6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 2 with catalog number 1020830BER for all students in the 1st semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.
This course introduces central concepts, theories, debates and methods of the moral sciences and empirical ethics. Students learn to reflect critically and to formulate a reasoned and context-sensitive perspective on a number of complex ethical issues and societal challenges. The course situates the added value of an integrated - empirical-normative - approach as well as the difficulties that this entails.
The first part introduces relevant moral philosophical approaches, debates and concepts and discusses the way in which morality is investigated and explained from different disciplines and perspectives. The philosophiical and sociological backgrounds of moral science(s) are explored as well as the more recent 'ethical turn' within various discplines, including the sociology of morality, moral developmental psychology, neuro-ethics, cultural anthropology, normative economics and critical psychiatry.
The last part of the course deals with recent debates on how to integrate normative ethics and social science research in various domains of practical or applied ethics, such as biomedical ethics. The course also provides a brief introduction to the use of some qualitative methods, such as Grounded Theory and Thematic Analysis.
The course materials (slides, syllabus and texts) are provided via
Canvas.
1. To have knowledge of the central debates, the main concepts and developments in the field of moral sciences and empirical ethical research.
2. To have insight in different research paradigms, disciplines, theories, concepts and methods and being capable to connect them with research on specific questions.
3. To be able to analyze current ethical and social issues from an integrated contextual perspective.
4. To be able to elaborate an empirical-ethical research proposal, with a relevant research question and appropriate methodology.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other category, the following assignments need to be completed:
- Preparation and presentation of reading assigments (20%)
- Optional: research paper (30%)
- Oral final exam (60% or 80%)
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Philosophy and Moral Sciences: default (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of History: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of History: Minor Minor Human Sciences (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of History: minor Social Sciences (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Art Studies and Archaeology: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Art Studies and Archaeology: Profile Profile Art Studies and Archaeology (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: German-French (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: French-Italian (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: French-Spanish (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Dutch-English (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Dutch-French (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Dutch-Italian (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Dutch-Spanish (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Dutch-German (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Spanish-Italian (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: Italian-German (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: German-Spanish (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: English-German (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: English-French (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: English-Italian (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Linguistics and Literary Studies: English-Spanish (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Nederlands-Frans (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Nederlands-Engels (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Nederlands-Duits (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Nederlands-Spaans (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Frans-Engels (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Frans-Duits (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Frans-Spaans (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Engels-Duits (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Engels-Spaans (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Applied Language Studies: Duits-Spaans (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Arts in Philosophy and Moral Sciences: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Preparatory Programme Master of Arts in Philosophy and Moral Sciences: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)