Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

General Ethics

General Ethics
6
14587
2
First semester
OB
Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish

If the student is enrolled for the English track then classes for that subject will be taught in the same language and also in Spanish.

Teaching staff


 Please make an appointment by e-mail

Introduction

Professional activity, like our personal life, involves morality and personal responsibility. Ethics seeks to reflect on this by providing concepts and a framework for moral behaviour. Formally, ethics is the branch of philosophy that considers what is good and bad in human life and which actions are right or wrong. In a more general sense, ethics tries to determine how we ought to live.

In this course we will firstly explore the history of ethical thought. Secondly, we will discuss some key ethical concepts and issues that can help to shape sound moral reasoning and correct behaviour in professional life. Thirdly, we will study a branch of ethics termed “areteology”, in which the central claim is that certain traits of character (virtues) are essential for good behaviour. We also discuss how character has an influence on business leadership.

Pre-course requirements

There are no previous requirements.

Objectives

1) To provide students with theoretical tools for analysing human behaviour.
2) To introduce students to the use of the basic elements of moral thought and the main concepts in ethics.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 50 - To acquire the ability to relate concepts, analyse and synthesise.
  • 51 - To develop decision making skills.
  • 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
  • 54 - To be able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in writing.
  • 56 - To be able to create arguments which are conducive to critical and self-critical thinking.
  • 57 - To acquire skills which favour reading comprehension.
  • 60 - To acquire knowledge that promotes respect for other cultures and habits.
  • 62 - To acquire mechanisms that facilitate the adoption of ethical commitments.
  • 63 - To be able to analyse business related behaviour and decisions and evaluate them from an economic, social and ethical point of view.

Learning outcomes of the subject

Students who take this course will learn ethical concepts, increase their sensitivity to the role of moral character in professional activity, and develop their capacity to identify values and ethical issues, and to exercise ethical judgements in particular situations.

Syllabus

Syllabus

Introducció. 

Theme 1. Què és la Ética

Theme 2. Integridad

Theme 3. Referencias Históricas

Theme 4. Fundamentos d ela Ética (I)

Theme 5.  Fundamentos de la Ética (II)

Theme 6. Acción humana y libertad

Theme 7 Happiness

Theme 8. Fortitude and Temprance

Theme 9. Prudence and Moral judgement

Theme 10. Justice, Natural Law and Human Rights

Theme 11. Intellectual Virtues

Theme 12. Friendship and Love

Theme 13. The truth and relationships between persons 

Theme 14. The lesser evil and the cooperation to evil

Theme 15: Trascendence

Teaching and learning activities

In person



The following methodological resources are used in this course: 

  1. Interactive class, raising the previous knowledge of students
  2. Theoretical class, explaining key concepts
  3. Discussion of articles
  4. Analysis of practical case studies

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



 

50 % Final exam

50% treball pràctic: Work in class, exercises made in class, homework, autoevaluation

The attendace is part of the practical work. It is compulsory and controled by the practical exercises. The 80% of both (attendance and exercises) is necesary to pass the course.

50% final examination

Final examination:

The two scores must be over 5, otherwise the final mark will be never over 4.75         

Note on academic honesty: All work you submit for this course must be entirely your own. The words or ideas of others must not in your written work without giving proper acknowledgement. Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any form.

En el cas que el professorat detecti un treball plagiat o a un alumne copiant durant un examen, aquest ho comunicarà a la Junta de Facultat que emprendrà les mesures pertinents, entre les que s’inclourà l’obtenció automàtica d’una qualificació de 0.0 per aquella assignatura passant directament a la convocatòria següent.

Resit: the evaluation criteria for the second sitting is the same as for the first sitting. The same applies the part corresponding to practical. Exercises that cannot be repeated will be replaced by others. In the second call, in addition to the written exercices an oral exam about the exercises is compulsory. 

 

Bibliography and resources

ARENDT, H., The human condition, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1998
ARISTÓTELES, Ética a Nicómaco. Ed. bilingüe, Instituto de Estudios Políticos, Madrid, 1970.

BASTONS, M.; La toma de decisiones en la organización, Ariel, Barcelona 2000

BOSCH, M.; La ética amable, EUNSA, Pamplona 2015

CICERO, On Dities; On friendship; On old age

GRISEZ, G., y SHAW, R., Ser persona. Curso de Ética, Rialp, Madrid, 1993.

LLANO, A.; La vida lograda, Ariel, Barcelona 2006
MACINTYRE, A., After Virtue. A study in moral theory. Notre Dame University Press, Nostre Dame (Indiana) 3rd edition 2007

MARÍAS, J. La felicidad humana, Alianza, Madrid, 1989.

MENSCH, J., Ethics and Selfhood. Alterity and the Phenomenology of Obligation, State University of New York Press, NY, 2003.

PIEPER, J. The four cardinal virtues, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, 2014
RODRÍGUEZ LUÑO, A. Ética, Eunsa, Pamplona, 1986.

SENECA, Sobre la felicidad, Alianza, Madrid 1997
SPAEMANN, R., Happines and benevolence, University of Notre Dame Press, Nostre Dame 2000

TAYLOR, Ch.; La ética de la autenticidad, Paidós, Barcelona 1994

TRIGO, T.; En busca de una ética universal: un nuevo modo de ver la ley natural. Eunsa. Pamplona 2011 
YEPES STORK, R. Fundamentos de antropología. Un ideal de la existencia humana. Eunsa. Pamplona. 1996.

 

 

           

Teaching and learning material