Course Catalogue

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One approach to answering the question, 'How should we live?' focuses on the traits of character that contribute to a well-lived life, including qualities like courage, wisdom, generosity and perseverance. Theories that take this approach are known as virtue theories. This course will look at important examples of virtue theory.

16 x 1hr lectures; 4 x 1hr seminars as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in Philosophy and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Successful completion of Junior Honours in Philosophy, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Essay 1 (2500 words) - 50%

■ Essay 2 (2500 words) -50%

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 essays, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

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

This course aims to:

■ Introduce students to the academic study of virtue

■ Highlight key features required in a normative ethical theory

■ Provide students an opportunity to continue developing their ability to read challenging texts and to construct and critique arguments.

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

■ Compare and critically assess different ways of defining the virtues

■ Explain important attempts to define right action in terms of virtue

■ Evaluate attempts to define right action in terms of virtue