Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

References
Alexander, J. and Seidman, 5. eds. Culture and Socieiy Cambridge:
C.U.C, 1990
Austin-Broos. D.J. (ed.) Creating Culture. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. 1987
Bronner, S.E. and Kellner, D.M~ (eds.) ~riti=al Theory and Society: A
Reader New York: Routledge, 1989
Dupre, L. Marx's Social Critique of Culture. New Haven: Yale
University Press, 1983
Lodge, D. Modern Criticism and Theory: A Reader. London: New York,
Longman. 1988
Williams, R. Problems in Materialism and Cultum. Selected essays.
London: Verso, 1980
*AH205 Social Philosophy, Politics and Ethics
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisite: one of AH 100, AH 101, AH 102,
AH 103 or approved equivalent
Assessment: continuous and by examination
Subject aims and description
Taking the present state of the world and its problems as a
point of departure, this subject offers a critical examination
of the social, political and ethical thought of Western culture
from Plato to Habermas. The subject focuses on the
relationship between conceptions of human society and
political and ethical doctrines, and looks at how these have
been developed. In this way the origins, achievements and
r limitations of our culture and institutions are revealed, and
new directions are opened for consideration.
% References
Maclntyre, A. A Short History of Ethics. London: Routledge & Kegan
Paul, 1967
Muschamp, D. (ed.) Pblitical Thinkers. South Melbourne: Macmillan,
1986
Not available to students who have previously passed
AH200 Moral and hlitical Philosophy
*AH206 Society, Culture, and R~SOUK~S
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisite: one of AH100, AH101, AHlO2,
AH103 or approved equivalent
Assessment: continuous
Subject aims and description
Resources, people, suwival, and development: within the
general framework of social history this course emphasises
the interaction between technology and social change from
ancient to modern times. Politics, economics, religion, values,
traditions, social structures, education, relations with
neighbours, knowledge and skills, are factors which combine
to influence the course of human development. Also
considered are the moral dilemmas of industrial societies,
including problems of pollution and environment control.
Preliminary reading
Buchanan, R.A. History and Industrial Civilisation. London: Macmillan.
1979
Textbook
Mumford, L. The City in History. Pelican. 1990
References
Basalla. G. The Evolution of Technology Cambridge: C.U.P., 1988
Dickson. D. Alternative Technology. London: FontanaICollins, 1981
Harris, M. Cannibals and Kings. New York: Random House, 1977
Mokyr, J. The Lever of Riches. Nwv York: O.U.P., 1990
Murnford. L. The Myth of the Machine: T~hnics and Human
Development. London: Secker and Warburg, 1971
* Not available to students who have previously passed
AH202 Technology and Society
AH301 Rationality
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisites: two of AHZOO, AH201, AH202,
AH203, AH204, AH205, AH206, or approved
equivalents
Assessment: continuous
Subject aims and description
This subject engages the contemporary debate about the
meaning and value of rationality. The issues considered
include: the problem of the rational justification of beliefs
and actions in a way which does justice to our status as
situated human agents; the relationship between rationality
and scientific inquiry, and between western rationality and
the rationality of other cultures; the problem of relativism;
and the links between rationality and human well-being.
Textbook
Please consult with the lecturer before buying textbooks
References
Agassi. J. and Jatvie, I.C. (eds.) Rationalify: The Critical View
Dordrecht: Nijhoff, 1987
Brown, H. Rationality. London: Routledge, 1990
Hollis, M. and Lukes. 5. (eds.) Rationality and Relativism. Oxford:
Blackwell, 1982
Rescher, N. Rationality. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1988
Wilson, 6. (ed.) Rationality Oxford: Blackwell. 1973
AH306 Practical Ethics
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisites: two of AHZOO, AHZOI, AH202,
AH203, AH204, AH205, AH206, or approved
equivalents
Assessment: continuous
Subject aims and description
This subject attempts to develop an understanding of the
process of moral decision making, with a view to improving
the ability of participants to form ethical judgements and to
be tolerant of the judgements of others.
Presently, the two main areas of discussion are the moral
value of human beings and environmental ethics. Further
areas may be added in future years.
Textbooks
Kannegiesser, H. Conception in the Test Tube. Melbourne: Macmillan,
1988
Rachels, J. The Elements of Moral Philosophy. Philadelphia: Temple
University Press. 1986
References
DeMarco, J. and F.R. New Directions in Ethics. New York: Routledge
and Kegan Paul, 1986
Elliot, R. and Gare, A. Environmental Philosophy. Brisbane: University
of Queensland Press, 1983
Maclntyre. A. After Virtue. 2nd ed, Notre Dame: University of Notre
Dame Press, 1984
Regan T. (ed.) Matters of Life and Death. 2nd ed, New York: Random
House, 1986
AH307 Australian Science and Society
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisites: two of AHZOO, AH201, AH202,
AH203, AH204, AH205, AH206 or approved
equivalents
Assessment: continuous
Subject aims and description
This subject will bring perspectives from the history,
philosophy and social studies of science to bear on the
theme of Australian science and society. Topics covered will
range from Aboriginal conceptions of nature to colonial
science with its cultural dependence on metropolitan
centres, to the triumph of molecular biology and