Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Faculty of Law :: Law

ÉTICA - 2023/2024

1º curricular year
Semestralidade: 1st semester
ECTS: 3

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutor Vítor Coutinho
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutor Vítor Coutinho

Class type and School hours

Teórico-prática : 2 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

Explain morality as a constitutive dimension of the human being;
Define the scope and delimitations of moral philosophy;
Identify the different moral conceptions and ethical paradigms;
Develop the elements of ethical reasoning and the fundamental ethical principles;
Understand the essential categories of human morality;
Analyze paradigmatic situations and problems in multiple areas of applied ethics.

Specific Aims/Objectives

Rigorously use the concepts of ethics in relation to deontology, law and religion;
Describe the main ethical theories;
Framing the concept of the person and human dignity as the fundamental basis of ethics;
Understand the principles of humanist ethics;
Identify elements that are relevant to responsible decisions;
Analyze the elements of the moral act in the context of concrete situations;
Approach several contemporary problems from the specific perspective of ethics.

Skills to be acquired

Ability to:
- make adequate use, in ethical reflection, of the concepts and methodology specific to ethical rationality;
- argue about moral issues using ethical foundations;
- use discursive and dialogical skills in the field of ethics;
- correctly apply the main ethical principles to different situations;
- develop reasoned ethical reflection, both in the professional sphere and in the debates of contemporary society.

Teaching Procedures

The syllabus will be presented by the lecturer in a predominantly expositive way, usually with the support of slides, occasionally using academic texts as a starting point for reflection. Student intervention is encouraged, through comments, questions or proposals of cases for debate.
* Note: Some thematic units may not be dealt with in class, but may be the subject of self-study.

Programme

I. Introduction
1. Ethical Concerns: Man as a Moral Being
2. Morality as Dimension of Human Action

II. Approaches to Ethics
3. To Think Human Action: The Fundamental Concepts
4. Ethics as an academic discipline
5. Fundamental Ethics and Applied Ethics
6. Historical Landmarks in Ethics

III. Nature of Ethics
7. Objectivity of Ethics: Realism, Cognitivism, Conventionalism
8. Moral Universalism and Relativism
9. Ethics and Law
10. Ethics and Religion

IV. Elements of the moral dimension of human action
11. Conditions of Moral Action: Rationality, Freedom and Responsability
12. Elements of Moral Action: Theory of the Action
13. Moral Virtues
14. Moral Values and Human Behavior
15. Principles and Norms
16. Moral conscience as a norm of action
17. Ethical Decision

V. Foundation of Ethics
18. Why is it Good to do Good? Moral Goodness and Duty
19. How do we know what is good? Moral Foundations and Ethical Theories
20. Happiness as the goal of morally good life
21. The Person as Fundamental Moral Value
22. Human Dignity as Ethical reference
23. Nature and Natural Law: Ethical Relevance
24. The Moral Value of Human Life and the Prohibition of Killing
25. Fundamental Ethics Principles

VI. Fundamental Areas of Human Life
26. The Beginning of Huma Life: Anthropological Status and Moral Value of Human Embryo
27. To Take care of a Sick Person: Relationship in Health Care
28. Biomedical Experiment in Human Beings
29. Death and Dying in Contemporary Society
30. Ethical Issues at the End of Life
31. Sex and Gender Identity
32. Elements of a professional ethics

Evaluation Type

The continuous assessment will comply with the norms in force in the University, combining of two written assessment tests (that constitutes 60% of the final grade) and an exam (that constitutes 40% of the final grade)

Teaching Resources

E-Learning Platform
Texts
Slides

Sustainability Objectives

Keywords

Ethics, Moralilty, Bioethics, Person, Human Dignity, Deontology, Conscience, Value, Principle

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography