Undergraduate Course: The Nature of Moral Understanding (PHIL10099)

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_honours/ug_hons_index.html	Taught in Gaelic?	No
Course description	The central question we will address is: what is the nature of the understanding someone has when he or she engages with moral challenges? These challenges arise in relatively ordinary situations of the kinds presented in life, literature and film. These situations include decisions about what to do, wondering how to live, questions of whether one is under a moral obligation, contemplation of shame or guilt. We will consider, for example, what makes something a moral matter, whether I have a duty to myself, whether others can oblige me and whether morality is principally about what to do. The course is in three sections. First we will compare the predominant approach to morality with an alternative. Second we will consider specific moral phenomena like forgiveness, individuality and remorse. Third we will consider the interpersonal dimension of morality as seen in argument, persuasion and absurdity.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites	Students MUST have passed: Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017) AND Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014)	Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None
Additional Costs	None

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: 2014/15 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)			Learn enabled: Yes	Quota: 28
Web Timetable	Web Timetable
Class Delivery Information	Dr David Levy is the lecturer on this course.
Course Start Date	12/01/2015
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 100 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Exam Information
Exam Diet	Paper Name	Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)		2:00

Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 2, Part-year visiting students only (VV1)			Learn enabled: No	Quota: 5
Web Timetable	Web Timetable
Class Delivery Information	Dr David Levy is the lecturer on this course.
Course Start Date	12/01/2015
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 200 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 174 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info)	Written Exam 100 %, Coursework 0 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Exam Information
Exam Diet	Paper Name	Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)	The Nature of Moral Understanding	2:00

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
To develop further the philosophical skills, and to extend as well as deepen thknowledge, acquired in previous philosophy courses.

Assessment Information
Assessment will be by 2-hour examination in the May diet (100%)

Special Arrangements
None

Contacts
Course organiser	Prof Theodore Scaltsas Tel: (0131 6)50 3649 Email: Scaltsas@ed.ac.uk	Course secretary	Miss Susan Richards Tel: (0131 6)51 3733 Email: sue.richards@ed.ac.uk