7006.09 - World Views and Ethics


Course number
7006.09
Title
World Views and Ethics
ECTS
9
Purpose
According to the purpose clause in the laws for schools and for other institutions working with children, teachers and social educators are “in agreement and cooperation with parents” to give children a “Christian and civilised upbringing.” This shall be done on basis of “freedom of conscience, toleration, equality and democracy.” These phrases reflect both Christian tradition and modern ideals, both having had a major shaping influence on the developemtn of the Faroese society. Since social educators and teacher occupy a pivotal role in the development of children into responsible and active citizens, it is of prime importance that they have qualified insight into and understanding of the ideas and worldviews that have shaped society. They must also be aware of the spectrum of views and values the children they work with represent. The purpose of this course is to help students 1) gain insight into basic tenets of Christian and Modern worldviews, 2) learn to think within the rational frameworks of these worldviews, 3) learn to work with ethical quanderies within these worldviews’ framework, and in doing so learn why people come to different conclusions in such quanderies, and 4) understand, on basis of this, the role worldviews and ethics have in their chosen profession.
Content
The topics covered in the course are as follows: 1) Sources and roots of Christian faith in Europe and the Faroes 2) Modern traditions and secularisation 3) Philosophical changes and Postmodernity in the 20. and 21. century 4) Three basic tenets in a Christian worldview: God and creation, anthropology, church and society 5) Tenets in Modern / Late Modern society, such meaning construction, understanding of culture, globalisation, happiness and well-being 6) Faith in social and political context 7) Christian ethics: framework and tenets 8) Knowledge, cognition, faith and science in the Middle Ages and in a scientific worldview 9) Views on nature and environmental protection 10) Human rights and ethics 11) Culture and education: Challenges and possibilities in a multicultura society
Assessment method
1) On Fridays, except during the last week, students will meet in tutorial groups, in which they discuss the reading for the week. In preparation, students are to answer questions on the reading, which they need to turn in. In order to pass the course, students are required to turn these answers. Further information on these study groups will be given in the course. 2) Toward the completion of the course the students will write a research paper. This paper will be written individually. Further information on the paper will be given during the course. Internal and external examiners will be used, and marks will be given according to the 13-point scale. The papers will be evaluated on the following criteria: 1) Whether the paper is based on and interacts with theories , concepts, viewpoints and issues within the fields of the human sciences and ethics 2) Whether the student is able to discuss the topic from different viewpoint and whether he or she is able to develop his argumentation and conlcusion on a competent analysis of the topic. 3) Whether the student uses relevant literature 4) The structure of the essay 5) Linguistic competence (spelling, syntax and style)
Contact
Poul Fossdal Guttesen