| Unit name | Virtue and Well-Being |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL30126 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Alan Wilson |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
What does it mean to live a life that is good for you? And should we expect there to be any connection between living a life that is good for you and being a morally good person? This unit will introduce students to both the philosophy of well-being and virtue theory, bringing these two literatures together with the aim of helping students to think critically about the nature of well-being, and about whether it is plausible to suggest that living virtuously helps us to live well.
The unit has three sections. The first section focuses on the nature of well-being and explores questions including: Is well-being primarily a matter of feeling good? Is it possible for something to (intrinsically) promote our well-being even if we don’t want it? And do we need different theories of well-being for different stages of life?
The second section focuses on the nature of virtue and explores questions including: How do we decide which character traits are positive (virtuous) and which are negative (vicious)? Having explored different theories of both well-being and virtue, we will be in a position to critically reflect on whether there is any connection between living a desirable life and living a morally admirable life.
The focus of the third section will vary each year based partly on developments in the literature. Possible topics in this section include: Can we educate for moral virtue (and should we)? And how is the potential for virtue and well-being undermined by conditions of social oppression?
Throughout the unit we will draw on insights from psychology to either support or challenge the theories we discuss. This includes asking whether results from social psychology show that no-one is truly honest, compassionate, or just.
On successful completion of the unit students will be able to:
Lectures, small group work, individual exercises, seminars and virtual learning environment.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
None
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHIL30126).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
