FIL2310 – Normative Ethics and Metaethics
Course content
Moral philosophy (ethics) can be divided, from the more theoretical to the more practical, into metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. In this course, we explore central themes in metaethics and normative ethics. The course might have special focus on either metaethics or normative ethics at different semesters. Metaethics describes morality from different philosophical perspectives, such as semantics, ontology, and epistemology. The following type of issues are discussed: What is the meaning of moral terms (such as ‘right’, ‘wrong’) and moral sentences? Are moral sentences true or false? Are there any moral properties or facts in the world that can make them true? If so, what are they like? Is it possible to know what objects have these properties? If so, how do we reach such knowledge? Normative ethics concerns what ultimately explains the moral status of actions. The following type of issues are discussed: Is only consequences of actions relevant to determine their moral status? If not, what other aspects are morally significant? What is it that makes a person’s life good or bad? What is it that makes a state of affair good or bad?
Learning outcome
After having completed the course you are expected to:
? be able to demonstrate a thorough insight in problems of metaethics and/or normative ethics, and also be able to discuss different views critically in writing
? be able to demonstrate an overview of differences, similarities and connections between different views within metaethics and/or normative ethics
? be able to give critical assessments of the different views
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Recommended previous knowledge
We reccomend that you complete FIL1003 – Innf?ring i etikk