Godforsaken wastelands, and information for all modules

A couple of pieces of information just so everybody is up to speed.

 

PHi3002 (stage 3),

 

The lecture is moving from the godforsaken wastelands back to the Herschel Bldg, 6th Floor. It will be cosier, nicer an more conducive to learning, It will, though, probably be colder. I want you lot to start reading Lyotard and Jameson (available in Blackboard in extract form). We will continue with no clear distinction between lectures seminars, but if you read those you will have more to say.

PHi2003 (stage 2),

 

We start with Kant and deontology. I suggest you read the Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (an old translation available here) and, if you can’t get enough, the second critique on practical reason).

 

Also, I want some feedback about what the tutorials should be about. I have had a feeling for a while that standard discussions on abortion, war, famine and so on, although relevant and pertinent, aren’t the sort of ethical problems that are most pressing. I want perhaps to start looking at file sharing/property, medical issues/body ownership, media/objectification; intellectual rights and plagiarism; body enhancements and physical integrity,  — I would like to know whether these would be of interest and would generate conversation, or whether anything else should be added to the list.

 

Drop comments below. (Stage 1 can join in on this since these will also be discussed next year. Stage 3 can comment if they want.)

 

PHi1011 (stage 1)

 

Next week, the lecture is on Aristotle’s Ethics — read the Nicomachean Ethics Bks 1 and 2 (available in Blackboard). The next thinker will be Epicurus — again the texts are available in Blackboard, but I suggest beginning secondary reading straight away (see module handout) so that when you come to your essays, you are better prepared.  The tutorials will begin in week 2 and will be a discussion of an extract from Crime and Punishment, please print out from Blackboard.

 

Hope that helps.

 

One thought on “Godforsaken wastelands, and information for all modules”

  1. Have been emailed a suggestion (although I would prefer people hit reply down here to save me work). The sounds interesting because it takes into account the idea of enhancements beyond preservation of life and restoring of function (central medical goals). But, think about optical laser surgery to cure myopia… is this any different? And, a secondary question, should it be free on the NHS?:

    All of the topics you suggested sound interesting to me. I also thought of something which may be covered in medical issues/body ownership or body enhancements and physical integrity – At what point should organ replacements or serious surgery be considered unethical?

    At some point in the future, we might have the technology to have humans be practically robots in body – but with brains that still function, would that be okay?

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