PHV101 Metaethics: An Introduction

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Radim Bělohrad, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Radim Bělohrad, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Philosophy – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
PHBE Ethics
The ability to read in English, successful completion of PHBE Ethics course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course focuses on meta-ethics and introduces students to issues related to the key theories of the semantics of moral judgments, moral epistemology, moral metaphysics and moral psychology.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will be able to:
- describe the basic classification of metaethical theories;
- explain the factors that influence the choice of a particular metaethical theory;
- describe the problems that motivate the formulation of a particular theory;
- describe the relationship between metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics.
Syllabus
  • Metaethics, normative ethics, applied ethics - basic distinctions
  • Meta-ethical theories - introductory classification, why and what for?
  • Moore: naturalistic fallacy, intuitionism
  • Non-cognitivism, emotivism, expressivism, quasi-realism
  • Nihilism, Error Theory, subjectivism
  • Teological voluntarism
  • Naturalism
Literature
  • BRÁZDA, Radim. Ethicum. první. Zlín: VeRBuM, 2010, 188 pp. ISBN 978-80-904273-9-6. info
  • The Blackwell guide to ethical theory. Edited by Hugh LaFollette. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2000, x, 446 s. ISBN 0-631-20119-X. info
  • SVOBODA, Vladimír and Petr KOLÁŘ. Logika a etika : úvod do metaetiky. Vyd. 1. Praha: Filosofia, 1997, 276 s. ISBN 8070071001. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminar discussions, readings of selected excerpts of primary literature, accompanying e-learning.
Assessment methods
Written test - minimum pass level 60 percent. Only two absences are allowed during the term. Combined students: 3 quizzes in ELF during the term, 60 percent pass level in sum. Final test, 60 percent pass level.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: kombinovaná forma: 16 hodin/semestr.
Teacher's information
https://elf.phil.muni.cz/22-23/course/view.php?id=657
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/PHV101