Law and Ethics (SPS 303)

2024 Spring
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Social & Political Sci.(SPS)
3
6/5 ECTS (for students admitted in the 2013-14 Academic Year or following years)
Faik Kurtulmuş afaikkurtulmus@sabanciuniv.edu, Etrit Shkreli etrit@sabanciuniv.edu,
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English
Undergraduate
--
Formal lecture,Interactive lecture,Recitation
Interactive,Communicative,Discussion based learning
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CONTENT

This course aims to encourage students to reflect on the meaning of being an individual and a citizen. Certain fundamental questions, posed by the ancients but persisting in their relevance, informs the structure of the course: What is good life? How should we live? What does the life of a virtuous individual and citizen consist of? How can the likely conflicts between the two be resolved? Related to these, the course also explores the diverse relationships between law and ethics and adresses issues such as political authority, representation and consent, freedom, justice, and equality.

OBJECTIVE

This course aims to encourage students to reflect on the meaning of being an individual and a citizen.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should acquire an understanding of some key ideas and concepts that shape academic and non-academic debates about politics.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to offer well-constructed arguments for their views about social, political and legal matters
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should develop their ability to read philosophical writings
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should have a basic understanding of the key concepts and theories in political philosophy
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be knowledgeable about the nature of law, the rule of law, democracy, constitutionalism, political legitimacy, freedom, justice, and the institutions of social justice.
  • Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to critically evaluate arguments

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES


1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others. 5

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice. 3

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself. 2

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means. 5

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams. 2


1. Possess sufficient knowledge of mathematics, science, fundamental engineering, computational methods and program-specific engineering topics; use theoretical and applied knowledge of these areas in complex engineering problems. 1

2. Identify, define, formulate and solve complex engineering problems while considering the UN Sustainable Development Goals; choose and apply suitable analysis, design, estimation/prediction and modeling methods for this purpose. 1

3. Develop, choose and use modern techniques and tools that are needed for analysis and solution of complex problems faced in engineering applications; use information technologies effectively. 1

4. Have the ability to design a complex system, process, instrument or a product under realistic constraints and conditions, with the goal of fulfilling creative current and future requirements. 1

5. Use research methods, including conducting literature reviews, designing experiments, performing experiments, collecting data, analyzing results, and interpreting results, to investigate complex engineering problems or discipline-specific research topics. 1

6. Possess knowledge of business practices such as project management, risk management, change management, and economic feasibility analysis; awareness on entrepreneurship and innovation. 1

7. Possess knowledge of impact of engineering solutions on society, health and safety, the economy, sustainability, and the environment within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; awareness on legal outcomes of engineering solutions; awareness of acting impartially and inclusively without any form of discrimination; act in accordance with ethical principles, possessing knowledge of professional and ethical responsibilities. 1

8. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, on technical subjects, considering the diverse characteristics of the target audience (such as education, language, and profession). 3


1. Develop knowledge of theories, concepts, and research methods in humanities and social sciences. 4

2. Assess how global, national and regional developments affect society. 4

3. Know how to access and evaluate data from various sources of information. 4

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Final 40
Midterm 40
Quiz 10
Participation 10

RECOMENDED or REQUIRED READINGS

Readings

Goodin, R. E. and Pettit, P., editors (1993). A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy. Blackwell, Oxford.
Miller, D. (2003). Political Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Shapiro, S. (2011). Legality. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.