University of Stirling

Philosophy

Current Students: Undergraduates

 

Core Modules and Options at Level 10

PHI9PD - Metaethics

Metaethics concerns questions about morality – about the nature, status and foundations of moral thought and discourse. Its guiding questions include: Are there any moral facts, truths, values? If so, what are they like? Are they objective? If so, what does moral objectivity involve?

In addressing such questions, metaethics examines a range of issues about: the metaphysical commitments of morality (e.g. what sorts of facts and properties moral facts and properties might be: natural, non-natural, substantial, nominal); the semantics of moral statements (the truth-aptness and meaning of moral claims); moral epistemology (whether and how we can have moral knowledge); moral psychology (the nature of, and relation between, moral judgement and motivation); the normativity of morality (whether moral facts imply reasons to act, say).

In this course, we’ll examine some of the main theories and debates in contemporary metaethics. We’ll start with (1) Mackie’s error theory, before (2) assessing a range of responses to it (from realists, quasi-realists and irrealists); we’ll then (3) examine the normativity of morality.

 

Outcomes

By the end of the semester students will have developed a detailed picture of the central issues in metaethics. The module further aims to improve critical reading, critical thinking, and oral communication skills through the seminar discussion and essay writing processes. (See section B of the Philosophy Student Handbook for more details.)

 

Reading

 

We will probably be using a coursepack, available at the start of the semester.

Two good books covering many of the issues to be discussed are:

  • Alexander Miller, An Introduction to Contemporary Metaethics (Polity Press, 2003)
  • Russ Shafer-Landau, Moral Realism (Clarendon Press, 2003)

Some useful collections of articles are:

  • Russ Shafer-Landau (ed), Foundations of Ethics (Blackwell, 2006)
  • Andrew Fisher and Simon Kirchin (eds), Arguing about Metaethics (Routledge, 2006)
  • Stephen Darwall, Allan Gibbard & Peter Railton (eds), Moral Discourse and Practice (OUP, 1997)

 

 
Availability:
Honours, 3yr, General Degree
Prerequisite:
Any level 9 Philosophy module
Assessment:

Coursework (one required essay) 50%; final examination (3 questions in 3 hours) 50%. Students may choose to submit a second essay to improve their coursework grade.
Teaching Pattern:
Two one-hour lectures and one one-hour seminar each week
Regulations:
An important outcome of the module is ability to think critically about the topics covered. Critical discussion of topics in lectures and seminars forms an essential part of the module. For this reason, lecture and seminar classes are prescribed.  For regulations and policies governing Philosophy see the Philosophy Student Handbook, section F.
Lecturer
 TBD , Pathfoot Rm A90, 01786 467549

 

Please contact Departmental Secretaries if you would like to know more about this module.