| Attribute | Type | Value |
|---|
Contemporary Ethical Issues
Name: Contemporary Ethical Issues
Code: FIL14578M
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Philosophy
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Presentation
The specificity of ethics and its fundamental notions is presented to make known some of the contemporary ethical positions, problematize current issues, such as corruption, and value the ethical meaning of the person as a subject of action.
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
1. To delimit the epistemological specificity of Ethics.
2. To employ appropriately Ethics categories, distinguishing, for example, the concepts of Ethics, Moral, ethical values, ethical foundations and principles, moral judgments, duty, ethical legitimacy, person, responsibility, human dignity.
3. To know some of the current ethical proposals.
4. To debate the phenomenon of corruption as a contemporary ethical issue.
5. To understand the ethical meaning of person as the subject of action.
2. To employ appropriately Ethics categories, distinguishing, for example, the concepts of Ethics, Moral, ethical values, ethical foundations and principles, moral judgments, duty, ethical legitimacy, person, responsibility, human dignity.
3. To know some of the current ethical proposals.
4. To debate the phenomenon of corruption as a contemporary ethical issue.
5. To understand the ethical meaning of person as the subject of action.
Contents
I. Introduction: clarification of basic concepts
II. The universalism versus relativism debate
III. The current relevance of applied ethics
IV. Borders and relations between the ethical and the legal
V. Conclusion: ethical validity and complexity of the category of person
II. The universalism versus relativism debate
III. The current relevance of applied ethics
IV. Borders and relations between the ethical and the legal
V. Conclusion: ethical validity and complexity of the category of person
Teaching Methods
The debate based on the preparation of interventions by students, together with the hermeneutics of texts, will be the predominant working method, with the aim of reducing the use of the expository method as much as possible. This approach, already adopted in undergraduate courses, is even more justified in postgraduate courses, where students' qualifications necessarily involve research exercises, as a precursor to what may become future research, either within doctoral programmes or through full integration into scientifically recognised research centres.
In developing this course unit, we will bear in mind both the contents of Circular No. 10/2023 (Institutional Pedagogical Policy) and the fact that the Master's Degree in Practical Philosophy (a course for which this is a compulsory unit) at the University of Évora has as its backdrop the theme ?Politics, Citizenship and the Environment?. Therefore, the philosophical discussion of contemporary ethical problems will be conducted taking into account the theoretical-practical nature of Ethics itself and aiming at its relevance in responding to the most pressing cultural challenges of our time.
In short, the following main methods will be used in the course:
a) Exposure (in the introduction of themes and problems);
b) Text hermeneutics;
c) Debate (discussion and argumentation);
d) Assessment.
In compliance with the Framework for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching, assessment, and learning at UÉ (Order No. 34/2026), the use of AI is permitted during the teaching and study process, but not during the completion of assessment exams (as specified in the section regarding Assessment).
In developing this course unit, we will bear in mind both the contents of Circular No. 10/2023 (Institutional Pedagogical Policy) and the fact that the Master's Degree in Practical Philosophy (a course for which this is a compulsory unit) at the University of Évora has as its backdrop the theme ?Politics, Citizenship and the Environment?. Therefore, the philosophical discussion of contemporary ethical problems will be conducted taking into account the theoretical-practical nature of Ethics itself and aiming at its relevance in responding to the most pressing cultural challenges of our time.
In short, the following main methods will be used in the course:
a) Exposure (in the introduction of themes and problems);
b) Text hermeneutics;
c) Debate (discussion and argumentation);
d) Assessment.
In compliance with the Framework for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching, assessment, and learning at UÉ (Order No. 34/2026), the use of AI is permitted during the teaching and study process, but not during the completion of assessment exams (as specified in the section regarding Assessment).
Assessment
Student performance assessment will be conducted based on the choice of one of the two schemes provided for in Article 110, Paragraph 4 of the Academic Regulations (R.A.) ? cf. Annex to Order No. 53/2022, dated April 1.
The corresponding rules are as follows:
E. 1 ? Continuous Assessment Scheme
Each student opting for this scheme must attend at least 75% of the in-person sessions and will be assessed based on oral participation and a written assignment. The final grade will be the arithmetic mean of the results from these assessments.
Any result lower than 8 (eight) points in the continuous assessment components, or a final grade lower than 10 (ten) points, prevents the student from passing under this assessment scheme. Missing one of the continuous assessment components results in an automatic switch to the exam scheme, while completing all of them precludes the student from taking the exam during the regular exam period ? cf. R.A., Article 110, Paragraph 11, items a) and b).
E. 2 ? Exam Scheme
The Exam, in any of its scheduled periods, will consist of a written exam (PE) lasting three hours and, if the result falls between 8 and 10 points, an oral exam (PO). In this case, the final grade (NF) will be calculated using the following formula: NF = (PE + PO) ÷ 2.
NB: Use of AI
The use of any AI platform or tool during assessments is not permitted. In accordance with the principles of academic integrity in force at the University of Évora, the detection of the use of any form of AI will result in the annulment of the corresponding assessment(s) for the offender(s).
The corresponding rules are as follows:
E. 1 ? Continuous Assessment Scheme
Each student opting for this scheme must attend at least 75% of the in-person sessions and will be assessed based on oral participation and a written assignment. The final grade will be the arithmetic mean of the results from these assessments.
Any result lower than 8 (eight) points in the continuous assessment components, or a final grade lower than 10 (ten) points, prevents the student from passing under this assessment scheme. Missing one of the continuous assessment components results in an automatic switch to the exam scheme, while completing all of them precludes the student from taking the exam during the regular exam period ? cf. R.A., Article 110, Paragraph 11, items a) and b).
E. 2 ? Exam Scheme
The Exam, in any of its scheduled periods, will consist of a written exam (PE) lasting three hours and, if the result falls between 8 and 10 points, an oral exam (PO). In this case, the final grade (NF) will be calculated using the following formula: NF = (PE + PO) ÷ 2.
NB: Use of AI
The use of any AI platform or tool during assessments is not permitted. In accordance with the principles of academic integrity in force at the University of Évora, the detection of the use of any form of AI will result in the annulment of the corresponding assessment(s) for the offender(s).
Accreditations and Certifications
