Aims

Fundamental Moral Theology II
On completion of this course the students should be able to: (1) Perceive the philosophical and theological significance of ethical questioning, notably in the field of bioethics; (2) Elaborate an ethical reflection coupling philosophical approach and theological contribution; and (3) Make critical references to philosophical and theological authors.

Main themes

To help students meet the objectives pursued, the course concentrates on the study of a specific author, namely P. Ricoeur, and develops the following themes: (1) The current context of both philosophical and theological ethics, and P. Ricoeur's place in this context; (2) The foundations of the ethical approach, with examples drawn from bioethics; (3) The relationships between philosophy and theology, ethics and Scripture, the specificity of a theological reflection in the current context of ethics; and (4) The place of hermeneutics in the elaboration of a moral theology.The course also attempts to introduce students to a critical reading approach and to have them perceive the complexity of an ethical discernment combining argumentation and conviction.

Content and teaching methods

Content: After setting out the current context of both philosophical and theological ethics, the course dwells on the thought of P. Ricoeur. The initial focus is on the author's biography where human development and intellectual itinerary are intertwined with a view to describing his views on freedom, desire and fallability, three elements of ethical dynamism. The ethics thus constituted can address the question of hermeneutics and the place of biblical hermeneutics, more particularly in P. Ricoeur's thought and more globally for the elaboration of relationships between moral theology and Scripture. This background makes it possible to elaborate a reflection on the specificity of a theological approach to ethics and to determine the areas of focus of a moral theology, in connection, among others, with bioethical questions.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Method: The method is lecture format teaching but students will be regularly immersed in texts and re-readings of P. Ricoeur in specific contexts (such as end-of-life care).
Assessment: oral examination
Material: A course structure is distributed to the students; a reading package is put at their disposal and will be completed throughout the entire half-session.
Resources: Major works are available to students at the Libraries of Theology and Philosophy.

Other credits in programs