OVERVIEW

The course of Moral Philosophy aims at fostering a deepening on a speculative and historical level of those moral issues to which students of philosophy have been introduced through the teaching of Introduction to Moral Philosophy in the first year. It is also addressed to students of other courses of study.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Showcasing the evolutionary lines and the fundamental themes of the discipline, which concern, starting from the problems of freedom, of the origin of evil, the nature of good, to the from of human conduct, the principles, motives and purposes of their actions, the concepts of virtue and happiness, plurality, relativity and the absoluteness of values. Offering an opportunity for active engagement in the understanding of the classics of moral thought, on the basis of interpretation of texts by ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary philosophers.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

- To know the main theoretical junctures of virtue ethics in its various branches
- to know how to argue critically
- To know how to deal with and understand some fundamental texts and their specific technical language;
- To acquire a greater ability to manage one's social interactions with a cooperative attitude, constructive communication and dialogical skills.
- Demonstrate work autonomy, ability to handle primary literature, argumentative skills and collaborative attitude, coordination and negotiation.

PREREQUISITES

Philosophy students will be required previous attendance to Introduzione alla filosofia morale.

Other students will be provided the necessary background knowledge; however, they will also be allowed to choose alternative texts (in agreement with the lecturer).

TEACHING METHODS

The course will alternate between lecturer-led face-to-face lectures and in-class presentations given by the attending students.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Virtue ethics: Aristotelianism and other traditions

This year the course aims to present contemporary virtue ethics in its main variants, from the prevalent (neo-Aristotelian ones) to the lesser known but equally pregnant ones, such as the consequentialist, Humean, and Nietzschean ones.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

6 cfu

1. Mandatory:

- R. Hursthouse, On Virtue Ethics, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999.

2. One text among the following:

- A. MacIntyre, After Virtue

- P. Foot, Virtues and Vices

- L. Zagzebski, Exemplarist Moral Theory, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2017.

- J. Annas, Intelligent Virtue, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2011.

- C. Swanton, The Virtue Ethics of Hume and Nietzsche, Wiley Blackwell, 2015.

9 cfu

1. Mandatory:

- R. Hursthouse, On Virtue Ethics, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999.

2. Two texts among the following:

- A. MacIntyre, After Virtue

- P. Foot, Virtues and Vices

- L. Zagzebski, Exemplarist Moral Theory

- J. Annas, Intelligent Virtue, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2011.

- C. Swanton, The Virtue Ethics of Hume and Nietzsche, Wiley Blackwell, 2015.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Feb. 2025

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Attending students: in-class presentation (individually or in small groups) and oral examination
For attending students only, it is possible to replace the study of one of the volumes with a 2,500- to 3,000-word written paper related to their presentation. 
NB: Non-attending students are requested to contact the lecturer to discuss the program well in advance of the exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination will consist of a question on the course topics, in which the achievement of the learning outcomes will be ascertained.

The final grade for students who choose the in-class presentation option (+ essay) will consist of the average of grades from:

- oral examination

- in-class presentation

- written paper (for those who choose it).

The written essay, if any, will be evaluated in thirtieths, taking into account: argumentative ability (up to 20 points) and linguistic correctness (up to 10 points).