Dr Campbell Brown

This course is taught by Prof. Alex Voorhoeve (weeks 1-5 of Michaelmas Term); Dr. Campbell Brown (weeks 6-10 of MT); Dr. Johanna Thoma (weeks 1-5 of Lent Term); and Prof. Michael Otsuka (weeks 6-10 of Lent Term).

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy. This course is available on the MPA in European Policy-Making, MPA in International Development, MPA in Public Policy and Management, MPA in Public and Economic Policy, MPA in Public and Social Policy, MPA in Social Impact, MSc in Economics and Philosophy and MSc in Public Policy and Administration. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

The course offers critical reflection on the design and evaluation of public policies from the perspective of moral and political philosophy. To this end, we study a range of theories and concepts that are used in policy evaluation. We often discuss and evaluate them by focusing on specific policy proposals. The course addresses questions such as the following.

• What is a correct public measure of well-being?
• Should we distribute resources in health care to produce the most well-being overall or should we also aim to limit inequalities?
• Should people be left to bear the consequences of their free choices?
• May the government force you to buy health insurance?
• Should higher education be financed by student loans or general taxation?
• Should we be free to act as we choose so long as we do not harm others?
• Is killing morally worse than letting die?
• What is the optimal population size?

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the MT. 10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the LT.

Students will be expected to produce 2 essays and 1 presentation in the MT and 1 essay in the LT.

A detailed list of readings will be available on moodle. The following is an indicative sample of readings that may be discussed in the course.

• Greg Bognar and Iwao Hirose (2014). The Ethics of Health Care Rationing.
• A. Voorhoeve (2018) 'May a Government Mandate More Comprehensive Insurance than People Want for Themselves?' Oxford Studies in Political Philosophy.
• Michael Rustin (2016), 'The neoliberal university and its alternatives', Soundings
• Ronald Dworkin et al (1997) 'Assisted Suicide: The Philosophers' Brief'
• Carol Kates (2004). 'Reproductive Liberty and Overpopulation' Environmental Ethics.
• John Stuart Mill (1859), On Liberty
• Jonathan Wolff (2011), Ethics and Public Policy: A Philosophical Inquiry

Additional readings will be available on Moodle.

Exam (67%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.
Essay (33%, 2000 words) in the ST.