DI1014 The Good Life: Christian Ethics and Human Flourishing

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 7

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

Mon, Tue, Thu 10am

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr D E M Daniel

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Dafydd Daniel, Dr John Perry

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

What does it mean to be happy? Is it wanting what you have or having what you want? Is a good life the same as a happy life? Does a good person choose moral duty over happiness or is happiness the ultimate good? Philosophical and religious traditions often examine the relationship between human happiness and moral goodness by asking what it means for human beings to flourish. With a focus on Christian thought (including queer, feminist, black, disability theology), this module explores how leading theologians (along with psychologists, biologists, and economists) have agreed and disagreed about human flourishing, and how disagreements about human flourishing have led to competing perspectives on the role of Christianity within historical and contemporary debates on sexual, medical, and political ethics, including: Transhumanism, Euthanasia, Social Justice, Human and Animal Rights, Personhood, IVF, Abortion, Capitalism, Imperialism, Effective Altruism, Liberalism, Wokeism, War & Peace.

Assessment pattern

Coursework - 50%, Written exam - 50%

Re-assessment

Written exam - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

3 lectures (x11 weeks), 1 tutorial (x11 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

44

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

166

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the good life and human flourishing from the perspective of a range of theological and philosophical ethical systems
  • Explain how moral theology/ theological ethics has influenced historical and contemporary conceptions of the good life and human flourishing
  • Understand why conceptions of the good life and human flourishing inform the application of ethical theory in practice
  • Critically assess the extent to which varying theological and philosophical concerns and traditions inform conceptions of the good life and human flourishing within individual authors and ethical systems
  • Evaluate the consistency (or otherwise) of the historical and contemporary application of Christian moral concepts to a range of practical ethical and political debates.