Course coordinator
Dr Peter Ellerton
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Historical & Philosophical Inq
An introduction to ethics and associated philosophical issues. Drawing on classical and contemporary ethical theories, this course introduces basic concepts and techniques of moral reasoning, raises critical questions, and encourages students to develop their own ideas and to understand the role of ethical thinking in everyday life. Topics include: justice, liberty and paternalism, democracy, environmentalism, feminism, cultural relativism, psychological egoism, duty and obligation, rights, and human and non-human animal experimentation.
This course may not run if there are fewer than 20 enrolments.
An introduction to philosophy through the study of ethics,ﾠand related topicsﾠin moral philosophy and social and political philosophy, for students new to the subjectﾠto:ﾠ
- challenge preconceived notions of morality,
- develop an understanding of why ethics matters, and
- think for themselvesﾠabout moral philosophy/ethical theory and contemporary issues.
The basic concepts and techniques of moral reasoning/ethical thinking are introduced, along with some of the major traditional schools and figures in moral philosophy and increasingly diverseﾠalternative approaches and criticisms, such as: feminist philosophy;ﾠIndigenous knowledge, thought and philosophy;ﾠand environmental approaches to ethics.ﾠ
Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate and develop their own views about the different issues examined, andﾠhow ethical theory and perspectives can inform our thinking aboutﾠcontemporary issues that affect us all, such as the treatment of prisoners, obligations to the environment, our treatment of non-human animals, liberty, equality and human rights, Aboriginal connection and care for country, issues related to gender equality, and the cultivation and expectation of virtues and ethics in public life.
The course will be of interest to general Arts and Humanities students, and also to those interested in pursuing majors in politics, economics, environment and society, law, journalism, sociology, and criminology.
Course requirements
Assumed background
There is no assumed background knowledge required for this course.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
PHIL1130
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Peter Ellerton
Tutor
Dr Christi Favor
Dr Maddy Shield
Mr Jacob Tangleroyal
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Timetables are available onﾠthe UQ Public Timetable.
Students are to attend 13ﾠweeks of classes during the semester:
- Lectures: Weeks 1-13.ﾠ
- Tutorials (1 x 50ﾠminutes): Weeks 2, 4-9, 10-12 (NOTE: see tutorial sign-on instructions below).
LECTURES (in person):
All lecture recordings and PowerPoint slides will be available online. Lectures will normally provide an overview of the topic and contemporary issues related to the Set and Further reading.
TUTORIALS (in-person):
Tutorials will normally cover the material of the lecture and set reading for that week, with in class activities that will count towards students' participation mark.ﾠIn addition, students will learn how to think philosophically, apply research skills, and express philosophical arguments in clear prose.
TUTORIAL ALLOCATION:
By enrolling in this course you will be automatically enrolled in the Lectures.ﾠAfter you enrol, you’ll need to select your preferred class times. You'll then be allocated to classes based on these preferences. The class preferencing window opensﾠabout 4 weeks before the semester beginsﾠand closes about a week later – check theﾠAcademic Calendarﾠfor the exact dates. During this time, you'll need to select your preferred class times for each of your courses. To registerﾠyourﾠpreferred timesﾠgo to: My Timetable through yourﾠmy.UQ Dashboardﾠ(student login required). Class allocation has twoﾠstages:
- Class preferencing
- Class adjustment.
You don't have to rush to select your preferences – the system only begins allocatingﾠstudents to classes once the preferencing window has closed. For more information click here.
ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
Understanding the Ethical Impact of our Actions: Both in their customs and in their laws, societies inevitably promote or restrict behaviour and influence the distribution of resources. In this way, institutional structures such as those associated with governments, community groups, or the family affect the well-being, equality, and freedom of large numbers of people. We, as individual citizensﾠin societies, also affect the well-being of othersﾠin our interactions withﾠthem and in our participation in social institutions. Thus, we all have an interest in learning to understand the ethical impact of our actions on others and the environment, and, thus, on our own well-being.
ﾠ
Understanding Moral Concepts and Theories: In its range of courses, the Philosophy discipline provides opportunities for study of specific ethical issues and approaches related to distributive justice, feminist philosophy and ethics, the treatment of the environment, crime and punishment, bioethics, practical and appliedﾠethicsﾠand so on. Analysis and study of ethical issues often proceeds by way of a number of common concepts and theories about right and wrong, just and unjust, valuable action, characters, or policies. The main aim of this course is to teach students a range of moral concepts and theories which they then have the opportunity to explore in policy and other social contexts. This will provide students with the knowledge and skills to pursue more advanced study in any more specific area and/or master the basic techniques of ethical thinking for use both in their personal lives and future careers.
Philosophical Thinking and Writing: Students will also gain a general introduction to philosophical concepts and techniques, including argumentative essay writing, i.e., how to think philosophically, research philosophy, and express your philosophical arguments in clear prose.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the basic terminology of ethical theory
LO2.
Understand the central debates in ethics (breadth and depth)
LO3.
Demonstrate effective communication and inquiry skills in the context of group discussion on issues in ethics
LO4.
Conduct independent philosophical research and inquiry
LO5.
Identify, analyse and evaluate arguments or points of view
LO6.
Understand the role of ethics in everyday life, including some characterisations of the philosophical questions: Why by moral? What is a good life?
LO7.
Demonstrate a capacity for creative thought, effective communication and high quality of written expression in the context of research and essay writing
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection |
Tutorial participation activities
|
30% |
Week 2 Wed - Week 12 Fri |
| Essay/ Critique, Product/ Design |
Annotated Argument Map
|
40% |
9/09/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Final exam
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
Assessment details
Tutorial participation activities
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
Week 2 Wed - Week 12 Fri
- Other conditions
- Longitudinal.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05
Task description
Tutorials will include activities that record and assess participation. These will take the form of submitting questions and comments based on a stimulus, answering reflective prompts, participation in class debates and/or other collaborative group activities. Additional details about allocation of points towards the participation total will be made available via the Blackboard Page and/or by your tutors at tutorials.
Use of AI permitted
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Criteria
Your tutorial participation will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Evidence of participation in discussions.
2. Evidence of preparation for the tutorial, most notably through completing the set readings.
3. Quality of contributions to discussions.
4. Fostering of group discussions, through courteous and respectful interactions with staff and students.
5. Attendance is necessary to fulfil the above criteria, as per the course requirements, but marks cannot be awarded for attendance alone.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course
Submission guidelines
Submission instructions will vary according to the participation activity.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Students must be in class during the activity to accrue participation points, unless alternative arrangements with appropriate documentation is approved. The number of participation activities available is such that it is possible for students to achieve full marks and still be absent occasionally (up to 3 weeks).
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Students must be in class during the activity to accrue participation points, unless alternative arrangements with appropriate documentation is approved. The number of participation activities available is such that it is possible for students to achieve full marks and still be absent occasionally.
Annotated Argument Map
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Product/ Design
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
9/09/2025 2:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Longitudinal.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Task
Students will be provided with a choice of topics via the Assessment Instructions Section of the Blackboard page. Students will need to address the topic by constructing an annotated argument map that represents a favoured position or course of action with reference to the material covered in lectures. Annotations will be 800 words and represent the argument in written form but will not strictly adhere to the norms of essay writing.
Each topic will be associated with particular reading material covered in class, understanding of which must be reflected in the annotated map. Further instructions will be provided along with the topics at least one month before the due date in the Assessment Instructions Section of Blackboard.
Formatting
- Use Times New Roman 12pt or equivalent.
- All annotated maps must have a title at the top of the first page and your name directly underneath the title. Choose a title that reflects your argument.
- Do NOT include the wording of the assigned question within your submission.
- Do include a word count minus any referencing or bibliographic information.
- In your Turnitin Submission, your title should include your name and the topic number you have chosen.
Referencing and bibliography
- There is no standard referencing style for this course. Check the referencing style guides: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/research-tools-techniques/referencing/referencing-style-guides. You are permitted any recognized referencing style you wish, so long as it includes page numbers where possible (i.e. where the source itself includes page numbers, and where the reference is for specific points attributable to other authors, page numbers must be included).
- Include all cited works in a bibliography.
Use of AI Permitted
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Criteria
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Submission guidelines
Submission
- You must submit an electronic copy only through Turnitin under 'Assessment' on Blackboard. Your assignment does not count as having been officially submitted unless you have successfully submitted it through Turnitin. All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if assessments are missing. In the case of a Blackboard outage or other technical difficulty, please contact the Course Co-ordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS, and with your essay submitted as an email attachment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Extensions must be applied for formally through the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Task
The exam is 90 minutes plus 10 minutes of planning. Word length is 1200 +/- 10%. You will:
- be provided with a stimulus or question that will need to be addressed through the lens of the ethical concepts you have engaged with during lectures and tutorials,
- write a 1200 word response that addresses the stimulus and demonstrates your understanding of ethical theories and concepts,
- select from a range of concepts and theories to craft your response (for example, you may select two of a list of ethical theories/frameworks covered in lectures and compare the two to determine their suitability for the stimulus).
Use of AI Prohibited
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Criteria
Students will be assessed on:
1. Ability to recognize key issues in the question.
2. Ability to structure an argument.
3. Use of evidence.
4. Engagement with academic scholarship and/or debates.
5. Clear and concise written expression, well presented.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 1, Low Fail (0-24%), is generally awarded in cases where some assessment has been submitted, but it is of wholly unsatisfactory standard or quantity. In work submitted, however, there is no demonstrated evidence of understanding of the concepts of the field of study or basic requirements of the course.</p> |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 2, Fail (25-44%), is generally awarded to work that exhibits deficiencies in understanding and applying the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study, and as such, does not satisfy the basic requirements of the course. Often, one or more major items of assessment will not have been completed.</p> |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: <p>Grade 3, Marginal Fail (45-49%), is generally awarded if a student has submitted work that attempts to meet the knowledge and skill requirements of the course, but is only able to demonstrate a superficial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course. Students will usually have attempted all major pieces of assessment and show that they have an identifiable, emerging ability to apply basic knowledge and skills.</p> |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 4, Pass (50-64%), is generally awarded where all major items of assessment have been submitted. An adequate knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study should be demonstrated and a functional skill level achieved.</p> |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 5, Credit (65-74%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and a substantial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study have been demonstrated.</p> |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 6, Distinction (75-84%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and substantial knowledge of the deeper and more complex aspects of the course and field of study have been demonstrated.�</p> |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Grade 7, High Distinction (85-100%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and there is evidence that the deeper and more complex aspects of the course and field of study have been mastered.</p> |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Criteria for each assessment item are listed at the bottom of each assessment task description.ﾠ
NOTE: Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.General Information
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ Failure to submit all major assessment items (those worth 15% and above) will result in a maximum grade of 2 (Fail).
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration: ‘I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment’.
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ All students must ensure that they receive their Turnitin receipt on every submission of assessment items. YOU MUST CHECK THAT THE RECEIPT CONFIRMS THAT SUBMISSION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if assessments are missing.
Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after 7 calendar days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible so that they can confirm the outage with ITS.
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they are submitting assessment items on a device that is capable of the task, and that appropriate internet bandwidth and speed is available. If you cannot be sure that your device or internet will enable you to complete or submit an assessment task, you must come onto campus and use one of the University Computers in the Library or Computer Labs.
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ Plagiarism, and asking or paying someone else to do your work is cheating and constitutes academic misconduct. See ECP Section 6.1
NOTE: Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ Feedback against the assessment criteria in the form of comments on your script will be provided through Turnitin or on your script directly.
ﾷﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ For information on assessment remarks see: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
UQ LibraryﾠPhilosophy Subject Guide
UQ Libraryﾠ"How To"ﾠGuides
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Not Timetabled |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK |
|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
Introduction to ethics (1) Course Introduction, and (2) Introduction to ethics: 'Why be moral?' Levels of Ethics: metaethics, normative ethics, applied ethics and applied ethics Empirical vs non-empirical investigation, some key relevant empirical areas for moral theory; Relationship between law, religion, and ethics. The Divine Command theory and The Euthyphro problem. There are no tutorials in Week 1. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Relativism Relativism: Is morality relative? If so, what is it relative to? Is relativism required for tolerance? Tutorials begin in Week 2. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 3 (11 Aug - 17 Aug) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Royal Queensland Show Holiday All lectures and tutorials are cancelled this week. |
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Subjectivism Hume on the Passions and the Will; Is and Ought; Subjectivity in Reasoning and Values. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 5 |
Lecture |
Kantian Ethics Deontology as an objectivist position; The Nature of Reasons; A Good Will; Categorical Imperative and universalizability; Being Treated as Means and Ends; The Kingdom of Ends. This lecture time is TBA for an alternative time due to the Show Day Holiday. There are no tutorials in Week 4 due to the Show Day Holiday. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Kantian Ethics: Critique and Application Criticisms of Kant's Theory; the nature of the self and free will presumed in Kant's theory; Deontology in application: Lying, Duties to the Poor, Human Rights, Voluntary Assisted Dying; Punishment. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and/or Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Utilitarianism Consequentialism; Types of Consequentialism and Utilitarianism; The Value Theory, Aggregative Maximisation; Equality. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Utilitarianism: Critique and Application Criticisms of Utilitarianism and Replies; The Self Presupposed in Utilitarianism; Utilitarianism in application: Lying, Duties to the Poor, Human Rights, Voluntary Assisted Dying, Punishment. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 9 |
Lecture |
Aristotle and Virtue ethics Teleology; Human function and purpose; The nature of virtues and human flourishing; Doctrine of the mean; Rationality of the passions; Distinctive features of virtue ethics as opposed to reductionistic ethics. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 10 |
Lecture |
Virtue Ethics: Critique and Application Criticisms of Virtue Ethics; Virtue Ethics in Application: Honesty, Compassion, Generosity, Virtues in Christianity and Buddhism, Professional Virtues. There are no tutorials in Week 9. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07 |
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Feminist Approaches Introduction to the variety of feminist thought; Feminine and Feminist Ethics, Ethics of Care, Epistemological Questions in Feminism. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L05, L06, L07 |
Week 12 |
Lecture |
Indigenous Approaches Key features in indigenous world views; relational and place-based approaches; understandings of the self in indigenous thinking; custodial ethic. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Non-Human Animals and the Environment Moral Standing of Animals and Nature; Singer's Equal Consideration of Interests; The Argument from Marginal Cases; Utilitarian, Deontological and virtue approaches to animal welfare; the alleged incompatibility of moral attitudes to animals across different applied contexts. To prepare for your tutorial, check the tutorial set reading/instructions on Blackboard and Talis Reading List. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L05, L06 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.