Aims

This module aims to:
•       Foster knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts which inform theoretical and empirical discussions in the ethics of killing and saving lives.
•       Demonstrate the interplay between normative and empirical considerations when it comes to assessing, proposing, and recommending policies.
•       Equip students with the skills necessary to understand and critically analyse real-world arguments relating to the political significance of ethics of killing and saving lives.
•       Help students to draw their own conclusions, and the relationship of these theories to specific practical public policy issues.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics studied may include:

Methods and Moral Theory
Killing vs. Letting Die
The Doctrine of Double Effect
Do Intentions Matter for Permissibility?
Liability to Defensive Killing
Killing the Innocent in Self-Defence
Drones and Counterterrorism
Saving the Greater Number
The Non-Identity Problem
Killing Non-Human Animals
Essay writing workshop

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Pre-recorded lecture materials
Connected Outcome
•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;

PiP Lecture      
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       team working skills;
•       excellent oral skills.
•       a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.

Small group teaching      
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       team working skills;
•       excellent oral skills;
•       a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.

Structured research and reading activities      
•       the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
•       intellectual independence and autonomy;

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

2 hour exam      
•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       Be able to relate issues surrounding ethics of killing and saving lives to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       Excellent written skills;
•       Intellectual independence and autonomy;

Critical Review 1000 words      
•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       the ability to research, and examine information thoroughly;
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       excellent written skills
•       intellectual independence and autonomy;