Ethics - Essencial Approaches and Relations to Art

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Subject guarantor

Alice KOUBOVÁ

Name of lecturer(s)

Jan JIŘÍK, Alice KOUBOVÁ

Learning outcomes of the course unit

To introduce students to the fundamental approaches of ethics. The aim of the course is provide the greatest number of thinkers in the field of ethics and offer and understanding of what ethics questions are, how they arise, what comes from ethically conflicting and non-conflicting situations; how to approach them from from various aspects of the concept of humankind and life values.

Mode of study

This course is through classes - moderated discussions, disussions on covered issues and texts.

Prerequisites and co-requisites

No knowledge requirements necessary for this course.

Course contents

This course offers a fundamental overview of various ethics interpretations of what it means to live a good life. The aim will not be to provide the maximum number of thinkers in the field of ethics, but to offer an understanding of what an ethics issue is, how it arises, how it comes up in ethically conflicting and non-conflicting situations and how to approach it from a perspective of various concepts of what is mankind and what are life values. In connection to common ethics theory we will investigate its links to current topics in the arts and artistic endeavors. Is art a tool to reach a good life? Is it a hindrance? The point of ethical realization? A representation of our quest for the good life? Is it the aesthetic of ethics?

1. Basic comparison of the main ethics approaches to ethics situations: Ethical virtues, deontology and utilitarianism. Defining an ethics situation, questions of good and evil. Defining and ethics dilemma in relation to art.
2. Ethics of self-control, denial and development - virtues and deontology. Examples in the arts.
3. Ethics of life affirmation, Ethics of over-valuing all values and emancipation ethics - epicureal, hedonism, NIetzsche, Feminist ethics. Examples in the arts.
4. Ethics of enjoyment. minimalistic ethics and relational ethics - pragmatism, epicureal, ethics of care. Examples in the arts.

Recommended or required reading

No knowledge requirements necessary for this course.

Assessment methods and criteria

Requirements for completion of the course: class participation, final exam.

Further information

This course is an elective for all AMU students

Schedule for winter semester 2018/2019:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2018/2019:

The subject is a part of the following study plans