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

Erradicar a pobreza - Acabar com a pobreza em todas as suas formas, em todos os lugares

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Igualdade de género - Alcançar a igualdade de gênero e empoderar todas as mulheres e meninas.

Reduzir as desigualdades - Reduzir as desigualdades dentro dos países e entre eles.

Ação climática - Tomar medidas urgentes para combater a mudança climática e seus impactos (*).

Paz, justiça e instituições eficazes - Paz, justiça e instituições eficazes promover sociedades pacíficas e inclusivas par ao desenvolvimento sustentável, proporcionar o acesso à justiça para todos e construir instituições eficazes, responsáveis
e inclusivas em todos os níveis.

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.

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

Teaching Methods

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: continuous, consisting of two written tests (40% each) and level of participation in classes (20%); or final examination: consisting of a written test (100%), or written test and oral test for students with grade between 8 and 10 in the written test.