Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Ethics
Other languages of instruction: Spanish
Teaching staff
By appointment. In order to make an appointment, please request one by mail.
Introduction
The most frequent problems in our personal and professional activities are usually not really professional, in a technical sense. They are often human problems like: how to act correctly, how to maintain good relationships with other people. The subject “Ethics” is the space to study and think about this.
Pre-course requirements
No pre-course requirements are needed to enrol in this subject.
Objectives
The main objectives in this subject are:
1. To provide students with theoretical tools for the analysis of human behavior.
2. To introduce students into the use of the basic elements of moral thought and the main concepts in ethics.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- E02 - Ability to use methods and techniques specific to human sciences.
- E06 - Awareness of and respect for different points of view resulting from cultural and social diversity.
- E24 - Ability to present the results of research project in accordance with the standards of each subject area.
- E25 - Ability to communicate orally in one's own language and other languages using the terminology and resources accepted in the cultural framework of each language
- G01 - To analyse and interpret social and cultural environments to identify need, opportunities, weaknesses and strenghts..
- G02 - To lead, cooordinate and form part of interdisciplinary work teams.
- G03 - To search for and/or administer economic resources within the framework of an institution or company, or a cultural programmes, project or service.
- G04 - To know how to communicate, encourage and mediate between the various agents involved in a cultural project, programme or service.
- G05 - To act responsibly and produce high-quality, rigorous and efficient work that benefits society.
- G07 - To know how to apply and adapt to new technologies in processes of cultural management, production and dissemination.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students who enrol in this subject will:
- Develop their capacity to identify ethical values and exercise ethical judgments.
- Learn to identify and solve practical problems and make correct decisions.
Syllabus
Theme 1. Introduction to the subject
History of Ethics
The concept of Ethics
Ethics as human science
PART I: ETHICS BASIC CONCEPTS
Theme 2. The topic of Ethics
The recovery at the end of XX century
What excellence means
Theme 3. The meaning of live
The ultimate end
Happiness
Theme 4. Virtue: skill, power, capability
Cardinal virtues
Social Virtues
Theme 5. Intellectual Virtues
Decision making
Theme 6. Conscience and self-government
The ethical judgement
The government of personal action
Theme 7. Friendship
Ways of loving
True friendship
PART II: KEY AUTHORS IN THE HISTORY OF MORAL THOUGHT
Theme 8. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle
The soul
To suffer injustice
To love justice
Theme 9. Stoicism
Seneca (4a.C.-65)
Epictetus (50-138)
Marcus Aurelius (121-180)
Theme 10. Christianism
Priority of love
Teaching forgiveness
Personal testimony rather than rules
Theme 11. Maquiavelli
An Ethics of power
The end and the means
Theme 12. Descartes
Morals based on the method
Provisional morals
Permanent morals
Theme 13. Hume
The empiricist Ethics
Theme 14. Kant
Scientific morals
Morals based on law
The categorical imperative
Theme 15. Contemporary Ethics
H. Arendt: the banality of evil
J. Habermas: communication and dialog
K. O. Apple: minimal Ethics
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Three different methodological resources are used in this subject:
1. Interactive class, raising the previous knowledge of the students
2. Theoretical class, explaining the main concepts
3. Analysis of practical cases
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
25% of work in class or at home
25% composition of an essay
50 % Final exam
(Students must obtain a passing mark of 5, in order to pass the final exam)
Bibliography and resources
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ARISTÓTELES, Ética a Nicómaco. Ed. bilingüe, Instituto de Estudios Políticos, Madrid, 1970.
AUDI, R.; Means, ends and persons, Oxford University Pres, Oxford 2016
, Reasons, Rights and Values, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2015
BASTONS, M.; La inteligencia práctica. Prohom, Barcelona 2003
La toma de decisiones en la organización, Ariel, Barcelona 2000
Logro mis objetivos…, pero ¿Hago lo correcto? 22 respuestas para una ética en la toma de decisiones. Aranzadi, Cizur Menor 2021
BOSCH, M.; La ética amable, EUNSA, Pamplona 2015
CICERÓN, De los deberes
De la amistad
De la vejez
DESCARTES, Discurso del método
FRANKL, El hombre en busca de sentido, Herder
El hombre doliente. Fundamentos antropológicos de la psicoterapia. Herder, Barcelona 1994
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HABERMAS, J.; Conciencia Moral y Acción comunicativa, Planeta, Barcelona 1994
KANT, Crítica de la razón práctica
Metafísica de las costumbres
LLANO, A.; La vida lograda, Ariel, Barcelona 2006
MARCO AURELIO, Meditaciones
MACINTYRE, A., Tras la virtud, Crítica, Barcelona, 1987.
Tres versiones rivales de le ética, Rialp, Madrid 1992
MAQUIAVELO, El Príncipe
MARÍAS, J. La felicidad humana, Alianza, Madrid, 1989.
MAURI, M.; Bien humano y moralidad, PPU, Barcelona 1989
MEDINA CEPERO, JR; Sistemas contemporáneos de educación moral, Ariel, Barcelona 2001
NAGEL, Th.; The possibility of Altruism, Princeton University Press, Princeton
PETERSON, Ch. and SELIGMAN, M.; Character Strengths and Virtues. A handbook and classification, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004
PIEPER, J. Las virtudes fundamentales, Rialp, Madrid, 1980.
PAKALUK, M and PEARSON, G.; Moral Psychology and Human Action in Aristotle, Oxford, 2012
RODRÍGUEZ LUÑO, A. Ética, Eunsa, Pamplona, 1986.
SENECA, Sobre la felicidad, Alianza, Madrid 1997
SPAEMANN, R., Ética. Cuestiones fundamentales, Eunsa, Pamplona, 1995.
Lo natural y lo racional, RIALP. Madrid 1989
TAYLOR, Ch.; La ética de la autenticidad, Paidós, Barcelona 1994
TRIGO, T.; En busca de una ética universal: un nuevo modo de ver la ley natural. Eunsa. Pamplona 2011
YEPES STORK, R. Fundamentos de antropología. Un ideal de la existencia humana. Eunsa. Pamplona. 1996.
SCHROEDER, D. and ABOL-HASSAN BANI-SADR, Dignity in the 21st Century. Middle East and West, Springer, Switzerland 2017