Course Catalogue

History of Moral and Political Philosophy PHIL4017

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Humanities
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course will introduce students to the close study of some major texts in the history of moral and political philosophy. The course will contextualise these texts in terms of the major intellectual and philosophical movements of their time.

Timetable

16x1 hr lectures, 4x1 hr seminars over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the senior honours options in Philosophy. It may not run every year. Options running this year are available on MyCampus

Requirements of Entry

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Philosophy, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Portfolio (1500 words)- 40% 

■ Essay (2000 words) - 40% 

■ Reading comprehension exercise - 20% 

 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the Essay and Portfolio, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ Online alternative to the reading comprehension exercise.

 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

Course Aims

This course aims to:

■ introduce students to historical attempts to provide a theory of the content and normativity of morality by considering a number of historically significant attempts to provide such a theory; 

■ appreciate how moral philosophy has developed; 

■ engage with significant theses in the history of moral philosophy. 

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

 

■ Critically evaluate two or more historically influential moral theories in the history of western philosophy;

■ Understand and explain the main theses from historical texts in ethics and political philosophy;

■ Interpret texts in relation to their historical contexts;

■ Reconstruct and evaluate arguments from historical texts; 

■ Apply a moral theory to a practical case

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions