PHIL2109 Commodification and the Self
Later Year Course
| Offered By | School of Philosophy |
|---|---|
| Academic Career | Undergraduate |
| Course Subject | Philosophy |
| Offered in | Second Semester, 2010 |
| Unit Value | 6 units |
| Course Description |
This course explores philosophical aspects of a range of issues relating to the commodification of the human person. After initial discussion of some general issues about commodification in 'commercial society' in figures such as Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx and Friedrich Hayek, we turn to specific problems, and to theoretical literature on them. Issues to be examined include the supply of blood, of kidneys, and of corpses, and also issues relating to the supply of pornography and of sexual services. The course will discuss a range of philosophical literature relevant to these issues, and also such works as Richard Titmuss's The Gift Relationship, and Peggy Radin's Contested Commodities.
This course will count in the Philosophy major and the Health, Medicine and the Body major |
| Learning Outcomes |
The course aims to give students an in depth experience of the discussion of some issues in social philosophy, with three more specific aims in mind: (i) to prepare students for more advanced work in this field (e.g. which might lead on to an honours 4 dissertation or a Ph.D. topic), and to provide background knowledge for courses in applied philosophy more generally; (ii) to provide some intellectual background for the consideration of public policy issues, both domestic and international |
| Indicative Assessment | Initial exercise 10% (500 words), essay 35% (1500 words) and essay 45% (2000 words), tutorial presentation 10%. |
| Workload | 21 hours of Lectures the semester and 12 tutorials |
| Areas of Interest | Philosophy |
|
Assumed Knowledge and Required Skills |
This course is available to any undergraduate student who has taken 12 units of first year courses. Completion of PHIL1004 would be a useful background, and the course would be of particular interest to any student who has enjoyed Social Philosophy, but the course should also prove interesting to students whose background is in economics or commerce |
| Requisite Statement |
12 units of first year courses |
| Recommended Courses | Phil1004 Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An introduction and PHIL2110 Social Philosophy |
| Preliminary Reading | Richard Titmuss, The Gift Relationship |
| Majors/Specialisations | Philosophy and Health, Medicine and Body |
| Academic Contact | Dr Jeremy Shearmur |
The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.
