General provisions

The course is offered to C level students and students at advanced level. For students at advanced level, the examination requirements are higher than for students at C level.

Entry requirements

Fulfilment of the requirements for a Bachelor's degree in the humanities or a corresponding foreign degree

Learning outcomes

After completing the course the students are expected to:

• have an overview of the main debates on harm
• be able to describe the most important theories of the nature and ethical significance of harm
• be able to describe the most important arguments for these theories
• be able to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments.

Content

What is harm, and what is its ethical significance? This course provides an introduction to the most important views on the nature of harm, and discusses various ethical issues where harm plays a major role. Topics covered include comparative vs. non-comparative accounts of harm, the non-identity problem in population ethics, abortion ethics, harm and well-being, the harm of death, and J. S. Mill's Harm Principle.

Instruction

Lectures and seminars. The language of instruction is English.

Assessment

One longer essay and some shorter writing assignments. A student's active participation and good performance during the lectures and seminars may be a positive factor in the overall assessment of the student's work for the course.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.