and culture. It traces the course of Philosophy from the 6th Century AD to the 16th century (Renaissance). Central themes include the relationship between faith and reason, the emergence of natural theology, scholasticism, asceticism, and mysticism.
PH213/313/513/613: History of Philosophy – Modern
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit begins with an analysis of the various forces at work in the transition from the medieval world view to the renaissance or “modernity”. The rise of Science and Technology, and its impact on western thought and culture is discussed. The great debate between the continental rationalists (Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz) and the British empiricists (Locke, Berkeley, Hume) is examined, especially in connection with metaphysics and epistemology. Various modern thinkers’ views on ethics, human nature, political philosophy, free will and determinism etc. are also examined.
PH214/314/514/614: History of Philosophy – Contemporary
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit begins with the “revolution” in Philosophy that was initiated by Kant, before overviewing the various strands of thinking that emerged after him – in both the Anglo-American and Continental traditions. These include: Logical Positivism, Analytic Philosophy, Philosophy of Language, Feminism, Phenomenology and Existentialism, and Postmodernism. The unit seeks to discern the impact of these various strands of thought on Western culture, as well as on traditional philosophical questions.
PH215/315/515/615: Philosophy of Love and Friendship
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit examines what some of the great thinkers throughout history have had to say about love and friendship. Emphasis is placed on different types of love, and different conceptions of its meaning in human life. The way in which love has been understood, and changed throughout history is noted, and the portrayal of love in music, mythology and literature, and film is considered. The nature of human relationships, including both the edification which they can bring, and challenges which they can present, is the focus of the unit.
PH221/321/521/621: Philosophy of the Human Person
Prerequisites: Nil
Otherwise known as “Philosophical Psychology” or “Philosophical Anthropology”, this unit examines different theories of human nature. The attempt to identify an “essence” of human nature is studied, mainly by considering the differences between persons and animals, and persons and advanced machines (i.e. ones showing forms of “artificial intelligence”). Other themes include: the basic drives or instincts behind human behaviour, the soul, the human capacity for evil, self-identity, mind/body, depersonalisation, personal relationships, and freedom. The materialist conception of persons is examined, as are the objections to it, leading to an analysis of the differences between phenomenological and behaviourist accounts of persons.
PH231/331/531/631: Cosmology and Philosophy of Science
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit’s primary aims are to explore the philosophical bases of modern science. The main themes are: Classical and Modern theories about the Origin and Nature of the Universe; Understanding Constancy and Change, Things and Processes, Matter and Motion; Genetic Inheritance and Social Conditioning, Determinism and Freedom; the role of Philosophy in the Sciences from Physics to Psychology; Introduction to Scientific Method and the Logic of Scientific Explanation; the Status of Scientific Truth and Scientific Theories; the Nature of Scientific Discovery and Scientific Revolutions.
PH241/341/541/641: Political Philosophy
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit examines the political thought of some of the great philosophers throughout history. It also considers the implications of their philosophies for current day social organization. Prominent themes include: democracy and other political systems, power, private property, freedom, equality, human nature, civil disobedience, liberalism and human rights, feminism, social control, and the relationship between politics and religion.
PH251/351/551/651: Metaphysics – Theories of Being and Existence
Prerequisites: ET100 or PH100
This unit concentrates on the area of Metaphysics called Ontology – the study of what is meant by “being” or “existence”. What does it mean to say that something truly exists or is “real”, as opposed to it not existing or being “unreal”? The unit looks at traditional ontological problems and defenses of Metaphysics throughout different periods of history. It also includes a study of the various attacks on Metaphysics throughout history, though particularly in contemporary philosophy.
PH252/352/552/652: Philosophy of Religion
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit examines different conceptions of the proper relationship between Philosophy and Theology. It considers the place of rationalism and irrationalism in developing one’s religious thought, and allied to this, the ideal relationship between faith and reason. It also considers the merit of arguments from personal religious experience, and arguments that seek to justify religious beliefs on the basis of the effects of holding those beliefs. In particular, the unit investigates the degree to which one can derive one’s metaphysics, and religious view, out of natural reason and a study of the natural world.
PH255/355/555/655: Myth and Meaning
Prerequisites: Nil
Consistent with the vast interest that has developed in philosophy of language and philosophical hermeneutics in the past century, this unit seeks to recognise the vital role of story or narrative in human experience, based on a critical understanding of the role of the imagination in human development. The unit seeks to evaluate current theory and research on the role of story, legend and myth in personal and cultural identification; seeking to integrate themes from Literature, Psychology, and Comparative Religion. It is argued that the nature and purpose of myth, allied with a study of dreams and symbols, can lead to a sharpened appreciation of the impact of story on personal development and socialisation.
PH271/371: Logical and Critical Thinking
Prerequisites: Nil
This introductory unit on Logic examines the nature of good as distinct from poor reasoning. The presence or lack of argument in everyday language is examined through a range of practical examples. The notion of poor reasoning is studied, leading to a critical appreciation of various informal logical fallacies. The distinction between the validity and soundness of argument is emphasized, leading to a short introduction to the field of formal logic, in which certain basic rules and techniques can be used to by test the logical validity of arguments.
PH290/390/590/690: History of Philosophy - Ancient
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit examines the great philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome, especially in terms of their impact on the formation of Western thought and society. It traces the course of Philosophy from the 6th Century BC to the 6th Century AD. It was in this period that the enduring questions of Philosophy were established, and some initial answers provided. To understand these movements is not just a matter of historical interest, but is vital in grasping the sources of inspiration of contemporary thought and culture.
PH320/420/520/620: Directed Individual Study [on application to School of Philosophy & Theology]
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit enables a student to pursue a special topic of interest, on an individual basis, under the guidance of a lecturer. The lecturer will, in effect, become a supervisor, similar to when a student conducts research. It may also assist in situations where the timetabling or scheduling of units creates a problem in completing their degree course. The unit is subject to the availability of lecturers.
PH330: Epistemology – Ways of Knowing
Prerequisites: ET100 or PH100
Epistemology is the sub-branch of philosophy concerned with knowledge. As such it asks questions about reason, truth and certainty. Epistemology delves into different conceptions of the very notion of “truth”, and how it can be derived. What are our best “ways of knowing”? Are there such things as “facts” or is everything interpretive? Can knowledge be clearly distinguished from belief? The unit also examines classical theories on knowledge such as rationalism and empiricism, and the role of language in coming to knowledge and belief.
PH350/550/650: Special Topics in Philosophy and Ethics
Prerequisites: Nil
This unit will explore a series of special interest topics in the area of Philosophy and Ethics and will be decided according to the interests of the students and lecturer. Topics may include contemporary issues in Philosophy, or a concentrated study of a particular philosopher or text.
