Module Catalogue 2024/25

POL3050 : The Ethics of Killing

POL3050 : The Ethics of Killing

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Nicola Mulkeen
  • Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System
Pre-requisite

Modules you must have done previously to study this module

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co-Requisite

Modules you need to take at the same time

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module aims to:
•       Foster knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts which inform theoretical and empirical discussions in the ethics of killing and saving lives.
•       Demonstrate the interplay between normative and empirical considerations when it comes to assessing, proposing, and recommending policies.
•       Equip students with the skills necessary to understand and critically analyse real-world arguments relating to the political significance of ethics of killing and saving lives.
•       Help students to draw their own conclusions, and the relationship of these theories to specific practical public policy issues.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics studied may include:

Methods and Moral Theory
Killing vs. Letting Die
The Doctrine of Double Effect
Do Intentions Matter for Permissibility?
Liability to Defensive Killing
Killing the Innocent in Self-Defence
Drones and Counterterrorism
Saving the Greater Number
The Non-Identity Problem
Killing Non-Human Animals
Essay writing workshop

Learning Outcomes

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this course, students should:

•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within
them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.

Intended Skill Outcomes

POL3050 equips students with the theoretical background necessary to expertly engage in political debates—amongst policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and activists—about the ethics of killing and saving lives. Such debates arise for those working in the government and third sectors, whether in the UK or abroad.
More generally, the module gives students many useful transferable skills including:
•       the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       excellent written and oral skills;
•       intellectual independence and autonomy;
•       team working skills;
•       a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture111:0011:00PiP Lecture
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials111:0011:00Pre-recorded lecture materials
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion1145:00145:00Independent study/Assessment preparation and completion
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials112:0022:00Guided reading for seminar preperation
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching111:0011:00PiP Seminar
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Pre-recorded lecture materials
Connected Outcome
•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;

PiP Lecture      
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       team working skills;
•       excellent oral skills.
•       a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.

Small group teaching      
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       team working skills;
•       excellent oral skills;
•       a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.

Structured research and reading activities      
•       the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
•       intellectual independence and autonomy;

Reading Lists

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination1201A75N/A
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written exercise1M251000 word Critical review
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

2 hour exam      
•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       Be able to relate issues surrounding ethics of killing and saving lives to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       Excellent written skills;
•       Intellectual independence and autonomy;

Critical Review 1000 words      
•       Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake in ethics of killing and saving lives;
•       Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
•       Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
•       Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
•       Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
•       the ability to research, and examine information thoroughly;
•       the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
•       excellent written skills
•       intellectual independence and autonomy;

Timetable

Past Exam Papers

General Notes

N/A

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