Course syllabus

 

SEMESTER 1, 2019

15 points

 
Course Convenor and Teacher: 

Dr Vanya Kovach  v.kovach@auckland.ac.nz

Room 425 Humanities Building (ARTS 1)

Office hours: Monday 12 - 1pm and Tuesday 12 - 1pm or by appointment

Well-being always comes first We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Course delivery format:

2 hours of interactive lectures and 1 hour of tutorial  (Note: NO tutorial in Week 1)

(Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

Lectures will be recorded, and recordings made available in the Modules section

 

Summary of Course Description:              

In this course we explore a range of real world ethical issues, and will focus on ethical issues concerning euthanasia, sex work, punishment and gene editing.

For each of the four sections of the course, we will look at what is happening in the world and in New Zealand in relation to this issue, survey and evaluate a selection of relevant ethical arguments and look at some deeper conceptual and ethical issues that underlie the topic.

Euthanasia: Advances in medicine enable us to stay alive much longer than was possible in the past, but for some this is not a matter for celebration, but for fear. Should people who are terminally ill and suffering have a “right to die” if they wish to? Should people be able to make "advance directives" to be euthanased after they are no longer competent? What alternatives are there to active euthanasia, and are they more morally acceptable? This is an especially relevant topic in 2019, given the proposed legislation for New Zealand.

Sex Work/Prostitution: Sex work is now legal in New Zealand, but the ethical issues persist. Is sex just another exchange in a market driven economy, as the liberal view maintains? Is making sex work safer all that a government is required to do? Are there ethical objections to commercial sex that should inform our attitudes to this practice? What feminist objections can be raised? Should sex work be “normalised” in our society? 

Punishment: Why should we punish those who break the law? Should our justifications for punishment be forward looking (focused on the future benefits) or backward looking (focused on "paying back" the offfender for their wrong)?  How exactly should we punish?

Gene Editing: Biotechnologies are rapidly advancing. New innovations in the twenty-first century include the ability to create new forms of life in the laboratory, and technology allowing scientists to edit the very genes that make us who we are. These sorts of innovations have the potential to have a profound impact on our society and our future, and raise deep ethical questions. 

 

Tutorials

Attendance at tutorials is strongly encouraged.  You will discuss selected issues with fellow students, refine your philosophical skills and get help with essay writing. "Preparation for the Tutorial" documents will be posted in Modules in the week before each tutorial, giving direction on what to think about before the tutorial, and any special readings required.

 

 Assessment Summary:

Coursework

2 x 500 word critical discussion tasks (10% each)

These will follow a set structure, and topics for these will be offered for the first two topics covered in the course.

 

1 x 2000 word essay (40%)

This essay can be on any of the first three topics within the course, and three separate essay questions, and due dates, will be offered.

Students will not be able to write on the topic of their essay in the exam, and a careful record of essay topics will be kept to ensure that this requirement is met.

Exam

Two hours (40%)

Structure of the exam PHIL 210.pdf

 

Prescribed Texts:

No prescribed texts

Please see Reading lists for essential and further readings for each week of lectures. These may be added to as the course progressed

 

Lecture Slides

Lecture slides and other relevant material will be posted in the "Modules" section

 

 

Course Schedule

Week beginning        Lecture and Tutorial Topics                                                          

 

March 4                      Introduction to the course, Euthanasia - context,  definitions and questions. Arguments for Active Voluntary Euthanasia

                                   Tutorial Topic: No Tutorial

 

March 11                     Euthanasia - Arguments for and against Active Voluntary Euthanasia. Physician Assisted Suicide

                                    Tutorial Topic: Examining arguments for and against Active Voluntary Euthanasia (Relevant to Critical Discussion Task 1)

                                   

 

March  18                    Euthanasia – Advance Directives, Alternatives to Euthanasia

                                    Tutorial Topic: Contrasting the Seymour and Street draft bills.  Issues raised by the proposed legislation.

 

March 25                     Prostitution – Moralist approaches

                                    Tutorial Topic: Euthanasia 3

 

April 1                          Prostitution - Liberal approaches

                                    Tutorial Topic: Prostitution 1

 

April 8                          Prostitution - Feminist approaches

                                    Tutorial Topic : Prostitution 2

 [Mid semester break]

 

April 29                        Punishment - Forward looking approaches

                                    Tutorial Topic: Prostitution 3

 

May 6                           Punishment - Backward looking approaches

                                     Tutorial Topic: Punishment 1

 

May 13                        Punishment - Pluralist approaches

                                    Tutorial Topic: Punishment 2

 

May 20                         Gene Editing

                                    Tutorial Topic: Punishment 3

 

May 27                        Gene Editing

                                    Tutorial Topic:  Gene Editing 1

 

June 3                         Gene Editing

                                    Tutorial Topic: Gene Editing 2

 

 

 

Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, or on compassionate grounds, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension will be penalised by loss of marks – 10 marks per week or part of a week. Essays and assignments will not be accepted if more than two weeks late, without significant medical or compassionate grounds.