Undergraduate Course: Meta-Ethics (PHIL10019)
Course Outline
School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
Home subject area | Philosophy |
Other subject area | None |
Course website |
http://www.philosophy.ed.ac.uk/ug_study/ug_index.html |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
Course description | If ethics is the general investigation of what is right/wrong, good/bad, what one may/ought to do, etc. then metaethics is the investigation of the nature of ethical judgments and facts. This involves questions about: (i) the objectivity and psychology of ethical judgment, (ii) the existence, nature and knowability of ethical facts, and (iii) the meaning of ethical terms and the sentences in which they figure. This course will introduce students this area of philosophy, which is an interesting arena for the interaction of moral theory, metaphysics, ontology, moral psychology, and the philosophy of language. We consider a wide range of metaethical theories which may include non-naturalism, emotivism, error-theory, naturalism, expressivism, and fictionalism. Through this, students will gain an overview of twentieth century meta-ethics and exposure to some recent developments. In addition to students interested in ethical theory, this course will be relevant to those interested in metaphysics, epistemology, and the theory of meaning.
|
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses. |
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 25 |
|
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
Class Delivery Information |
Dr Guy Fletcher will also be teaching on this course. |
Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
|
Additional Notes |
|
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
No Exam Information |
|
Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Part-year visiting students only (VV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 5 |
|
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
Class Delivery Information |
Dr Guy Fletcher will also be teaching on this course. |
Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 7,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
167 )
|
Additional Notes |
|
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
A thorough understanding of the most important positions in contemporary meta-ethics, some of which students will have encountered in less depth in previous courses, others of which will be new to students; an enhancement of philosophical skills, through pursuing contemporary questions at an advanced level; a furthering of communications skills, through presentations and constructive argument in a seminar setting. |
Assessment Information
The course will be assessed by a 1500 word essay worth 40% and a final Take Home Exam worth 60%.
Senior Honours students may opt to write a coursework dissertation(approximately 5000 words) in lieu of the above.
|
Special Arrangements
None |
Additional Information
Academic description |
Not entered |
Syllabus |
Not entered |
Transferable skills |
Not entered |
Reading list |
Not entered |
Study Abroad |
Not entered |
Study Pattern |
Not entered |
Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
Course organiser | Prof Michael Ridge
Tel: (0131 6)50 3657
Email: M.Ridge@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Susan Richards
Tel: (0131 6)51 3733
Email: sue.richards@ed.ac.uk |
|
© Copyright 2013 The University of Edinburgh - 13 January 2014 4:57 am
|