Outline

Overview

This unit draws on contemporary moral philosophy to shed light on some of the most pressing practical, ethical questions of our time, including euthanasia, abortion, surrogacy, censorship, animal rights, genetic testing and cloning and environmental ethics. By the end of the unit, students should have a good understanding of these practical ethical issues; and, more crucially, be equipped with the conceptual resources to think through new ethical questions and dilemmas as they arise in their personal and professional lives.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Philosophy
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	PHIL2517 or PHIL3617
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Caroline West, caroline.west@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Jesse Miller, jesse.miller@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay 1 x 2000 word essay covering topics from weeks 1-7	40%	Week 07 Due date: 24 Sep 2021 at 23:00	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Take-home assessment 1 x 2 short essays (approx 1,250 words each) on topics covered in wks 8-13	60%	Week 13 Due date: 22 Nov 2021 at 23:00	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

1. 2000 word research essay worth 40%

鈥� Covers content of weeks 1 鈥� 7

鈥� Topics announced on Canvas in week 3

鈥⑻� There will be an essay workshop in tutorials in week 6. Students are expected to prepare a detailed essay plan (500 words) for peer review during this workshop.

鈥� Essays submitted by the due date will be returned within 3 weeks of submission

鈥� After the return date, NO answers on the original questions will be accepted. Instead, entirely new questions will be issued for any outstanding late essays.

2. 2,500 word take-home assessment worth 60%

鈥� Covers content of weeks 8 - 13

鈥� Topics announced on Canvas in week 13

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Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don鈥檛 meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the .

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the .

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a听simple extension.鈥� The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can鈥檛 complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for听special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students,听听includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Life, death and the ethics of killing	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Abortion	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Euthanasia	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Animal ethics	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Environmental ethics and climate change	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Ethics and world poverty	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Reading week	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Genetic engineering	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Consent to sex	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Commercial surrogacy	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Pornography, free speech and censorship	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Moral ignorance	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner鈥檚 Board. The Examiner鈥檚 Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture Recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours鈥� preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Detailed Schedule of Reading and Lectures

All required readings are available either in the Library鈥檚 2hr Reserve or via the Library鈥檚 E-reading system.

Week 1 Introduction

Background Reading

鈥楻eading Philosophy鈥� (read this if you haven鈥檛 studied philosophy before)

P. Vallentyne, 鈥楥onsequentialism鈥�

McNaughton & Rawling, 鈥楧eontology鈥�

R. Hursthouse, 鈥榁irtue Theory鈥�

All in Ethics鈥爄n鈥燩ractice, ed. Hugh LaFollette (Blackwell publishing, 3rd edition)

Week 2 Life, Death and the Ethics of Killing

Required Reading: D. Marquis 鈥榃hy Abortion is Immoral鈥�, Journal of Philosophy, LXXXVI, 4 (April 1989): 183202

Additional readings

M. Tooley 鈥楢bortion and Infanticide鈥櫬�, Philosophy andPublic Affairs, Vol. 2, No. 1 (1972): 3765

P. Singer, Practical Ethics 3rd edition, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), Ch. 4 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Wrong with Killing?鈥�

W. Sinnott-Armstrong, "You can't lose what you ain't never had: A reply to Marquis on abortion, Philosophical Studies 96(1) (1999): 5972.

P. McInerney, "Does a Fetus Already have a FutureLikeOurs?", The Journal of Philosophy 87(5) (1990): 264268.

A. Norcross, "Killing, Abortion, and Contraception: A Reply to Marquis", The鈥燡ournal鈥爋f鈥燩hilosophy鈥�87(5) (1990): 268277.

Week 3 Abortion

Required reading鈭€燡. J. Thomson, 鈥淎 Defence of Abortion,鈥� Philosophy鈥燼nd鈥燩ublic鈥燗ffairs鈥�1 1 (1971): 4766

Additional reading

M. Little, 鈥淭he Moral Permissibility of Abortion,鈥� in A Cohen and C Wellman (eds.) Contemporary鈥燚ebates鈥爄n鈥燗pplied鈥燛thics鈥�(Malden MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2005)

Week 4 Euthanasia

Required Reading鈭€燡. Rachels, 鈥淎ctive and Passive Euthanasia,鈥� The鈥燛nd鈥爋f鈥燣ife鈭€燛uthanasia鈥燼nd鈥燤orality鈥�(Oxford University Press, 1986), ch. 7

Additional reading

T. Beauchamp, 鈥楯ustifying PhysicianAssisted Suicide鈥� in Ethics鈥爄n鈥燩ractice, edited by Hugh LaFollette (Blackwell publishing, 3rd edition)

J. D. Velleman, 鈥淎gainst the Right to Die,鈥� New York Working Paper Series (August 13, 2007). Reprinted in Ethics鈥營n鈥燩ractice

Week 5 Animal Ethics

Required鈥燫eading: P. Singer, 鈥淎ll Animals Are Equal,鈥� Animal鈥燣iberation鈥�(Avon Books, 1990)

础诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒鈥燫别补诲颈苍驳

C. Diamond, 鈥淓ating Meat and Eating People,鈥� Philosophy, 53 206 (1978): 465479

R. Hursthouse, 鈥淎pplying Virtue Ethics to Our Treatment of the Other Animals,鈥� in Jennifer Welchman (ed.) The鈥燩ractice鈥爋f鈥燰irtue篓

(Hackett, 2006)

T. McPherson, 鈥淲hy I am a vegan (and you should be one too).鈥� Forthcomng in听Philosophy鈥燙omes鈥爐o鈥燚inner鈥�(Eds.Andrew Chignell,Terence Cuneo, and Matthew Halteman). Manuscript available at https://www.dropbox.com/s/mxdz23tj5kc2ay0/McPhersonWhy_I_am_a_veganfor_web.pdf?dl=0

Week 6 Environmental Ethics and Climate Change

Required鈥燫eading: W. SinnottArmstrong,鈥淚t鈥檚 Not My Fault: Global Warming and Individual Moral Obligations,鈥� in SinnottArmstrong听and Howarth (eds.), Perspectives鈥爋n鈥燙limate鈥燙hange鈭€燬cience篓鈥燛conomics篓鈥燩olitics篓鈥燛thics, Vol. 5 (2005)

础诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒鈥燫别补诲颈苍驳

鈥楽. Caney, 鈥楥limate Change and The Future: Discounting for Time, Wealth and Risk鈥�, Journal鈥爋f鈥燬ocial鈥燩hilosophy鈥�40 (2009): 163186

Kagan, S. "Do I make a difference?" Philosophy鈥燼nd鈥燩ublic鈥燗ffairs鈥�39 2 (2011): 105鈥�141.

Gardiner, Caney, Jamieson & Shue, (eds).: Climate鈥燛thics鈭€燛ssential鈥燫eadings. (Oxford University Press, 2010).

Week 7 Ethics and World Poverty

Required鈥燫eading: P. Singer, 鈥楩amine, 鈥淔amine, Affluence and Morality,鈥� Philosophy鈥燼nd鈥燩ublic鈥燗ffairs鈥�1 (1972): 229鈥�243

础诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒鈥燫别补诲颈苍驳

G. Cullity 鈥淚nternational Aid and the Scope of Kindness.鈥� Ethics鈥�105 (1994): 99鈥�127

J. Carens, 鈥楢liens and Citizens: The Case for Open Borders,鈥� Review鈥爋f鈥燩olitics鈥�49 (1987): 251273

Week 9 Genetic Engineering

Required鈥燫eading: M. Sandel, 鈥淭he case against perfection,鈥� The Atlantic Monthly 293 (3): 5162

础诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒鈥爎别补诲颈苍驳

N. Agar, 鈥淟iberal Eugenics,鈥� Public鈥燗ffairs鈥燪uarterly鈥�12 2 (1998): 137 155)

F. Kamm, 鈥淚s There a Problem with Enhancement?鈥� American鈥燡ournal鈥爋f鈥燘ioethics鈥�5 3 (2005): 5 14

J. Savluescu & G. Kahane, 鈥淧rocreative Beneficence and Disability: Is There a Moral Obligation to Create Children with the Best Chance of the Best Life,鈥� Bioethics鈥�23 5 (2009): 274 鈥� 290

Week 10 Consent to Sex

Required鈥爎eading: Sarah Conly, 鈥淪eduction, Rape and Coercion,鈥� Ethics鈥�115 (2004): 96121

搁别肠辞尘尘别苍诲别诲鈥爎别补诲颈苍驳

Robin West, 鈥淪ex, Law and Consent,鈥� in Alan Wertheimer & William Miller (eds.) The鈥燛thics鈥爋f鈥燙onsent鈭€燭heory鈥燼nd鈥燩ractice, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009)

础诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒鈥爎别补诲颈苍驳s

Onora O鈥橬eill, 鈥淏etween Consenting Adults,鈥� Philosophy鈥燼nd鈥燩ublic鈥燗ffairs篓鈥�14 3 (1985): 251277

Alan Wertheimer, 鈥淐onsent to Sexual

Relations,鈥� in Franklin Miller & Alan Wertheimer (eds.) The鈥燛thics鈥爋f鈥燙onsent篓鈥�(2010), electronic version in library ecollection

Week 11 Commercial Surrogacy

Required鈥燫eading鈭€燛. Anderson, 鈥淲hy Commercial Surrogate Motherhood Unethically Commodifies Women and Children: Reply to McLachlan and Swales,鈥� Health鈥燙are鈥燗nalysis鈥�8 (2000): 1926

础诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒鈥爎别补诲颈苍驳

M. Sandel, 鈥淐ommodification, Commercialization, and Privatization,鈥� in What鈥燤oney鈥燙an鈥檛鈥燘uy鈭€燭he鈥燤oral鈥燣imits鈥爋f鈥燤arkets, The Tanner Lectures on Human Values (1998)

H. McLachlan and J. K. Swales, 鈥淏abies, Child Bearers and Commodification,鈥� Health鈥燙are鈥燗nalysis鈥�8 (2000)

Week 12 Pornography, Free Speech & Censorship

Required Reading: R. Dworkin, MacKinnon鈥檚 Words鈥� in Ethics鈥爄n鈥燩ractice, edited by Hugh LaFollette (Blackwell publishing, 3rd edition)

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. develop analytical and critical thinking skills, communication skills, research skills, lateral thinking skills and independent thinking skills
LO2. develop capacity to engage openmindedly with different viewpoints, analyse and evaluate arguments and to develop and communicate new perspectives clearly
LO3. reflect on, and appreciate personal, civic and professional ethical obligations
LO4. demonstrate attributes of philosophical scholarship, including understanding the methods of philosophical analysis and argument.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all 爆料王 graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one鈥檚 personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

Important: the 爆料王 regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an .

爆料王

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

爆料王

PHIL2617: Practical Ethics

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links