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Universality and Cosmopolitanism vs. Locality

LEPE2 - Ευάγγελος Πρωτοπαπαδάκης

Course Description

The ethical principles and behaviors of individuals and societies are primarily shaped by the influence of religious beliefs, philosophical perspectives, cultural traditions, historical experiences, and social needs. Some of these factors have a universal or widely accepted character, as they are based on common religious tenets, such as respect for fellow human beings and the prohibition of murder, and on universally recognized values, such as fundamental human rights, while others have primarily local characteristics, as they are associated with local cultural traditions and social needs. This course explores the concepts of globality and locality both in terms of shaping ethical principles and behaviors and in terms of the possibilities or difficulties they create in fostering collaboration and peaceful coexistence among individuals and societies.

Syllabus
Course Syllabus

I. What is ethics (content and goals)

II. What shapes personal ethical perceptions (emotions, intuition, logic, duty, utility)

III. What shapes collective ethical perceptions (religious beliefs, philosophical perceptions, cultural traditions, historical experiences, social needs)

IV. The significance of local and global factors in ethical decision-making

V. Is a universal and ecumenical ethics feasible for major issues of global concern?

VI. The case of bioethics: points of convergence

VII. The case of bioethics: points of divergence

VIII. The case of ecological ethics: points of convergence

IX. The case of ecological ethics: points of divergence

X. The phenomenon of globalization: benefits and risks

Course Objectives/Goals

• The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the issues concerning the formation of ethical perceptions under the influence of local factors and universal values, and more generally, to explore the relationships between globality and locality regarding ethics. • In this context, students will acquire knowledge about the importance of religious beliefs, philosophical perceptions, cultural traditions, and social needs as factors influencing the formation of ethical perceptions at both personal and collective levels. • The diversity of ethical perceptions at the local level will be highlighted, their background examined, and whether this allows for a minimal common ethics at the global level will be explored. Human rights will be a particular subject of consideration, questioning whether they can become a common basis for consensus and convergence on a global scale. • Cases of bioethics and ecological ethics will be examined as two significant areas of ethics with global interest, to identify points of convergence and divergence among various ethical approaches. • Globalization will be studied as a phenomenon tending to override local particularities and favor unification, among other things, of ethical perceptions, with the perspective of highlighting the benefits and risks it entails for local societies and humanity. • The course will conclude with the search for answers to the question of whether the globality and locality of ethical perceptions create opportunities or difficulties in fostering collaboration and peaceful coexistence among individuals and societies.

Instructional Methods

This course employs a dynamic blend of instructional methods to ensure a comprehensive learning experience. With a focus on engagement and flexibility, the instructional approach comprises 75% face-to-face teaching, fostering direct interaction between instructors and students in a traditional classroom setting. Additionally, 25% of the course involves distant teaching, which can be delivered either synchronously or asynchronously. This remote component allows students to access course materials, participate in discussions, and engage with learning activities at their own pace, leveraging online platforms and resources. By combining face-to-face interaction with remote learning opportunities, the course aims to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences, facilitating deeper understanding and collaboration among students while accommodating individual schedules and needs.
Assessment Methods
- 20%: Participation
- 20%: Oral presentation
- 60%: Written assignment
Prerequisites/Prior Knowledge

This module has no prerequisites in the curriculum or prior knowledge requirements.

Instructors

Instructors for the course will be announced shortly.

Textbooks

To be added soon.
Bibliography
- Hugo Tristram Engelhardt (ed.), Global bioethics: the collapse of consensus, Salem, MA: M & M Scrivener Press, 2006.
- Manfred Steger, Globalization. A Very Short Introduction (5. edition), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020
- Peter Singer, Πρακτική Ηθική (Αθήνα-Λευκωσία: Broken Hill, 2022).
- Rachels James - Rachels Stuart (ed.), The Elements of Moral Philosophy (7. edition), New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012.
- Ricardo Rozzi u.a., (ed.), Earth Stewardship: Linking Ecology and Ethics in Theory and Practice, Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2015.
- Wanda Teays - John-Stewart Gordon - Alison Dundes Renteln (ed.), Global bioethics and human rights: contemporary issues, Lanham [u.a.]: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.