Animals and Ethics, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student should have acquired
(i) familiarity with some of the central problem areas within the international animal and environmental ethical debate
(ii) basic knowledge of a number of ethical theories, concepts and perspectives relevant for this discussion
(iii) the ability to critically and independently use tools for ethical analysis and problematisation of concrete ethical issues concerning animals

Course content

Human actions and practices affect animals, directly and indirectly, in a multitude of extensive and less extensive ways. This raises a wide array of ethical issues. During the course the student will acquire knowledge of a range of ethical theories, concepts and perspectives that may serve as starting points for analysis and discussion of these issues. Some of these theories, concepts and perspectives are specific to debates in animal and environmental ethics, while others are of a more general nature. In order to increase the quality and depth of the analyses, the student is further encouraged to take into consideration relevant facts from other fields, such as biology and the social sciences. The focus throughout the course is kept on concrete and up-to-date ethical questions.

Teaching and working methods

The course is problem oriented. The central idea is that the student should actively acquire knowledge by studying, discussing and reflecting on concrete problems, which are presented in the form of scenarios. A large part of the work with the scenarios consists in individual literature studies. Each class is made up of two parts: a seminar, where the student brings the insights that he/she has acquired by his/her individual studies into a discussion with the other students and the teacher(s), and a lecture. The seminars are obligatory and require preparation on the part of each student.

Towards the end of the course the student writes a paper, concentrating more deeply on a specific problem area, chosen in consultation with the teacher(s). The paper is presented and discussed at a final seminar.

Examination

Active participation in weekly seminars and an individually produced paper which is presented and discussed at a final seminar.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Department