Nadia Mazouz: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2024 |
| Name | Prof. Dr. Nadia Mazouz |
| Field | Practical Philosophy |
| Address | Professur Praktische Philosophie ETH Zürich, RZ G 6 Clausiusstrasse 59 8092 Zürich SWITZERLAND |
| Telephone | +41 44 632 83 38 |
| nadia.mazouz@gess.ethz.ch | |
| Department | Humanities, Social and Political Sciences |
| Relationship | Full Professor |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 851-0038-00L | Philosophical Ethics of Life and Death | 3 credits | 2G | N. Mazouz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course discusses ethical issues relating to life and death, e.g. reproductive technology, euthanasia, organ transplantation, genetic engineering, animal and nature conservation, human enhancement, animal welfare, nature conservation, biodiversity and our relation to nature more generally. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students will get an overview of different historical and contemporary approaches in bioethics. They are enabled to further developing their abilities to understand complex theories, to critically reflect on them and to put them up for discussion. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Bioethics is a very broad field, encompassing ethical issues relating to life and death, e.g. reproductive technology, euthanasia, organ transplantation, genetic engineering, human enhancement, animal welfare, biodiversity and our relation to nature more generally. Bioethics is addressed in various contexts and disciplines, in politics, in law, in religious contexts, in the social sciences, religious studies, medicine and the biosciences. The focus in this course is on the fundamental debates in ethics as a philosophical discipline. In addition, topics are selected for discussion depending on the students' interests. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | As an introduction: Düwell, Marcus (2013). "Bioethics: methods, theories, domains." New York: Routledge. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Competencies |
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| 851-0040-00L | Can it Be Permissible to Kill a Few in Order to Save Many? | 3 credits | 2G | N. Mazouz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | First, the relevant literature on moral justifications in trolley cases will be discussed (Foot, Thomson, Kamm, Otsuka, Kagan). Second, neuropsychological research on trolley cases (Greene, Haidt, Berker, Kamm) and third, applications of such moral reasoning in cases potentially arising in autonomous robots (Rahwan, Nyholm and Smids, Wolkenstein) will be considered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students will gain an overview of the current ethical debates surrounding the legitimacy of homicide-rescue-cases in specific types of situations. They will be enabled to interpret complex texts, identify the argumentation, to reflect it critically and to put it up for discussion. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Killing innocents is generally thought to be morally impermissible – or so it seems from an intuitive point of view. However, there are situations where people can only be saved if less others are killed, for example in some traffic cases, in some cases in natural disasters, medical emergencies, terrorist attacks or humanitarian interventions. In some of these situations our intuitions stay clear and disaproving: it is not permissible to kill, even in order to save many lives, for example, to take the vital organs of one patient in order to save many more other patients. In other scenarios, the intuitions are less clear or even revert for most of us, like in the famous trolley-bystander case, in which a bystander can divert an out-of-control trolley heading towards five to a track where one person is trapped. How are these moral intuitions to be justified, if they are? In this seminar the relevant literature on moral justifications in such trolley cases will be reviewed as well as on methodological problems pertaining to the role of intuitions in moral justifications. Neuropsychological research on such cases as well as critique of the methods and normative presuppositions used in that research will be debated. Finally, attempts to apply such moral reasoning on allegedly analogous cases arising in autonomous robots will be discussed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 851-0622-00L | Inequality and Injustice: Economic and Philosophical Perspectives  Does not take place this semester. | 3 credits | 2S | I. Günther, N. Mazouz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Globalization and technological progress in recent decades have on the one hand reduced inequality and led to new forms of inequality on the other hand. The question is whether these new forms of inequality lead to more inequity. This course provides an overview of the current philosophical and economic discourse on inequality and injustice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Using philosophical and economic texts and discussions, students develop an understanding of the concepts, developments, causes, and consequences of inequality. Students will acquire the ability to participate in an informed discourse on the issues of inequality and injustice and to critically reflect on their actions and position in the world. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | In this seminar we will explore the issues of inequality and injustice. In doing so, we will explore the following questions: What is meant by inequality and injustice? Under what circumstances are inequalities unjust? Have inequalities and injustices increased or decreased over the last 50 years? What are the causes of increasing or decreasing inequality? What do these inequalities and injustices mean for our society? And what public and private measures are needed for more inclusive societies? - Concepts of inequality and injustice - Development of inequality over the last 50 years based on different dimensions of inequality: income, wealth, education, health, CO2 emissions, political participation. - Discrimination of women, people with physical disabilities, people of the "Global South". - Causes of inequality: globalization, technological progress, political systems and institutions, economic system, social discrimination, stereotypes and norms. - Consequences of inequality: justice, dignity, inefficiency - Towards more inclusive societies: the role of policies, civil society, social movements and individual behavior. The seminar is based on readings of economic and philosophical texts and is complemented by short presentations and discussions with scholars of philosophy and economics. In some cases, practitioners will also be invited to the seminar. Students will apply the concepts, theories and knowledge covered in the course to practical issues related to inequality and inequity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 862-0004-19L | Research Colloquium Philosophy for Master Students and PhD (HS 2024) | 2 credits | 1K | N. Mazouz, R. Wagner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Ph.D. students, post docs, members of staff, and senior colleagues from other philosophy departments will report on their work in progress. Furthermore, promissing new philosophical articles and parts of new philosophical books will be studied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Ideas and arguments dealing with systematic problems especially in epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of mind will be scrutinized and elaborated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||