PY2903 Matters of Life and Death

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 8

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available only to students on the Evening / Combined Studies Programme.

Planned timetable

Wed 6.30 - 9.30 pm

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

How should we think about moral problems concerning life and death? Choices about whose life to save, and whom to allow to die, must be made all the time, in the health service and elsewhere. How should such choices be made? Some actions that aim at good ends will endanger lives. Are such actions permissible? This module deals with some general questions concerning life and death, such as: Is death bad? Would it necessarily be a bad thing if humans went extinct? In virtue of what is life good? Should we care about the lives of people who will exist in the future, long after we are dead? What is it that makes killing bad, and is there a morally significant difference between killing and letting die? The module also deals with some applied issues and moral problems, such as: Is disability inevitably a bad-making difference? When, if ever, are abortion and euthanasia morally permissible? Should there be markets for human organs or reproductive labour?

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE, YOU MUST HAVE PASSED ANY SOCIAL SCIENCE OR HUMANITIES EVENING DEGREE MODULE

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

1 or more essays totaling no more than 6,000 words

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 2.5-hour session: lectures and tutorials