Students

PHIL1032 – Happiness, Goodness and Justice

2022 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Mark Alfano
mark.alfano@mq.edu.au
Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky
paul.podosky@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides an introduction to major topics in ethics, moral theory and contemporary political philosophy. The first section focuses on the nature of happiness. Is pleasure essential to happiness? Or does the pursuit of pleasure harm our chances of lasting fulfilment? Must we be virtuous in order to be happy? What is the relationship between happiness and duty? The second section explores the nature of moral goodness. Is morality based ultimately in self-interest? What is the relationship between morality and religion? Are there moral principles that everyone is bound by reason to recognise? Or is the validity of moral standards relative to specific societies and cultures? In the third section we turn to questions of applied political philosophy, focusing on questions such as: What principles should govern the distribution of economic and social resources within a society? What are the obligations of wealthy nations to those less fortunate, including immigrants and refugees? And what issues of justice are raised by climate change?

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Demonstrate elementary understanding of key moral and political theories.
  • ULO2: Evaluate, in an elementary way, contemporary social issues that concern happiness, goodness, and justice, using philosophical ideas and methods.
  • ULO3: Summarise and explain a philosophical text and its key features at an elementary level.
  • ULO4: Reflect critically on philosophical theories and arguments at an elementary level.
  • ULO5: Formulate and defend your own ideas with clarity and rigour, in a logical, structured argument, at an elementary level.
  • ULO6: Engage constructively and respectfully with the views of others, even if you disagree with them.

General Assessment Information

Detailed assessment information and rubrics

Detailed information about each of the assessments, including rubrics and submission instructions will be available in the Assessment block in iLearn. Please make sure you read the assessment information carefully and post a message in the relevant Assessment forum if you have any questions. 

Special Consideration

Requests for extensions should be submitted via a Special Consideration request, which is available in the http://ask.mq.edu.au portal. Your request should be submitted no later than five days after the due date and should be accompanied by appropriate documentation. Please see the Special Consideration policy in the list of policies at the end of this document for further details.

Read the policy closely as your request may be turned down if you have not followed procedure, or if you have not submitted a request in a timely manner.

Late Submission Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

Academic Integrity

In Philosophy, academic honesty is taken very seriously, and a range of methods, including but not restricted to the use of Turnitin, are used to detect plagiarism. Misrepresenting someone else's work as your own may be grounds for referral to the Faculty Disciplinary Committee. If you have questions about how to properly cite work or how to credit sources, please ask the convenor for help and see also the  Academic Integrity Policy https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/academic-integrity

Note: All assignments in this unit are individual assignments. Collusion (unauthorised collaboration on individual assignments) is a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy. If in doubt, contact a member of teaching staff. 

A helpful resource if you would like to know more about referencing and avoiding plagiarism is  Macquarie's Academic Integrity Module, available here: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills-development. You will need to complete this Module before accessing the unit content, if you have not already done so. More information is available in iLearn. 

Academic Writing and Study Support

Macquarie University offers a number of services to help with academic writing, referencing and study skills. For details, see: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills/assignments

For information about policies related to Assessment, see Policies and Procedures section below.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Reflection about Happiness 20% No Week 7 (September 11th, 11:55pm)
Tutorial Participation 20% No On-going
Critical Essay 40% No Week 13 (November 6th, 11:55pm)
Online quizzes 20% No Weekly (Sunday, 11:55pm)

Reflection about Happiness

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 7 (September 11th, 11:55pm)
Weighting: 20%

 

A short reflective exercise.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate elementary understanding of key moral and political theories.
  • Evaluate, in an elementary way, contemporary social issues that concern happiness, goodness, and justice, using philosophical ideas and methods.
  • Summarise and explain a philosophical text and its key features at an elementary level.

Tutorial Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: On-going
Weighting: 20%

 

Demonstrate engagement with course materials by responding to questions and contributing to tutorial discussions.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Reflect critically on philosophical theories and arguments at an elementary level.
  • Formulate and defend your own ideas with clarity and rigour, in a logical, structured argument, at an elementary level.
  • Engage constructively and respectfully with the views of others, even if you disagree with them.

Critical Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 13 (November 6th, 11:55pm)
Weighting: 40%

 

A critical discussion of a set question where you demonstrate the critical questioning and philosophical knowledge that you have learned over the unit.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate elementary understanding of key moral and political theories.
  • Summarise and explain a philosophical text and its key features at an elementary level.
  • Reflect critically on philosophical theories and arguments at an elementary level.
  • Formulate and defend your own ideas with clarity and rigour, in a logical, structured argument, at an elementary level.

Online quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Weekly (Sunday, 11:55pm)
Weighting: 20%

 

A weekly online quiz on the topic covered that week. There are 10 quizzes in total.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate elementary understanding of key moral and political theories.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required and recommended texts and/or materials

We will be using two textbooks for this unit. Both are authored by Professor Russ Shafer-Landau:

(1) The Fundamentals of Ethics (5th Edition)

(2) Ethical Theory: An Anthology (Accessible via the Macquarie University library)

NOTE: Students must take responsibilty to source The Fundamentals of Ethics (5th Edition), either as an electronic version or a hard copy. It can be rented for 6 months (or for 1 year) on VitalSource: https://www.vitalsource.com/en-au/products/the-fundamentals-of-ethics-russ-shafer-landau-v9780190058326. 

If you have trouble sourcing this book, please get in contact with the unit convenors. 

 

Lectures 

Lectures will be delivered on campus and recorded. Lecture videos for each of the 12 topics will be released through the Echo 360 block in iLearn.

 

Unit Webpages and E-Resources

Much of this unit (lectures, assessment instructions, additional reading material, etc.) is delivered online through iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au). PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement. Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements. 

Unit Schedule

Week 1: Introduction (Mark Alfano)

  • First lecture, No Tutorials

Week 2: Euthyphro (Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky)

  • Tutorial 1
  • Quizzes start week 2 (Sunday, Weekly 11:55pm)

Week 3: Axiology (Mark Alfano)

  • Tutorial 2

Week 4: Consequentialism (Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky)

  • Tutorial 3

Week 5: Deontology (Mark Alfano)

  • Tutorial 4

Week 6: Virtue Ethics (Mark Alfano)

  • Tutorial 5

Week 7: Social Contract Theory (Mark Alfano)

  • Tutorial 6
  • Critical Reflection Due (11/09, 11:55pm)

RECESS

Week 8: Feminist Ethics (Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky)

  • Tutorial 7

Week 9: Global Poverty (Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky)

  • Tutorial 8

Week 10: Institutionalized Injustice (Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky)

  • Tutorial 9

Week 11: Climate (Paul-Mikhail Catapang Podosky)

  • Tutorial 10

Week 12: War/Refugees (Mark Alfano)

  • Last Lecture, No Tutorial
  • Essay Due (06/11, 11:55pm)

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2022.04 of the Handbook