ASP215 - Philosophy, Happiness, and the Good Life
Unit details
| Year: | 2020 unit information |
|---|---|
| Important Update: | Classes and seminars in Trimester 2/Semester 2, 2020 will be online. Physical distancing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will affect delivery of other learning experiences in this unit. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates one week prior to the start of your trimester or semester. Last updated: 2 June 2020 |
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Cloud (online), CBD* |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Matthew Sharpe |
| Prerequisite: | Any first year Arts unit |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ASP213/313, ASP315, ASP415 |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 x 2-hour seminar per week |
| Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | 1 x 2-hour online seminar per week |
Note:*CBD refers to the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation (NIKERI) Institute; Community Based Delivery | |
Content
In this course, we look at some basic life questions everyone faces: what is happiness, and how do we attain it? Is pleasure the goal of life? Is fame the best thing to aspire to? IS strength of character enough to be happy, or do we need good luck? Should we moderate, or try to conquer emotions like anger? Is it ever right to lie? Is altruism the key to a good life, or pursuing self-interest? Each week, competing answers to these questions are examined, and students are prompted to engage with a host of the most important Western philosophers: Socrates, Aristotle, the Stoics, Cicero, Epicureanism, Natural Law, Hume, Kant and utilitarianism.
| These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | |
| ULO1 | Critically evaluate key ideas in ethical and moral philosophy concerning the nature of happiness and the good life from a range of great Western philosophers, from Aristotle in the ancient world through to Immanuel Kant in the modern period | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: CommunicationGLO4: Critical thinking GLO8: Global citizenship |
| ULO2 | Apply key ethical and moral ideas from leading Western thinkers to a range of different practical cases, examples, and dilemmas, and understand how these ideas have informed Western legal, political, and cultural institutions | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: CommunicationGLO5: Problem solving GLO8: Global citizenship |
| ULO3 | Work collaboratively to analyse, compare, and defend philosophical arguments, backed by relevant evidence, and present competing claims in the context of philosophical dialogue | GLO3: Digital literacy GLO5: Problem solving GLO7: Teamwork |
These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year
Assessment
Trimester 1:| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 (Group) - Essay 1 | 1600 words | 40% | Information not yet available |
| Assessment 2 (Individual) - Essay 2 | 1600 words | 40% | Information not yet available |
| Assessment 3 (Individual) - Seminar/Online Exercises | 800 words | 20% | Information not yet available |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: ASP215 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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