International Programmes 2024/2025

Economic Ethics and Philosophy: Can the Market Be Moral? Economic Ethics and Philosophy: Can the Market Be Moral?

Freie Universität Berlin • Berlin

Course location
Berlin
Teaching language
  • English
Language level of course
  • English: B2
Date(s)
  • 2 January - 24 January 2025 (Registration deadline of course provider: 21 November 2024)
Information on dates, prices and mode of study

A non-refundable programme fee, in addition to the tuition fee, is applicable. The programme fee, which includes the social programme, is to be paid within one week after registration at the latest, along with the tuition fee.

Target group

The course is mainly aimed at undergraduate students, preferably in humanities, social sciences, law, or economic studies, but not necessarily limited to these disciplines.

Description/content

Please visit our website (www.fubis.org) for an overview of all courses offered and for possible updates to the course programme.

About this course

The modern capitalist market economy is an extremely powerful tool for generating wealth and satisfying human demands, yet it also has the capacity to exploit, alienate, and destroy the very societies it is supposed to serve. How can it be aligned with moral principles?

Actually, there are quite a number of ways: for example, through deliberate lawmaking, responsible research and development (e.g. technology assessment), enlightened consumer choices, and sustainable use of human and natural capital assets. However, these often come at a high cost and involve more fundamental questions:

  • How can politicians and lawmakers regulate the market for the common good without suffocating it?
  • How can big corporations and tech companies continue to deliver innovative services without monopolising the market and dominating their customers?
  • What does a fair distribution of income look like?
  • How do we assign value to natural and social goods (like clean air or low crime rates), and how do we measure sustainable welfare beyond traditional economic growth?
  • How can consumers harness their own power to make informed choices and act in accordance with their values?
  • Are digital business models based on artificial intelligence and machine learning threatening the autonomy of consumer choice?
  • What does corporate social responsibility look like in times of crisis?

To answer these questions, the course equips participants with key ethical approaches to economic behaviour: virtue ethics, religious teachings, deontology, utilitarianism, master morality, and neoliberalism—approaches that have historically dominated ethical discourses on economic behaviour.

A significant learning outcome is for participants to develop ethical frameworks that enable them to recognise and address ethical dilemmas inherent in today's economy. In particular, students will learn strategies to avoid moral temptations and self-harming behaviours, allowing them to behave ethically and conscientiously in real-life situations. In short, participation will enable them to analyse, interpret, and positively influence economic behaviour—especially their own!

Recognised language exams offered (e.g. DSH, TestDaF, TOEFL)
No
Other degrees / qualifications awarded
Certificate of participation
ECTS points (max.)
6
Average number of hours per week
12
Average number of participants per group/course
18
Dates and costs
  • 2 January - 24 January 2025 (Registration deadline of course provider: 21 November 2024), costs: EUR 1,300
This price includes
  • Course fees
Information on dates, prices and mode of study

A non-refundable programme fee, in addition to the tuition fee, is applicable. The programme fee, which includes the social programme, is to be paid within one week after registration at the latest, along with the tuition fee.

Teaching language
  • English
Language level of course
  • English: B2
Language requirements

Students must be able to speak, read, and write English at an advanced intermediate level.

Submit application to

http://www.fubis.org/5_geb/anmeldung/index.html

Is accommodation organised?
Accommodation is arranged by the organiser.
Type of accommodation

FUBiS arranges appropriate off-campus accommodation for the duration of the programme as an optional service on request. Accommodation options can be chosen during the registration process. Accommodation is subject to availability. Prices range between 500 EUR and 700 EUR.

Is a social and leisure programme offered?
Yes
Description of social and leisure programme

FUBiS offers a variety of extracurricular activities that are included in the programme fee, e.g. a guided tour of the Reichstag building and the Federal Parliament.

In addition, FUBiS offers optional excursions (for an additional cost) within Berlin as well as to other popular German cities.

Free internet access
Yes
Support in visa matters
No
Pick-up service from train station/airport
No

Freie Universität Berlin

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