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Ethics

Code: 100282
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Philosophy OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Olga Fernandez Prat
Email :
olga.fernandez@uab.cat

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

Professor/a a designar

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

None

Objectives

1. To learn to distinguish ethics as philosophical reflection, that is, as reflection in a specific discursive medium: that of a form of knowledge that cannot be equated with either science or common sense.
2. To come to understand and practise this type of discourse correctly.
3. To learn to recognise the major ethical issues and problems that have been raised up to now.
4. Integrate what has been learnt in the philosophical training acquired during the first year of the Degree.
5. Learn to relate ethical problems to philosophical problems in general, analysing identities and differences between them.
 

Learning outcomes

  • CM17 (Ethically and politically assess issues related to the good life in plural societies.) Ethically and politically assess issues related to the good life in plural societies.
  • CM18 (Demonstrate open-mindedness and intellectual honesty in dealing with conflicts related to justice and the good, taking into account the influence of power relations on their understanding and resolution .) Demonstrate open-mindedness and intellectual honesty in dealing with conflicts related to justice and the good, taking into account the influence of power relations on their understanding and resolution .
  • CM19 (Defend ethical arguments and distinguish them from incorrect ones) Defend ethical arguments and distinguish them from incorrect ones
  • KM20 (Use the appropriate concepts in the construction of thinking about ethics or political philosophy - power, justice or rights - identifying their meaning and application in contemporary debates, in addition to the historical and gender biases that influence their use.) Use the appropriate concepts in the construction of thinking about ethics or political philosophy - power, justice or rights - identifying their meaning and application in contemporary debates, in addition to the historical and gender biases that influence their use.
  • KM21 (Correctly use the specific lexicon from the history of philosophy in a work on ethics or political philosophy.) Correctly use the specific lexicon from the history of philosophy in a work on ethics or political philosophy.
  • KM22 (Identify the central arguments of contemporary reference texts on ethics and political philosophy, as well as their significance in addressing current social challenges.) Identify the central arguments of contemporary reference texts on ethics and political philosophy, as well as their significance in addressing current social challenges.
  • SM20 (Identify the concepts and methods of the texts of the philosophical tradition in order to identify their normative assumptions, their theoretical frameworks and their argumentative strategies, as well as their relevance for the understanding of ethical and political problems throughout history) Identify the concepts and methods of the texts of the philosophical tradition in order to identify their normative assumptions, their theoretical frameworks and their argumentative strategies, as well as their relevance for the understanding of ethical and political problems throughout history
  • SM21 (Establish relationships between science, philosophy, art, religion, politics in the discourse on ethics or political philosophy.) Establish relationships between science, philosophy, art, religion, politics in the discourse on ethics or political philosophy.
  • SM22 (Analyse the ethical and political concepts central to the moral dilemmas of the present.) Analyse the ethical and political concepts central to the moral dilemmas of the present.
  • SM23 (Present, both orally and in writing, the basic issues and problems of ethical and political theories) Present, both orally and in writing, the basic issues and problems of ethical and political theories

Contents

Programme


Concepts:


  1. What is ethics?
  2. Objectivity and subjectivity in ethics
  3. Relativism and universalism in ethics
  4. The foundations of ethics
  5. Ethical dilemmas and moral argumentation
  6. Psychology and biology in ethics. Altruism and egoism




History:


  1. Aristotle and virtue ethics
  2. David Hume and moral sentiments
  3. Immanuel Kant and moral duty
  4. Utilitarianism
  5. Feminist ethical thinking


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Supervised 20 0.8 CM18, CM19, KM21, KM22, SM20, SM21, SM22, SM23
Lectures 35 1.4 CM17, KM22, SM20, SM21, SM22
Autonomous 50 2 CM17, CM18, KM20, KM22, SM20, SM21, SM22
Orientation reading of texts and debate 10 0.4 CM17, KM21, KM22, SM20, SM21
Autonomous 27.5 1.1 KM22, SM20, SM21, SM22
The course comprises theoretical lessons (lectures), classes with practical activities and tutorials.
 
The methodology consists of:
 
  • Study of the main theoretical frameworks and currents of ethics
  • Commentary on texts and audiovisual material
  • Group critical debate on practical cases
  • Personal work by the student
  • Group work
  • Supervision of individual work and discussion material
 
In the theoretical classes, the teacher will explain the topics that students should know in order to achieve the objectives and competences of the subject. The development of the contents will be followed by clarification of questions and discussion with the students. At the beginning of each session, the teacher will offer a brief summary of the main ideas examined in the previous class, asking for the students' cooperation. In the practical sessions, activities will be carried out with a strong emphasis on active learning.
 
 
Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
2.Debate 30% final mark 4 0.16 CM18, CM19, KM20, SM23
3.Individual essay debate 20% final mark 2 0.08 CM17, CM18, CM19, KM20, KM21, KM22, SM20, SM21, SM22, SM23
1.Test 50% final mark 1.5 0.06 CM18, CM19, KM20, KM21, KM22, SM20, SM22, SM23

Continuous assessment

In order to include the different skills and knowledge that students have acquired throughout the course, as well as their different abilities, three assessment activities will be carried out.

  1. Exam (50%): the exam will assess the contents of the theoretical and practical classes, as well as the lectures and material discussed in class.
  2. Debate (30%) - may not be retaken: team participation in a debate on some of the ethical problems addressed in the course. The professor will provide a list of topics to be discussed and groups will be formed during the first weeks of the course. A tutorial will be held beforehand to explain to the professor the approach and defence of the thesis.
  3. Two-page personal critical reflection on the subject of the debate (20%) - may not be retaken.


Note: This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.

If the activities cannot be taken in person, their format will be adapted (without altering their weighting) to the possibilities offered by the UAB's virtual tools. The lecturer will ensure that students have access to these resources or will offer them alternative resources that are within their reach.

In the event that the student carries out any type of irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of agiven evaluation act, this will be graded with 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may result from it. In the event that several irregularities are verified in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.

Single assessment (evaluación única):

The single assessment will be a written test consisting of three parts:

(a) Theoretical questions on the first part (40%)

b) Commentary on texts of the second part (40%)

c) Questions on specific readings for the single assessment (20%).

Retaken of the single assessment: the characteristics will be the same as those of the single assessment test.

Bibliography

Bibliography (a more extensive and specific bibliography will be provided for each subject as the course progresses).
 
Manuals:
Camps, Victoria. (2022). Breve historia de la ética. RBA.
Camps, Victoria. (Ed.). (2008).  Historia de la ética (3 vol.). Crítica. 
Gómez, Carlos y Muguerza, Javier. (2010). La aventura de la moralidad: paradigmas, fronteras y problemas de la ética. Alianza Editorial.
MacIntyre, Alasdair. (2024). Historia de la ética. Paidós.
Rachels, James. (2013). Introducción a la Filosofía Moral. F.C.E.
Shafer-Landau, Russ. (2012). The fundamentals of ethics. OUP.
Singer, Peter. (2023). Ética práctica. Akal. 
 
Fundamental literature on Ethics:
Aristóteles. Ética a Nicómaco. Gredos (2019).
Kant, Immanuel. (1785). Fundamentación para una metafísica de las costumbres. Alianza Editorial (2002).
Mill, John Stuart. (1861). Utilitarismo. Alianza Editorial (2014).
de Beauvoir, Simone. (1949). El segundo sexo. Cátedra (2021).
Tronto, Joan C., (1952). Caring democracy. [Castellà. Democracia y cuidado: mercados, igualdad y justicia. Català. Democràcia i cura: mercats, igualtat i justícia. Rayo verde, editorial.]
 
Some literature on Applied Ethics:
Bostrom, Nick y Savulescu, Julian. (2017). Mejoramiento humano. TEELL.
Coeckelbergh, Mark. (2021). Ética de la inteligencia artificial. Cátedra.
Diéguez, Antonio. (2016). Transhumanismo. La búsqueda tecnológica del mejoramiento humano. Herder.
Fundación Grifols i Lucas: https://www.fundaciogrifols.org/es/monographs (cuadernos monográficos sobre temas de bioética como la eutanasia).
Gardiner, Stephen, y Thompson, Allen. (Eds). (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Environmental Ethics. OUP.
Gómez Franco, Irene. (2020). Deudas pendientes. La justicia entre generaciones. Plaza y Valdés.
Nussbaum, Martha. (2007). Las fronteras de la justicia. Paidós.
Savulescu, Julian (2012). ¿Decisiones peligrosas? Una bioética desafiante. Tecnos.
Singer, Peter. (2018). Liberación animal. Taurus.
Singer, Peter. (2012). Salvar una vida. Cómo terminar con la pobreza. Katz.
Thomas Nagel. (2005). The Problem of Global Justice. Philosophy and Public Affairs, 33, 113-147.
 
Links:
Asociación Española de Ética y Filosofía Política: https://aeefp.site123.me/
The International Association of Women Philosophers: http://www.women-philosophy.org/about-us/
European Society for Moral Philosophy: http://www.moralphilosophy.eu/
Red Española de Filosofía: http://redfilosofia.es/
The Equality Trust: http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/
Basic Income Earth: http://basicincome.org
Red GENET de Estudios de Género: https://www.redgenet.org/
Dirección de la enciclopedia Stanford: https://plato.stanford.edu/
Pódcast de Peter Singer y Kasia de Lazari Radek: “Lives Well Lived”, Spotify.
 

Software

None.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed