Unit information: Evil, Deviance, and Crime in 2018/19

Unit name	Evil, Deviance, and Crime
Unit code	PHIL30127
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Lena Zuchowski
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	N/A
Co-requisites	N/A
School/department	Department of Philosophy
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

Evil, deviance and crime are crucial notions in modern society: they lie at the core of our criminal justice system; determine whom we consider a ‘dangerous person’; influence how we diagnose and treat mental illnesses; and provide a framework for interpreting history. However, these are also philosophically difficult notions: they are often difficult to entangle and their meaning derives from a variety of sources.

In this unit, we consider a range of philosophical relevant aspects pertaining to evil, deviance and crime and to their societal roles. We analyse the definition of evil (‘the bad’) in classical normative moral theories and consider the relationship between social norms and deviance. Then, we investigate how both notions influence the definition of crime and, correspondingly, criminal laws and criminal justice. Furthermore, we discuss the relationships between crime, dangerousness, and mental illness. Finally, using Hannah Arendt’s analysis of individual morality during the Holocaust, we consider the question of personal moral responsibility under totalitarian regimes.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit students will be able to:

(1) Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the central philosophical literature on evil, deviance and crime,

(2) Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the complex relationships between these three notions.

(3) Compare and evaluate different philosophical arguments pertaining to these issues and concepts with a sophistication appropriate to level H/6.

(4) Demonstrate skills in philosophical writing and argumentation appropriate to level H/6.

Teaching Information

2 x 1-hour lecture + 1 x 1-hour seminar per week

Assessment Information

All assessment for this unit is summative:

1 x 1000 Word Essay - 30% (designed to test ILOs 1-4)

1 x 2000 Word Essay - 60% (designed to test ILOs 1-4)

Weekly journal entries of no more than 300 words - 10% (designed to test ILOs 1-4)

Reading and References

1. Kant, I. (1793). Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone. In T. M. Greene and H. H. Hudson (trans.), Illinois: The Open Court Publishing Co.
2. Skyrms, B. (1996). Evolution of the Social Contract, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
3. Moore, M. S. (1997). Placing Blame: A Theory of Criminal Law, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
4. Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, New York: Pantheon.
5. Szasz, T. (1974). The Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct,New York: Harper and Row.
6. Arendt, H. (1963). Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, New York: Penguin Books.