University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 11

Semester: 2

Availability restrictions: Available for on-campus MLitt programmes within the School of Divinity.

Planned timetable: To be confirmed

This module explores how ethical concepts, and their practical application, relate to various (and often competing) theological and philosophical conceptions of the Good Life and the Good Death. It critically reflects on what constitutes the Good Life and the Good Death for a range of important historical and contemporary moral theologians and philosophers, and critically assesses the connections drawn between ‘Good’, ‘Life’, and ‘Death’ within a number of ethical theories. This module explores how the connections made between ‘Good’, ‘Life’, and ‘Death’ in ethical theory inform the application of those theories in practice. While the module discusses a range of theological and philosophical ethical systems and practical issues, it is particularly concerned with such concepts as: Love; Justice; Natural Law; Conscience; Virtue; Appeals to Scripture in Moral Reasoning; Personhood; and such practical issues as: Euthanasia; Abortion; ARTs; Marriage; Sexuality; Gender; Disability; War.

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1x3 hour seminar (x11 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours: 33

Guided independent study hours: 275

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 100% course work - 2x 4000 word essays


Re-assessment: 100% written exam - 1x 3 hour exam

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr D E M Daniel
Module teaching staff: Dr Dafydd Daniel
Module coordinator email demd1@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the Good Life and the Good Death from the perspective of a range of theological and philosophical ethical systems.
• 2. Explain how key moral theologians and philosophers have influenced historical and contemporary conceptions of the Good Life and the Good Death.
• 3. Understand why conceptions of the Good Life and the Good Death inform the application of ethical theory in practice.
• 4. Critically assess the extent to which varying theological and philosophical concerns and traditions inform conceptions of the Good Life and the Good Death within individual authors and ethical systems.
• 5. Evaluate the consistency (or otherwise) of the application of the concept of the Good, within both ethical systems and individual ethicists, to practical issues concerning Life and Death.