Philosophy and Ethics: Current Undergraduate Modules 

Year One

Ultimate Questions: An Introduction to Philosophical Enquiry

What can be known?  What is truth?  What is reality?  Can the existence of deity be proved?  This module introduces the student to a number of tools of philosophical analysis and then proceeds to explore a range of Western epistemological and metaphysical theories relating to what can ultimately be known and the nature of reality.

Beyond Good and Evil: An Introduction to Ethical Enquiry

This module introduces and promotes critical reflection on a range of core concepts in ethical theory and moral discourse. Philosophical, psychological, religious and sociological accounts of the nature of evil and goodness are examined and evaluated. The module includes an examination of Good and Evil, Moral Realism, Moral Relativism, Religion and Ethics, Happiness and Pleasure, Altruism and Egoism, War and Peace, and Virtue.

Year Two

Indian Visions: Philosophy in Indian Traditions

This module introduces philosophical thought as it has arisen within the Indian subcontinent. The module begins by outlining the nature of speculative thought in the Veda and then proceeds to examine the development of the six orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy, the nature of Jain and Buddhist philosophies and epistemologies, and concludes with contemporary Hindu and Buddhist thinkers.

Ethics in Religious and Humanist Traditions

This module investigates moral questions from a range of religious and philosophical perspectives, focusing specifically on ethical principles that have developed within the traditions of Buddhism, Christianity and Western Humanism. After introducing and critically examining the ethical resources of these traditions, a number of case studies are evaluated and discussed, for example Abortion, Animal Rights, Euthanasia, Sexuality and War.

Individual Project

An opportunity to follow up a topic of individual interest in more depth.

Year Three

Life and Meaning: Philosophy and the Human Condition

Are we free? Can we survive the death of our bodies? Does language determine our reality? Is life ultimately absurd? This module engages with a number of philosophical arguments and theories that promote reflection on the nature of human existence. Socrates famously stated that "the unexamined life is not worth living", this module proceeds by philosophically examining what it means to be human. Topics covered include: Mind and Body, Personal Identity, Free Will and Determinism, Absurdity and the Meaning of Life, and Language.

From Existentialism to Environmentalism: Twentieth and Twenty First Century Ethics

This module critically examines recent trends in ethical enquiry. The module begins by introducing the radical freedom and absolute moral responsibility outlined by existentialist philosophers, such as Sartre and de Beauvoir, and then proceeds to consider the influence of logical positivism on ethics and the development of politically and ecologically sensitive forms of ethical thinking, as represented by feminist ethics and deep and social ecological ethical theories. The module includes: Existentialism, Emotivism and Prescriptivism, Business and Political Ethics, Feminist Ethics and Ecological Ethics.

Research Project in Applied Ethics

This module involves an independent research project on Applied Ethics using case studies and applied research techniques.  Examples of possible areas for research include war and peace, organ transplants, abortion and bio-ethical questions, euthanasia and stem-cell research, animal rights and environmental issues, healthcare problems and business ethics.

Dissertation

An opportunity to develop research and writing skills in Philosophy and/or Ethics through undertaking a long piece of individual research work. The module is strongly recommended for any students contemplating postgraduate study and research.