Killing humans. Ethical issues WF-FI-212-WMCEB23
Topics covered:
• What are the arguments for and against the permissibility of abortion?
• What are the arguments for and against the permissibility of euthanasia?
• What are the arguments for and against the death penalty?
• What justifies the use of force against an autonomous political community?
• Who may / should be killed in military operations?
• To what extent is it permissible to expose civilians to death as a result of military operations?
• To what extent are citizens responsible for the aggressive policies of their own country leaders?
• What model of ethics applies to total war (World War II)?
• What does the complete prohibition of terrorism result from?
(in Polish) E-Learning
(in Polish) Grupa przedmiotów ogólnouczenianych
Subject level
Learning outcome code/codes
Type of subject
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Attitudes - in-depth understanding of the issues related to ethical assessments of actions involving taking the life of human beings
Competence - the ability to independently analyze ethical dilemmas around abortion / euthanasia / death penalty / killing in war.
Knowledge - knowledge of the basic assumptions of the arguments for the defense of human life / just war theory in its historical and contemporary formulations
Assessment criteria
Assessment will be based on participation in the seminar and the submission of one written essay (1500 words) on the subject
Bibliography
Ch.Kaczor, "The Ethics of Abortion. Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice", Routladge, New York&London, 2015 (fragments).
M. Somerville, Death talk. The Case against Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide, McGill-Queen’s University Press 2014, (fragments).
M. H. Kramer, The Ethics of Capital Punishment A Philosophical Investigation of Evil andIts Consequences, Oxford University Press, 2011, (fragments).
Michael Walzer "Arguing About War" , Yale University Press, 2004, (fragments).
Michael Walzer "Just and Unjust Wars", Basic Books, 1977; fifth edition, 2015, (fragments).
J. McMahan, "TheEthics of killing in war", Ethics, 2004, t. CXIV, nr 4, s. 693-733, (fragments).
C.A.J. Coady, "The Morality of Terrorism "Philosophy, 1980, t. LX, s. 47-69.,
Notes
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Term 2023/24_Z:
General knowledge of issues related to moral philosophy. |
Additional information
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