Students

PHIX1032 – Happiness, Goodness and Justice

2023 – Session 3, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, forum leader
Ludo Beau De Roo
ludo-beau.de-roo@mq.edu.au
Details of other teaching staff will be available through iLearn
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? All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au

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

*Note that the Session 3 offering of PHIL/PHIX1032 is an intensive (accelerated) unit of only five teaching weeks, and the course load is identical to the standard 13-week session in which one topic is studied per week. There is no difference in the requirements between an ordinary unit and an intensive unit, except for the shortened time frame.

There are five quizzes and ten assessed forums for forum discussion (in lieu of tutorial participation). Each quiz and each forum will be open for one week (Monday to Sunday). Due to the accelerated session, you will need to complete one quiz and two or three forums each week (See schedule below for details). These will all count towards your final mark. These are timed assessments and no extensions will be granted. This is because the quiz feedback is released when the quiz closes, and the forum discussions are interactive. If Special Consideration is approved, other arrangements will be made by the convenor.

Submission of Assessments

All written assessments are to be submitted via the unit's iLearn site. There is no need for a coversheet, and we request that you omit your name from the document. A link to the Turnitin submission page will be provided on iLearn in the Assessments section. Written assessments will be run through the Turnitin software which detects unoriginal work.

The online quizzes will be available on iLearn. Each quiz can only be undertaken once and has a time limit.

Assessing Active Participation

Active Participation is an important part of your assessment in this unit. Active participation is assessed by a student's engagement in contributions to online discussion forums facilitated by the tutor. Participation is expected to be well considered and relevant to the topic of study. There are no tutorials or other scheduled classes.

There will be multiple forums each week, addressing the material for the week's topics. Each forum will contain two or three discussions, which you should participate in over the week. Check iLearn for further information about how Participation is assessed in this unit. 

Note that normal standards of Academic Integrity apply in the discussion forums, and any breaches (including unauthorised use of AI, the use of uncited sources, or copying form other students) will be followed up in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy. If you are unsure about this, please check with teaching staff. 

Extensions and Penalties

All work must be submitted on time unless an extension has been granted. You can find all relevant information about extensions here. Submit your request to ask.mq.edu.au.

Applications must be made within 5 days of the due date. Extensions will not be given unless good reasons and appropriate evidence (e.g., medical certificates, counsellor's letters) are presented at the earliest opportunity. Please note that work due concurrently in other subjects is NOT an exceptional circumstance and does not constitute a legitimate reason for an extension. 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – five (5) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

To obtain an extension, you must submit a Special Consideration application. See below for details on how to do that.

 

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. 

What about ChatGPT?

Information about this unit's policy on the use of AI will be made available in the Assessment block in iLearn. Please check that information and contact the convenor if you have any questions.

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
Online quizzes 15% No 11:55pm Sundays, weeks 1-5 (NB: only 5 quizzes in S3)
Reading-based reflective exercise 20% No 11:55pm, Wed 3/1/24
Critical Essay 40% No 11:55pm, Mon 22/1/24
Online forum Participation 25% No 11:55pm Sundays, weeks 1-5

Online quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 11:55pm Sundays, weeks 1-5 (NB: only 5 quizzes in S3)
Weighting: 15%

 

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.

Reading-based reflective exercise

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 11:55pm, Wed 3/1/24
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.

Critical Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: 11:55pm, Mon 22/1/24
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 forum Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 11:55pm Sundays, weeks 1-5
Weighting: 25%

 

Demonstrate engagement with course materials by contributing to discussions and completing associated activities.

 
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.

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

Readings and lectures

 

All required readings are available in Leganto on the unit iLearn site. Supplementary reading is required for Essays. Some suggestions for Supplementary Reading will be provided in lectures and on iLearn.

Lectures are available as video recordings through the Echo link in iLearn. 

 

Technologies used

This unit has an online presence in iLearn where activities are set and subject materials distributed. Students will require access to reliable broadband and a computer. Some assessments are conducted through this site, and written tasks will be submitted using Turnitin, a plagiarism scanning program. All lectures will be provided as recordings via Echo, on iLearn.

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 the teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.  

Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

Forum

Quiz

Assessment

1: 11 Dec – 17 Dec

PART ONE: HAPPINESS AND THE GOOD LIFE – VIEWS OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS

1. Intro to Unit, Moral Philosophy, and Practical Philosophy (A/Prof Lotz)

 

 

 

No forum

 

 

2. Ancient Greek Philosophy I - Epicurean and Stoic Ethics (Prof Deranty)

Epicurean and Stoic Ethics

 

 

3. Ancient Greek Philosophy II – Aristotelean Ethics (Prof Deranty)

Aristotelean Ethics 

Week 1: topics 2 and 3

-Forum participation topics 2 and 3. Due Sunday 17/12, 23:55

-Quiz 1. Due Sunday 17/12, 23:55

2: 18 Dec – 24 Dec

PART TWO: GOODNESS AND MORALITY – MODERN MORAL THEORIES

4. Morality, God and Religion (Dr Hutchison)

 

 

Morality, God and Religion

 

 
5. The Challenge of Moral Relativism (Dr Hutchison)  Moral Relativism    

6. Egoism, Self-Interest, and Social Contract foundations for Morality (A/Prof Lotz)

Egoism, Self-Interest, and Social Contract foundations for Morality

 Week 2: Topics 4, 5 and 6

-Forum participation topics 4, 5 and 6. Due Sunday 24/12, 23:55

-Quiz 2. Sunday 24/12, 23:55
Recess

3: 2 Jan (Tuesday) – 07 Jan

7. The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number – Utilitarian Ethics (A/Prof Lotz)

Utilitarian Ethics

 

Reading-based Reflective exercise due Wednesday 03/01, 23:55
8. The Moral Law is Universal! Kantian Ethics (A/Prof Lotz)

Kantian Ethics

Week 3: Topics 7 and 8

-Forum participation topics 7 and 8. Due Sunday 07/01, 23:55

-Quiz 3. Due Sunday 07/01, 23:55

4: 8 Jan – 14 Jan

PART THREE: MORALITY, JUSTICE, AND CONTEMPORARY ETHICAL PROBLEMS

9. Gender, Morality, Justice and Feminist Ethics of Care (Dr Hutchison)

 

 

Gender, Morality, Justice and Feminist Ethics of Care

  

 

10. Justice and Inequality (Dr Hutchison)

Justice and Inequality

Week 4: Topics 9 and 10

-Forum participation topics 9 and 10. Due Sunday 14/01, 23:55

-Quiz 4. Due Sunday 14/01, 23:55

5: 15 Jan – 21 Jan

11. Immigration and Refugees (Dr Hutchison)

 Immigration and Refugees

 

 

12. Climate Justice (Dr Hutchison)

 Climate Justice

 Week 5: Topics 11 and 12

-Forum participation topic 11. Due Sunday 21/01, 23:55

-Quiz 5. Due Sunday 21/01, 23:55

 

 

 

 

Critical Essay due Monday 22/01, 23:55

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 2023.03 of the Handbook