PHIL 2042 - Moral Problems

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2018

Living in the modern world means having to engage with many complex moral questions, not only in our personal lives but also when thinking about public policy. This course is devoted to in-depth discussion of a variety of problems in moral philosophy raised by current ethical controversies. Possible topics include abortion, euthanasia, self-defence, capital punishment, torture, terrorism, war, poverty, genetic engineering and our treatment of animals and the environment. The aim of the course is to identify and understand the main philosophical issues raised by these topics, and to help you develop and defend your own views about them.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PHIL 2042
    Course Moral Problems
    Coordinating Unit Philosophy
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study
    Incompatible PHIL 2011 or PHIL 3011
    Assessment Essay 1 (2250 words) 45%, Essay 2 (2250 words) 45%, Tutorial presentation and attendance 10%
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Garrett Cullity

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

    1. Demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical issues raised by a range of current, real-world moral controversies.
    2. Analyze and engage critically with contemporary philosophical work on these topics.
    3. Express, develop and defend their own views on controversial moral topics, both through written work and through constructive discussion with others.
    4. Identify ways in which philosophy can contribute to public debate about real-world moral problems.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 3
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1, 2, 3
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    3
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    1, 4
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    3
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    There is no set text for this course. All of the required readings will be made available via the course website on MyUni.
    Online Learning
    All essential course information (including lecture slides and recordings, tutorial questions, further readings, and assessment information) will be available online via MyUni.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course will be taught by a combination of lectures (two per week) and tutorials (ten over the course of the semester). For full details see the Course Guide, which will be available on the course website on MyUni.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Hours Per Week Hours Per Semester
    2 x 1-hour lecture. 24 hours
    1 x 1-hour tutorial. 12 hours
    4 hours lecture preparation and revision (reading, taking notes, reviewing lectures). 48 hours
    2 hours tutorial preparation (reading, taking notes, preparing tutorial questions). 24 hours
    4 hours assessment work (research, planning, and writing). 48 hours
    13 hours 156 hours

    Hours per week are approximate and averaged over the semester. The actual hours required will vary from week to week, and are likely to be  higher in the weeks leading up to the submission of an assignment.
    Learning Activities Summary
    See the Course Guide.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    This course will be assessed by two essays, adding up to a combined maximum of 4500 words. There will be penalties for unsatisfactory tutorial attendance. For full details see the Course Guide, which will be available on the course website on MyUni.
    Assessment Detail
    See the Course Guide.
    Submission
    See the Course Guide.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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