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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2022/2023

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Philosophy

Undergraduate Course: Moral Philosophy (PHIL10213)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course covers moral philosophy, the branch of Philosophy dealing with the nature and foundation of obligations, duties, reasons, and rights.
Course description This course covers moral philosophy, the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, extent, and foundation of obligations, duties, virtues, practical reasons, and moral rights. Precise topics vary from year to year; representative topics include: Where do moral obligations come from, and what motivates people to follow them? How do we know what we morally ought to do? Do people have moral right; what about animals? What reasons do we have to help those in need? Do we have moral duties to ourselves; to our loved ones? Is the aim of providing a fully general, informative, moral theory achievable? Is there a universal human morality?
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014) AND Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisites of Mind, Matter and Language and Knowledge and Reality. However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their PT and the course organiser before enrolling.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. **Please note that 3rd year Philosophy courses are high-demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.** These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2022/23, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  45
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 32, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 164 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 40 %, Coursework 60 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Peer-review exercise on draft essay: 10%
Mid-term essay: 50%
Final exam in the December diet: 40%
Feedback Discussion of essay plans before final essay.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)Moral Philosophy2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the distinctive subject matter of moral philosophy as a branch of philosophy.
  2. Analyse and evaluate different approaches to moral philosophy.
  3. Effectively contribute to discussion of ethical issues, in both academic and non-academic contexts.
  4. Demonstrate core skills in philosophy, including interpreting and critically engaging with philosophical texts, evaluating arguments and theories, and developing one's own ideas in response to the issues discussed.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserProf Matthew Chrisman
Tel: (0131 6)50 3648
Email: matthew.chrisman@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr Peter Cruickshank
Tel: (131 6)50 3961
Email: peter.cruickshank@ed.ac.uk
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