1997 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

*AH205 Social Philosophy, Politics and Ethics
3 hours per week Hawthorn Prerequisite: one of AH100,
AH101, AH102, AH103 or approved equivalent
Assessment: continuous
A subject in the Bachelor of Arts
Objectives and Content
Ever since the Enlightenment, the project of modernity has
dominated philosophical thinking about the social, political,
and ethical principles, practices, and institutions to which
we owe allegiance. In recent times, however, the existing
orthodoxy has been severely challenged by the cultural
condition known as 'postmodernity'. The aim of this
subject is to introduce students to the modernity/
postmodernity debate, and to elucidate its social, political,
and ethical implications. To ensure a cohesive focus, the
issues in dispute between J. Habermas and M. Foucault, two
of the foremost contributors to the debate, serve as focal
points for discussion, but the views of a range of other
thinkers, ancient and modern, are also considered to the
extent that these views are helpful in elucidating our
contemporary condition in its social, political, and ethical
dimensions.
Recommended Reading:
Please consult with lecturer before buying recommended
reading.
Beilharz, P (ed). Social Theory: A Guide to Central Thinkers.
Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1992
Best, S. and Kellner, D. Postmoda Theory: Critical
Interrogations. NY: Guildford, 1991
Bernstein, R. The New Constellation. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press,
1992
Simons, H. and Billig, M. (eds.) After Postmodernism. London:
Sage, 1994.
'Wot available to students who have previously passed
AH200 Moral and Political Philospphy.
*AH206 Society, Culture, and Resources
3 hours per week Hawthorn Prerequisite: one ofAH100,
AH101, AH102, AH103 or approved equivalent
Assessment: continuous
A subject in the Bachelor of Arts
Objectives and Content
Resources, people, survival, and development within the
general framework of social history this course emphasises
the interaction between technology, social change and the
environment from ancient to modern times. Politics,
economics, religion, values, traditions, social structures,
education, relations with neighbours, knowledge, skills and
the natural environment are factors which combine to
influence the course of human development. Issues
considered are the moral dilemmas of industrial societies,
particularly problems of pollution and environment control.
Recommended reading
Please consult with lecturer before buying recommended readq.
Buchanan, R.A. History and Industrial Civilisation. London,
Macmillan, 1979
Basalla, G. The Evolution of Technology. Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press, 1988
Dickson, D. Alternative Technology. London, FontandCollins,
1974
Mokyr, J. The Lever of Riches. New York, Oxford University
Press, 1990
Mumford, L. The Myth of the Machine Technics and Human
Development. London, Secker and Warburg, 1967
* Not available to students who have previously passed
AH202 Technology and Society.
AH207 Professional and Business Ethics
16.66points 3 hours per week Hawthorn Prerequisites nil
Assessment: Continuous
Subject to accreditation.
A subject in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business
This subject is designed primarily for business students to
provide them with the knowledge of ethics necessary to
understand the ethical implications of business activity and
the means to resolve ethical disputes. The subject will
examine what ethics is, what are the most important ethical
doctrines that have been developed and what are the central
ethical problems associated with business, showing how
ethical doctrines are relevant to defining the ethical
significance of both individual and corporate situations,
decisions and actions and to working out the appropriate
response to these.
~Lommended Reading:
James Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 2nd ed., N.Y.:
Random House, 1994.
Arran Gare, Nihilism Incorporated, 2nd ed., Bungendore: Eco-
Logical Press, 1996.
Robert C. Solomon, Above the Bottom Line: An Introduction to
Business Ethics, 2nd ed., Fort Worth, Texas: Harcourt, Brace,
Jovanovich, 1994.
AH208 Asian Traditions in Philosophy
16.66points 3 hours per week Hawthorn Prerequisites nil
Assment: continuous
Subject to accreditation.
A subject in the Bachelor of Arts
~biedives and Content
The purpose of this subject is to introduce students to some
of the main traditions in Chinese, Indian and Japanese
philosophical thought, and through this to develop an
understanding of Asian cultures and an appreciation of the
diversity of thought in non-Western traditions. The course
is organized around the four key philosophical themes of
reality, self, knowledge, and ethics. The main schools of
thought are Hindu, Buddhist and Confucian.
Refer&ces
Koller, J. and Koller, P. (eds.), A Sourcebook ofAsian Philosophy.
N.Y.: MacMillan Publishing, 1991.
Brannigan, M.C., The Pulse of Wisdom: The Philosophies of
India, China andlapan. Belmont Ca.: Wadsworth, 1995.
AH301 Rationality
3 hours per week Hawthorn Prerequisite: two of AA208,
AH201, AH202, AH203, AH204, AH205, AH206, or
approved equivalents Assessment: continuous
A subject in the Bachelor of Arts