Congratulations to Philosophy undergraduate, Helen Luo who won second place in the inaugural Student Learning Commons writing competition.

Her essay, written for PHIL 221: Ethical Theory won her second place in the Open Undergraduate category; overall, the competition attracted entries from more than 14 different SFU departments. The winners will be celebrated at an event towards the end of January, as well as having their winning paper published in an Open Access journal.

Since the response to the first competition was so good, the SLC will be holding another undergraduate writing contest in the fall - stay tuned, and maybe sign up for one of Philosophy's WQB-designated courses to hone your skills.

PHIL 221: Ethical Theory - The primary goal of this course is to provide a theoretical background and vocabulary that enables philosophical thought about a variety of moral issues.  What is the extent of our moral obligations and our moral rights?  What constitutes the good or "meaningful'' life?  Does morality require impartiality?  What is the role of intention in determining the moral status of an action?   Is it okay to hold someone morally responsible for something beyond their control?