This unit explores the unifying themes of the values and beliefs that societies develop to guide the behaviour of individuals and groups. Linked to this is the concept of individual and collective responsibility.
Students should have some understanding of the nature and role of religion in the contemporary world. They should explore why people hold or disregard beliefs and their effect on society.
The unit also examines the role of scientists and artists and consider whether they should have the same moral responsibilities.
It also questions how these roles and the application of their work are evaluated.
The unit also looks at ways in which moral
decisions are made and their relationship to contemporary issues
such as crime and punishment.
Part A - Do we Need Religious Beliefs?
Students will gain an understanding of:
1 key features of major religions and some alternative belief systems (eg Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, humanism, atheism, theism, etc).
2 different reasons why people hold or reject religious belief.
3 how religious beliefs and practices can
affect modern society.
Part B - Should Everyone Have the Same Moral Responsibilities?
Students will gain an understanding of:
1 how far creative people (eg artists, scientists and technologists) should have the freedom to pursue all aspects of their work.
2 ways in which scientific research and creative activities can raise moral issues.
3 the right to campaign against creative or scientific activities that conflict with moral values and beliefs (eg government agencies, individuals, political parties, protest groups and other groups).
Part C - How Do we Decide What is Right or Wrong?
Students will gain an understanding of:
1 how moral values can be changed over time and between societies.
2 the application of moral values and moral reasoning to contemporary issues (eg punishment, euthanasia, abortion, environmental issues, genetic modification, etc).
3 the relationship between
individual freedom and societal rights and responsibilities.
Part D - Why do People do What They do?
Students will gain an understanding of:
1 the nature of deviance, conformity to social norms and antisocial behaviour.
2 explanations for the development of human behaviour; contrasting perspectives from behavioural psychology and sociology.
3 explanations of how human behaviour is both different from and similar to the behaviour of other animals, from the perspective of evolutionary psychology.
Part E - How Should Art be Valued?
Students will gain an understanding of:
1 how the quality of a work of art can be evaluated.
2 the funding of museums and art galleries in preserving, reflecting and transmitting cultural values.
3 the relationship between personal (subjective) and general (objective) evaluation of works of art.
