MORAL THEORIES AND APPLIED ETHICS

M-FIL/03 - 6 CFU - 1° Semester

Teaching Staff

ROSA LOREDANA CARDULLO


Learning Objectives

The course of Moral Theories and Applied Ethics is divided into two distinct but interrelated moments: 1) the study of the history of moral philosophy, from its origins to the present day; 2) an examination of the so-called applied ethics, i.e. those disciplines that arise from the application of moral theories and principles in particular areas of human existence, especially those related to life (bios) and the living world in general.

The course in its entirety aims to deepen the student's understanding of the moral aspect of philosophical reflection of all times, making him aware of the importance of the origins of such reflection, which are the roots and foundations of any contemporary reflection. In addition to historical-theoretical knowledge, the student will acquire a clear and firm awareness of the most problematic and crucial phenomena of our times, on which moral philosophy finds practical application today, in particular ethics of care, responsability and practical philosophies as such P4C and Philosophy for community.


Course Structure

The first part of the course will be traditionally held through lectures that will cover the history of moral philosophy, from its beginnings (VI-V century BC) to the so-called practical philosophies (Philosophy for Children, Socratic Dialogue, Counseling, Café Philo).

In the second part of the course, conducted in seminar mode, students will have the opportunity to actively participate in the deepening of applied ethics, through the presentation of individual or group work, power points or other. To this end, some recently published essays are indicated, on which the student will deepen the section of applied ethics with personal interventions (power points, oral reports, group work), elaborated with the aid of these texts, from which he will have to choose and buy only one.

The student who approaches this discipline, so current but at the same time so linked to the history of the entire philosophical thought, from its beginnings in Greek antiquity, must have a knowledge, even if not perfectly complete, of philosophical thought in its historical evolution. This fundamental requirement may have been acquired even only during the school curriculum, if the student did not come from a three-year degree in which philosophical disciplines were included. Our three-year degrees guarantee the acquisition of the required requirement, since they offer teachings in the History of Philosophy.



Detailed Course Content

From the text of the Da Re:

The good life and knowledge of good. Happiness and virtue (from Socrates to Plotinus).

The good and virtues. Freedom and Will (from Augustine to Duns Scotus).

Ethics and politics (from Machiavelli to Thomas More).

Good and supreme good. The motive for moral action. Moral duty and the test of universalizability (from Descartes to Mill).

The problem of moral autonomy (from Hegel to Nietzsche)

Reason and feeling (from Moore to MacIntyre).

The ethics of responsibility (from Weber to Jonas).

Analytical metaethics.

About the applied ethics: ethic of care, ethic of responsability, practical philosophies (in particular Philosophy for community, Philosophy for children, philosophical counseling)



Textbook Information

For institutional part of course:

1. Antonio Da Re, Filosofia morale. Storia, teorie, argomenti, Bruno Mondadori, Milano 2008 oppure Pearson, Milano-Torino 2018 (non saranno accettate edizioni precedenti alle due indicate)

2. Adriano Fabris, Etiche applicate. Una guida, Carocci, Roma 2018.

For deeping and workgroups:

1. (Ethic of care) Elena Pulcini, La cura del mondo. Paura e responsabilità nell'età globale, Bollati Boringhieri, Milano, 2009

2. (Ethic of responsability) Hans Jonas, Principio responsabilità . Un'etica per la civiltà tecnologica, Einaudi, Torino, 2002.

3. (Practical philosophies) N. Pollastri, Il pensiero e la vita. Guida alla consulenza e alle pratiche filosofiche, Apogeo, MIlano 2005, pp. 11-49 (le dispense verranno fornite dalla docente)

A. Cosentino, Il filosofare come pratica sociale. Il modello della Philosophy for children, in Rossetti-Chiapperini, Filosofare con i bambini e i ragazzi, Perugia 2006, pp. 11-22 (le dispense verranno fornita dalla docente)

A. Cosentino, Bambini filosofi, in «Infanzia» 1 (2017) (le disoense verranno fornite dalla docente)




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