PHIL100: Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality

• Terms Taught:
  • Full Year course. 
  • Michaelmas Term only.
  • Lent / Summer Term only.
  NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year and you select a course that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the course. 
• US Credits:
  • Full Year course - 10 Semester Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 5 Semester Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 5 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Full Year course - 20 ECTS Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 10 ECTS Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 10 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

The Part I course introduces you to some of the central problems of philosophy and theories produced in response to them, some of the subject's technical concepts and vocabulary, and some of its techniques of reasoning and analysis. Reading includes both classical and contemporary material.

Philosophy has a significant role to play, both in acquainting you with some of the ideas which have helped shape Western culture, and in the critical understanding of ideas and methods in many other disciplines. The level of the course does not presuppose previous knowledge of philosophy. If you have studied philosophy before, the course will enable you to deepen and broaden your understanding of the subject and to improve your philosophical skills. The course aims not only to acquaint you with what philosophers have said but also to encourage you to engage with the issues.

Educational Aims

By the end of the course of study, we aim for you:

• To be able to explain, contrast, and evaluate arguments in some central philosophical debates;
• To have developed your ability to read philosophical texts critically and in depth;
• To have developed your skills in rational argument, both in writing and in conversation;
• To have a working grasp of philosophy’s distinctive disciplinary modes of reading, thinking, talking, and writing; and
• To have begun to develop your own reflective views on some philosophical questions.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will be drawn from the range of philosophical problems, approaches, and canonical figures, to be chosen depending on expertise of available staff and appropriateness for part I level work.

Topics may include:

• The theory of knowledge, including for example questions about the ultimate source of knowledge in sense perception, reasoning, or elsewhere.
• Metaphysics, including for example questions about the ultimate nature of the universe (mind, matter, neither, both).
• Ethics, including for example questions about the adequacy of consequentialist, deontological, and/or virtue-theoretical approaches to moral issues.
• Political philosophy, including for example questions about the justifiability of capitalism.
• Free will, including for example questions about the extent to which humans can be morally responsible for their actions in a deterministic world.
• Critical reasoning, including for example the identification and study of patterns of correct and incorrect reasoning.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 45%
• Exam: 45%
• Participation: 10%

PHIL101: Moral and Political Philosophy

• Terms Taught:
  • Full Year course.
  • Michaelmas Term only.
  • Lent / Summer Term only.
  NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year and you select a course that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the course.
• US Credits:
  • Full Year course- 10 Semester Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 5 Semester Credits
  • Lent /Summer Terms only - 5 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Full Year course - 20 ECTS Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 10 ECTS Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 10 ECTS Credits
   
• Pre-requisites: None.

Course Description

This module aims to introduce students to key themes in practical philosophy, and to develop their ability to reason and think clearly about the question of how we ought to act and organise our interaction. The course aims to treat this issue both systematically and in an applied manner: to familiarise students with various accounts of moral and political theories, but also to use these theories to think critically about real-world problems. The course, though designed as an introduction to the advanced degree-level study of philosophy, will also function as a self-standing introduction to philosophy suitable for those seeking to better understand the foundations of modern moral and political thought. Areas of study will typically include:

• 1. Moral Philosophy: the study of how we should act, and what we should value.
• 2. Political Philosophy: the study of the values which underpin our political institutions and how we ought to organise our collective lives.
• 3. Gender and Philosophy: the study of the nature of gender and gendered thinking, and its relation to ethics and politics.
• 4. Ethical Controversies: the study of practical questions of ethics, such as the nature of animals rights, choices of life and death, the value of privacy, and problems of discrimination.
• 5. Applied Political Philosophy: the study of practical political issues, such as immigration rights, international inequality, the permissibility of war, free speech and propaganda from a philosophical standpoint.
• 6. Environmental Philosophy: the study of our relationship to nature, and how to respond to the environmental crisis.

Assessment Proportions

• 40% Exam
• 60% Coursework

(TBC)

PPR.201: Introduction to Chinese Philosophy

• Terms Taught:  Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits

Course Description

The module has four main aims that are subject specific. First, it will introduce students to the central debates and concepts that inform classical Chinese philosophy. Second, the module will familiarise students with the different schools of classical Chinese philosophy. Third, the module will encourage students to develop an ability to think critically about the subject at hand, by questioning what it means for philosophy to be Chinese, for example. Finally, the module aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to further pursue their study of Chinese philosophy at Lancaster University and beyond.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

- Demonstrate an awareness of the core debates and concepts in classical Chinese philosophy

- Show a good understanding of the different schools of classical Chinese philosophy

- Compare the arguments proposed by different Chinese philosophical texts and thinkers

- Learn to relate classical Chinese philosophy to today’s world

Outline Syllabus

This module offers a critical introduction to Chinese philosophy by focusing on its diversity and contemporary relevance. The module introduces the main schools of thought that emerged during the classical era (one of the most vibrant periods of Chinese philosophy), including Daoism, Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, and the school of names. Students will be introduced to the main concepts used in classical Chinese philosophy as well as the central issues debated by classical Chinese philosophers, such as whether human nature is good or bad, whether one should engage in society or retrieve from it in order to live a fulfilled life, whether humans are at the centre of the world or simply a part of it, and whether language is enhancing human potential or limiting it, to name but a few examples. Can we know what it is like to be a fish? Why do we spontaneously try to save a child who is in danger? Is a white horse a horse? Should we rejoice in non-action, engage in politics, or do both at the same time? Is there such a thing as feminist philosophy in ancient China? What does it mean for philosophy to be Chinese? These are some of the issues that will be discussed during the term.

Assessment Proportions

Essay (2250-2500 words submitted at end of term). This tests for developed skills in written communication and ability to critically evaluate arguments and views. It also tests for knowledge and understanding of classical Chinese philosophy and ability to produce a polished piece of academic writing.

Exam (2hrs, Summer term; 2 questions). This tests for developed skills in written communication, critical argument and for knowledge and understanding of classical Chinese philosophy under time pressure.

40% Coursework 60% Exam

PPR.205: Introduction to Feminist Philosophy

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits

Course Description

The aim of this module is to introduce students to feminist philosophy by exploring some of the main debates in this area of philosophy. It also aims to familiarise students with different strands and traditions within feminist philosophy and cultivate their ability to engage in philosophical discussion in an informed and competenet fashion by developing their own views on different issues. Finally, it aims to provide them with skills and knowledge that would allow them to pursue the study of feminist philosophy further during their undergraduate studies at Lancaster and beyond.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

- Demonstrate a good understanding of some of the core issues in feminist philosphy - Show an awareness of the different traditions and strands in feminist philosophy as well as their relationships with other philosophical traditions - Engage with and evaluate philosophical arguments in a nuanced fashion and provide their own perspective on the issues discussed

Outline Syllabus

This course will offer an introduction to feminist philosophy by addressing the question of what feminist philosophy is and providing an overview of some important debates in feminist philosophy including the debate on the question what is a woman and the distinction between sex and gender, the literature on intersectionality and the relationship between gender-based and other forms of oppression, and feminist thinking on care, marriage and the family. These issues are among the most important ones in contemporary feminist philosophy as well being issues that occupy a prominent place in public debate. Further, they will allow us to explore different traditions and approaches to feminist philosophy, analysing contributions of analytic and continental feminist philosophers, of liberal feminist philosophers and those critical of the liberal tradition, and centering perspectives that are often marginalised.

Assessment Proportions

Essay (2250-2500 words submitted at end of term). This tests for developed skills in written communication and ability to critically evaluate arguments and views. It also tests for knowledge and understanding of relevant topics and ability to produce a polished piece of academic writing.

Exam (2hrs, Summer term; 2 questions). This tests for developed skills in written communication, critical argument and for knowledge and understanding of relevant topics under time pressure.

40% Coursework 60% Exam

PPR.206: Values and Objectivity

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

This course covers core theoretical questions surrounding the nature and status of normative claims: those involving moral, political, or other values. We explore the whether normative claims admit of truth or falsity, or whether they are merely expressions of preference: whether such claims can be objectively warranted, or are ultimately ‘subjective’.

Themes to be treated include: the meaning of words such as ‘ought’ and ‘good’; the relationship between values and facts; the Frege-Geach problem; the place of motivation in value judgments. Key ‘metaethical’ theories, such as naturalistic and non-naturalistic realism, emotivism and prescriptivism, will be outlined and explored.

Educational Aims

The module aims to develop:

• An understanding of the nature of value claims.
• An understanding of what it might mean to regard value claims as either ‘subjective’ or ‘objective’.
• An understanding of the costs and benefits of regarding value claims as truth-apt/non-truth-apt.
• A familiarity with debates within contemporary metaethics.

Outline Syllabus

This course covers core theoretical questions surrounding the nature and status of normative claims: those involving moral, political, or other values. We explore the whether normative claims admit of truth or falsity, or whether they are merely expressions of preference: whether such claims can be objectively warranted, or are ultimately ‘subjective’.

Themes to be treated include: the meaning of words such as ‘ought’ and ‘good’; the relationship between values and facts; the Frege-Geach problem; the place of motivation in value judgments. Key ‘metaethical’ theories, such as naturalistic and non-naturalistic realism, emotivism and prescriptivism, will be outlined and explored.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.207: Moral Philosophy

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

Moral philosophy is the systematic theoretical study of morality or ethical life: what we ought to do, what we ought to be, what has value or is good. This module engages in this practice by critical investigation of some of the following topics, debates, and figures: value and valuing; personhood/selfhood; practical reason; moral psychology; freedom, agency, and responsibility; utilitarianism and its critics; virtue ethics and its critics; deontology and its critics; contractarianism and its critics; the nature of the good life; the source and nature of rights; the nature of justice; major recent and contemporary figures such as Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, Peter Railton, Christine Korsgaard, Philippa Foot, Allan Gibbard, Simon Blackburn; major historical figures such as Aristotle, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, G. E. Moore.

Educational Aims

This module aims to develop:

• An understanding of various historical and contemporary approaches to moral philosophy.

• The ability to engage in informed arguments about key topics in moral philosophy.

Outline Syllabus

Moral Philosophy is the systematic theoretical study of morality or ethical life: what we ought to do, what we ought to be, what has value or is good. This module engages in this practice by critical investigation of some of the following topics:

• Debates, and figures: value and valuing
• Personhood/selfhood
• Practical reason
• Moral psychology
• Freedom, agency, and responsibility
• Utilitarianism and its critics; virtue ethics and its critics
• Deontology and its critics
• Contractarianism and its critics
• The nature of the good life
• The source and nature of rights
• The nature of justice
• Major recent and contemporary figures such as Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, Peter Railton, Christine Korsgaard, Philippa Foot, Allan Gibbard, Simon Blackburn
• Major historical figures such as Aristotle, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, G. E. Moore.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.208: Philosophy of Mind

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

In this module we will be looking at a variety of views about the nature of mind and mental phenomena and how they fit into the natural world. We begin with the classic Cartesian account of mind: substance dualism. We then turn to current behaviourist, materialist, and functionalist theories of mind. Some of the larger questions we will be considering are: How are behaviour and mental states related to each other? Are minds really just brains? Or are minds more like computers? Next we consider three of the most perplexing problems about the nature of mind, currently occupying philosophers. How do our thoughts manage to reach out to reality and be about anything, especially when many of the things we think about don’t exist? Do mental states have causal powers of their own or do they somehow inherit them from the causal powers of brains? And finally, can we explain the mystery of consciousness?

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to:

• Critically assess various accounts of the mind: substance dualism, behaviourism, type and token identity theories, functionalism, and anomalous monism
• Understand why key features of the mental, such as consciousness and intentionality, are philosophically problematic
• Understand and be able to apply key concepts that are used in the philosophy of mind – e.g., “supervenience”, “reduction”, “materialism”, “intentionality”, “qualia”, “identity”, and others
• Construct and critically analyse philosophical arguments and positions
• Interpret and evaluate complex philosophical texts

Outline Syllabus

In this module we will be looking at a variety of views about the nature of mind and mental phenomena and how they fit into the natural world. We begin with the classic Cartesian account of mind: substance dualism. We then turn to current behaviourist, materialist, and functionalist theories of mind. Some of the larger questions we will be considering are:

• How are behaviour and mental states related to each other?
• Are minds really just brains? Or are minds more like computers?

Next we consider three of the most perplexing problems about the nature of mind, currently occupying philosophers.

• How do our thoughts manage to reach out to reality and be about anything, especially when many of the things we think about don’t exist?
• Do mental states have causal powers of their own or do they somehow inherit them from the causal powers of brains? and finally,
• Can we explain the mystery of consciousness?

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.210: Philosophy of Science

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

This course considers philosophical issues that arise in connection with the sciences. It will consider what scientific method is, how science relates to the rest of knowledge, whether it provides an ideal model for rational inquiry in general, and whether we should think of science as describing reality.

In the first few weeks we will consider traditional accounts of scientific method and theory-testing, and then examine philosophical challenges to the status of science as a rational form of enquiry. We give particular consideration to three of the most important twentieth-century philosophers of science: Popper, Kuhn, and Feyerabend. Next we will consider whether and in what sense we should be confident that our best current scientific theories are accurate descriptions of reality.

It is not assumed that students have an extensive knowledge of science: the relevant scientific concepts will be presented in a simple and accessible way, and there will be no maths.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Engage critically with the arguments of major twentieth-century philosophers of science and philosophical critics of science.
• Have a considered critical opinion on whether it is possible to clearly distinguish between science and pseudo-science
• Have a considered critical opinion on whether there is such thing as a single scientific method that is common to all the sciences
• Have a considered critical opinion on whether we should think of entities we cant directly observe (e.g. subatomic particles) as real.
• Take a critical perspective towards the currently-popular scientistic view that science is an appropriate tool for approaching a great number of questions that are not traditionally considered scientific - e.g. moral and religious questions.

Outline Syllabus

The module will cover issues that relate to how we should think of scientific knowledge, how it relates to the rest of knowledge, whether it provides an ideal model for rational inquiry in general, and whether and in what sense we should be confident that our best current scientific theories are accurate descriptions of reality.

Indicative list of topics:

• Karl Popper's falsificationist criterion for distinguishing science from pseudo-science
• The dependence of scientific observation upon theory
• Thomas Kuhn's conception of science in terms of the rise and fall of paradigms
• Relativistic views about scientific versus other forms of knowledge
• Scientism, its defenders and its critics
• Inference to the best explanation
• Theories of what constitutes a scientific explanation
• Realism and anti-realism regarding the unobservable entities in science

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.211: Philosophical Questions in the Study of Politics and Economics

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

Our aim in this module is to consider some of the big philosophical questions underlying social sciences. Economics and politics raise both deep philosophical questions about society and subjectivity – for example: Who gets what? Who rules whom? Who, or what, decides? In this module we will investigate a variety of methods that attempt to address these questions, and what answers might be possible. In sum, the aim is to examine methods and assumptions across central movements in the social sciences, politics and economics, from a philosophical perspective – to see the troubles and possibilities in each.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Discuss philosophical questions raised by the political and economic sciences
• Discuss underlying assumptions at work in the methods of these sciences
• Formulate their own opinions on these questions and assumptions, while appreciating the reasons that may be offered for different or opposing points of view

Outline Syllabus

Our aim in this module is to consider some of the big philosophical questions underlying social sciences. Economics and politics raise both deep philosophical questions about society and subjectivity – for example: Who gets what? Who rules whom? Who, or what, decides? In this module we will investigate a variety of methods that attempt to address these questions, and what answers might be possible. In sum, the aim is to examine methods and assumptions across central movements in the social sciences, politics and economics, from a philosophical perspective – to see the troubles and possibilities in each.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.212: Metaphysics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

Studying this module should improve students' knowledge and understanding of some key issues in metaphysics as determined by the syllabus. This focuses primarily on some issues concerning space and time, the nature of physical objects and persons, and some key philosophical distinctions. Studying this module should also enable them to see connections between various philosophical issues that should be of value to them with regard to other philosophy modules that they are studying.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a good understanding of some key philosophical distinctions and a good knowledge of some basic metaphysical issues.
• Articulate and analyse several of the problems that arise in this area, and show how they relate to each other and to other problems within philosophy.

Outline Syllabus

Topics studied will typically include:

• A priori and empirical; analytic and synthetic; necessary and contingent. Some basic distinctions examined and compared.
• The status of geometry and the metaphysics of space
• The nature of physical objects; 3-D versus 4-D treatments
• Personal identity
• The reality or unreality of time

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.214: Nineteenth-Century Philosophy

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

This course covers nineteenth-century philosophy, a crucial period in several ways: there was a new attention to history and the relation between philosophy and history; there was the rise of socialism and its impact on philosophy; and there were philosophical criticisms of Christianity, which were met by explicit defences of Christianity by some philosophers. We explore these issues through the work of four figures in nineteenth-century philosophy: Hegel, Feuerbach, Marx, and Kierkegaard.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Discuss the philosophical questions raised by some key authors of the nineteenth century;
• Discuss the work of these authors and interpretations of their work in a balanced and well-informed way;
• Formulate their own opinions on the questions and arguments covered in the period, while appreciating the reasons that may be offered for different or opposing points of view.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.218: The Ethics and Politics of Knowledge

• Terms Taught: Lent Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

The aim of this course is to give you a good, broad introduction to some of the key themes in epistemology (the theory of knowledge). We begin with the question 'what is knowledge'? This then leads us on to questions about how knowledge relates to other things, like belief, and truth. Our answers to these questions have implications for how we think about the structure of knowledge (e.g., must all of our knowledge rest upon a “firm foundation”?). Throughout the term we will see that it is much harder to answer our core question than you might think and this raises the question of why it is so hard to give a clear, general, account of what knowledge is. We also look at different sources of knowledge - especially, perception, self-knowledge and “testimony” (other people’s say-so) and, towards the end of term, explore some of the relationships between epistemology and ethics, ending the term with the question whether we ever ought to refrain from seeking knowledge.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.230: Modern Political Thought: Equality and Community.

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Term Only 
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This course explores ideas central to any understanding of politics. It focuses on two related themes: Equality, and Community. In the course we will explore the thought of thinkers who are associated with these ideas of equality and community (Rousseau, Marx, the Fabians, and Rawls). By the end of the course, you will have an understanding of the key ideas of the thinkers under review and be able to assess the contribution that these thinkers have made to our wider understanding of politics. You will also be able to recognise the relevance of these thinkers to our current political debates, and be able to employ their ideas within those debates. Additionally, you will be able to evaluate the key features of an argument, be confident to express your own views, and evaluate the responses of others.

Educational Aims

Outline Syllabus

• Equality and Community
• Equality and the Community
• Rousseau: Equality and the Corruption of the State of Nature
• Rousseau: Virtue and the Ends of Civil Society
• Marx: Property and Bourgeois Rights
• Marx: Historical Materialism
• Marx: Class, Revolution, and the State
• The Fabians: Socialism, Democracy, and the State
• Rawls: Justice as Fairness
• Rawls: The Family and Equality
• Equality, Democracy, and the State & Conclusion

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.260: Indian Philosophical and Religious Thought

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in religion.

Course Description

This module is a study of fundamental ideas and texts of the classical philosophical and religious traditions of India. The topics covered will include the origins and nature of inquiry and the evolution of a tradition of epistemology, debates about the nature and existence of the self, questions about the nature of ethics and ethical dilemmas, competing theories of the nature of reality, and the existence and nature of the divine. The aim is to introduce students to some of the varied intellectual debates from Indian traditions, and widen their understanding of the nature of religious and philosophical thought. Discussions will proceed through reading passages from key texts in translation.

Educational Aims

Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This course aims to provide students with:

• an in-depth engagement with fundamental ideas and sources of religious and philosophical traditions from India.
• the opportunity to gain an understanding about the nature of religious and philosophical thought in an Indian context that widens their general understanding of the nature of philosophy globally
• the opportunity for students to gain a familiarity with the form and articulation of Asian thought, which often is expressed differently from religious and philosophical thought in Western traditions, and
• to acquire an understanding of the variety of methods used to approach religious and philosophical sources.

Educational Aims: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This module aims to help students:

• to learn to understand and negotiate cultural difference
• to think critically and creatively
• to read sources material from another culture closely and critically
• to reflect on their cultural presuppositions through radically different cultural lenses
• to develop the capacity to analyse evidence and construct an argument based on that evidence
• to be able to evaluate critically a variety of books, journals, and other sources of information relevant to the topics studied on this course
• to develop written and verbal communication skills through seminar discussions and course work assessments

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

On successful completion of this module students will be able to...

• have the capacity to understand and negotiate cultural difference
• have an in-depth familiarity with foundational ideas and texts from India
• have an understanding of the diversity and complexity of Indian thought
• have an awareness of non-Western modes of thought in an increasingly globalised world and approach non-Western cultural modes of thinking both empathically and critically

Learning Outcomes: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

On successful completion of this module students will be able to...

• consider one's own cultural modes of thinking more self-reflectively
• engage in the world with more awareness of the complexity and diversity of different cultures
• think critically and creatively
• demonstrate written and verbal communication skills in coursework, exam and seminar discussions

Outline Syllabus

This course is an in-depth analysis of a selection of fundamental ideas and texts of the classical religious and philosophical traditions of India. The topics covered will include the origins and nature of religious inquiry and the evolution of a tradition of epistemology; debates about the nature and existence of the self; questions about the nature of ethics and ethical dilemmas; different theories of the nature of reality; and the existence and nature of the divine. The aim is to introduce students to some of the varied intellectual debates from Indian traditions, and widen their understanding of the nature of religious and philosophical thought. Discussions will proceed discussion of passages from key texts (in translation).

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.263: Women and Philosophy in the Ancient World

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

Students will be introduced to:

- Some of the most well known and influential women philosophers from the ancient world in India, China, and Greece

- The key texts and idea associated with the the most well known and influential women philosophers from the ancient world in India, China, and Greece

- The methological challenges of studying women philosophers in the ancient world

The Module aims to develop:

- the ability to engage in informed argument about key topics in the study women philosophers

- the ability to engage in informed argument about key topics in comparative and global philosophy

- understanding of various cultural approaches to philosophy

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

- Demonstrate an understanding of the key women philosophers, their texts and ideas, from the ancient world

- Deonstrate an understanding of the key methodological challenges of studying women philosophers from the ancient world

- Demonstrate an understanding of the texts and contexts covered in the course

- Be able to review and assess the major texts/thinkers under review demonstrated through verbal and written assessment

- Engage critically with philosophical debates on the topics covered

- Apply various theoretical frameworks and critical tools in order to understand, explain and analyse developments in the field

- Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers/texts/themes of the module.

Outline Syllabus

Focusing on women philosophers is part of reclaiming important perspectives that are often left out of philosophy curricula. The content of the module will be philosophical sources from the ancient world that were either: authored by women, include views, voices, and/or characters that claim to represent a woman’s perspective, or that are explicitly about women. We will engage sources from ancient China, Greece, and India. In addition to reading this source material, the module will also develop the awareness of and skills to address some of the unique challenges of studying women philosophers, particularly in contexts where it is not clear if women composed the sources attributed to them. The exact context might change from year to year, but indicative sources might include: The Mahabharata (an epic narrative from India that includes a number of female characters who speak on philosophical issues); Ban Zhao’s Instruction for Women (a treatise on the education of women from ancient China, c 100 CE); and On Wisdom, by Perictione, who was a philosopher from the Pythagorean school.

Assessment Proportions

There will be two essays. The first one will be 1250-1500 words. The essay questions will be about topics covered in weeks 1-5. The first essay will be due in week 6 and returned by week 10. (Worth 40%)

The second essay will be 2250-2500 words. The essay questions for the second essay will be about topics covered in weeks 6-10. (Worth 60%)

PPR.292: Socialist Thought in Britain

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics and one entry-level course in philosophy.

Course Description

This module introduces students to the thought of some of the most important political theorists and political philosophers who have contributed to the development of socialist thought in Britain. Unlike continental forms of socialist thought that were derived more explicitly from the thought of Karl Marx, British forms of socialist thought have their own distinct origins and paths of development. The module will give students a sound understanding of these origins and developments, and will enable them to think critically about how socialism has been defined, how it relates to capitaism and market economies, whether it can constutute a distinct ecomonic programme as opposed to a moral vision, and its fate in an era of late capitalism and neo-liberalism. It will also train them to evaluate the arguments under study whether internally in externally.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of historical and contemporary debates about and within Socialist thought in Britain

Use developed critical skills in order to address these questions for themselves.

Think historically and contextually, demonstrating an awareness of the implications of changing contexts for the evolution of socialist thought in Britain.

Begin to think systematically and argue coherently about the internal coherence of socialist thought and its ability to address the challenges of contemporary society.

Outline Syllabus

After considering questions of definition and the relationship of socialism to capitalism and communism, the module will examine when and how socialist ideas originated in Britain, including forerunners such as Sir Thomas More, the Diggers and David Ricardo. Susbtantive topics to be covered will typically include: Ricardian Socialism and nineteenth-century Christian Socialism; Socialism and Art (William Morris and John Ruskin; Oscar Wilde); Socialism and The Fabian Movement (George Bernard Shaw; Sidney Webb; Annie Besant); Socialism and the Guild System (Arthur J. Penty, G. D. H. Cole, R. H. Tawney); Socialism and Political Theory (especially the work of Harold Laski); Socialism and Economics (the significance of John Maynard Keynes and the subsequent work of G. D. H. Cole and Douglas Jay); Socialism and the Labour Party (attempts to enact socialist measures in practice and an assessement of their success); Contemporary Socialist Thought (especially the Blue Labour Movement and the contemporary Christian socialism of Rowan Williams and John Milbank).

Assessment Proportions

The coursework will comprise one 2250-2500 word essay. This will assess all of the subject-specific learning outcomes, and the first three general learning outcomes. (40%)

The examination will last for two hours, and will require students to answer two questions. This will assess all of the subject-specific learning outcomes, and the first three general learning outcomes. (60%)

While both coursework and exam will assess the learning outcomes just specified, the coursework will especially assess critical engagement and the construction of sustained, developed arguments, while the examination will especially assess breadth of knowledge and understanding across more than one module topic.

40% Coursework 60% Exam

PPR.301: Philosophy of Art

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy.

Course Description

This module introduces central issues, problems and theories in philosophical aesthetics by critically examining specific topics in the philosophy of art (and nature) and by examining the theories of major figures who have contributed to the tradition of philosophical aesthetics. The course uses concrete examples from most arts including painting, literature, film, and music to illuminate theoretical debates and issues.

Educational Aims

The aim of this module is to provide students with:

• A solid, critical understanding of some major problems in aesthetics, some major aesthetic theorists, and how these problems and the ideas of these theorists relate to each other.
• The ability to articulate these issues through philosophical argument and analysis and through careful interpretation of primary texts.
• Enhanced awareness of the nature of art and aesthetic experience and the wider place of art in society.

Outline Syllabus

Topics and major aesthetic theorists to be covered may include the following (note this list is indicative and not all topics and theorists will be covered each year):

• Aesthetics in the analytic and continental traditions of philosophy
• The aesthetic theories of Plato, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, the Frankfurt School
• Definitions of art: Can art be defined?
• What is tragedy and what is its aesthetic significance?
• Beauty and its definition
• The relation between art, religion and philosophy
• The connections between art and morality: Can or should ethical evaluations affect aesthetic evaluations?
• Emotional responses to art
• The changing historical context and circumstances of art, including in the ancient world and in modernity
• The rise of the culture industry and its impact upon our understanding of and responses to art
• The normative status of aesthetic judgements: Can they ever be objective? If so, how?
• The concept of disinterestedness
• The relation between aesthetics and politics: Should art be politically committed? If so, in what ways?

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.302: Continental Philosophy

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits.
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits.
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy.

Course Description

Students will be helped to:

- engage in general philosophical methods of critical analysis and the assessment of arguments;

- increase their awareness of how philosophical problems develop and change;

- deepen their appreciation and understanding of the philosophical tradition in relation to broader intellectual currents of thought;

- develop their ability to make connections between different areas of philosophical thought , and in some cases continuing in contemporary philosophy;

- increase their knowledge and understanding of the history of philosophy.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to...

Outline Syllabus

This course aims to introduce the work of some key figures in 19th and 20th century continental philosophy, such as Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, Hannah Arendt and Habermas. The approach taken is predominantly philosophical rather than historical, and will involve examining critically claims and arguments about such matters as the existence and nature of human freedom, the relationships between knowledge, truth, power and morality, alienation and human labour, and the possibility of mutual recognition and community.It is expected that students will engage with the original texts,formulate the central arguments to be found in them and assess their cogency.

Assessment Proportions

PPR.304: Darwinism and Philosophy

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy.

Course Description

The module will look at philosophical issues that arise out of Darwin’s theory of evolution. These include questions about how best to understand the theory of evolution, and questions about what evolution implies for our view of the world, and in particular of ourselves. The course breaks down into three broad areas:

• Different ways to understand the theory of evolution, e.g. Is evolution, as some would have us believe, all about genes? Is natural selection the only important factor in evolution?
• Conceptual issues relating to biology, e.g. How do we define ‘function’? Is there one right way to classify living things?
• Implications of Darwinism for understanding human nature, e.g. Does the fact that we have evolved affect how we should see human nature? Why are evolutionary theories of human nature so controversial? Does Darwinism have any implications for moral questions?

Educational Aims

The course aims to give students:

• An understanding and appreciation of the philosophical issues that arise from biology and medicine;
• A good understanding of the issues that are involved in defining key terms in these areas – e.g. species, gene, disease.
• A good understanding of different interpretations of the theory of evolution, and of the implications that this has for other issues, such as ontology and human nature.
• The ability to understand, and make critical judgements about, different claims in this area.

Outline Syllabus

The module will look at philosophical issues that arise out of Darwins theory of evolution. These include questions about how best to understand the theory of evolution, and questions about what evolution implies for our view of the world, and in particular of ourselves. The course breaks down into three broad areas:

• Different ways to understand the theory of evolution, e.g. is evolution, as some would have us believe, all about genes? Is natural selection the only important factor in evolution?
• Conceptual issues relating to biology, e.g. How do we define function? Is there one right way to classify living things?
• Implications of Darwinism for understanding human nature, e.g. Does the fact that we have evolved affect how we should see human nature? Why are evolutionary theories of human nature so controversial? Does Darwinism have any implications for moral questions?

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.320: Political Ideas

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

This course examines central themes in the liberal branch of contemporary Anglo-American analytic political philosophy. The liberal positions on justice, liberty, equality, the state, power, rights and utility are all explored. The approach is philosophical rather than applied; its focus is on the ideas of liberal politics: how individual liberty can be maximised while not harming others and places the developments of liberal ideas in their appropriate historical contexts. The course also examines the connection between the ideas of liberalism and the idea of democracy to explore the philosophical tensions between the two and how these might be resolved. The course is a survey of major topics and concepts in Anglo-American liberal political ideas. The syllabus includes: questions about justice: analytic philosophy and liberalism; visions of the state: liberalism, republicanism, socialism; liberty and individuality; equality; utility and rights; neutrality and the market: private property and public goods; power: freedom or oppression.

Educational Aims

The aims of this module are to:

1. Introduce and examine the main features of the debates in political theory.
2. To introduce and examine the major ideas in that debate with a specific (although not exclusive) focus on liberty.
3. To develop an understanding of the significance of the debate for our attempts to establish justice and distribute goods through political systems.

Outline Syllabus

This course examines central themes in contemporary political philosophy. The ideas and theories of justice, liberty, equality, the state, power, rights and utility are all explored. The course asks significant questions about the way in which the liberal position has evolved. The approach is philosophical rather than applied; its focus is on the ideas of liberal politics: how individual liberty can be maximised while not harming others; how an individual philosophical position can guide political determinants of a society and places the developments of liberal ideas in their appropriate historical contexts. The course also examines the connection between the ideas of liberalism and the idea of democracy to explore the philosophical tensions between the two and how these might be resolved.

The syllabus will include the following topics:

• Analytic philosophy and liberalism
• Visions of the state: Liberalism, Republicanism, Socialism; Liberty and individuality
• Liberalism and democracy
• Negative and positive liberty
• Equality
• Utility and rights
• Toleration and Multiculturalism: Responses to diversity.
• Neutrality and the market: private property and public goods
• Power: freedom or oppression.

In addition to the 10 week syllabus an extra two hour workshop will be held in the first week of summer term in accordance with new contact-hours requirements in 2009/10.

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Coursework: 40%

PPR.351: Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy and/or Religion.

Course Description

The aim of this course is to examine and evaluate some of the most central issues in Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment Western religious and atheistic philosophical debates. The course will begin by looking the philosophy of G. W. F. Hegel and its implications for subsequent religious and atheistic thought. It will then proceed to consider the thought of the post-Hegelian ‘master's of suspicion’: Feuerbach, Marx, Freud and Nietzsche. After this, it will look at ways in which religious and atheistic thought have been brought together, as manifested in various forms of ‘Christian atheism.’ Finally, it will consider postmodern critiques of modern atheism and the nature of the associated ‘return of religion.’

Educational Aims

The aim of this course is to help students:

• Examine and evaluate some of the most central issues in Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment Western religious and atheistic philosophical debates. After preliminary consideration of what is meant by modernity, religion and atheism, the course provides an introduction to the thought of some central Enlightenment philosophers, particularly Hegel and Nietzsche, and the implications of their thought for religious questions.
• Look at the ways in which religious and atheistic thought have interacted with each other, particularly in studies of the death of God and the emergence of various forms of Christian atheism.
• Consider postmodern and religious critiques of modernity and the Enlightenment.

Outline Syllabus

The course will examine some of the major debates in religious and atheistic thought, looking in particular at the way in which these debates are framed in a specifically modern epistemological framework and the ways in which religious thought and atheistic thought might be thought to be mutually constitutive and mutually implicated rather than simply oppositional. The syllabus will include the following topics:

• Hegel - his notion of the 'death of God' and his disputed status as a religious or atheistic thinker
• The post-Hegelian 'master's of suspicion': one or two of Feuerbach, Marx, Durkheim, Freud
• Nietzsche - especially his notion of the 'death of God' and its subsequent reception
• 'Christian Atheism' - particularly the work of Thomas J J Altizer and/or Don Cupitt
• Between Theism and Atheism - particularly the work of Mark C Taylor and/or John D Caputo
• After Atheism: The 'Radical Orthodoxy' of John Milbank

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.391h: Philosophies of War and Conflict (Special Subject)

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken significant relevant previous studies in philosophy.

Course Description

These Seminar options are mounted specifically to provide work at an advanced level for third year single and combined major students.

Special Subject classes run as seminars: the tutor convenes the group and suggests reading but does not lecture. Students are required to attend special subject seminars regularly. Each seminar group member takes their turn in making a presentation to the seminar, and it is the presentation that forms the basis for the seminar discussion. It also forms the basis for the submitted written coursework. In recent years, special subjects have included Philosophy, Politics and Economics; Hannah Arendt; Leibniz; feminist ethics; Aesthetics; Nietzsche.

The aims are to take participants' knowledge of philosophy and skills in philosophising to advanced levels.

In particular, to give participants

advanced knowledge and understanding of a particular philosophical topic

experience of close philosophical study, led by a tutor who has an active research interest in the topic being considered

experience of how to benefit from working in a small study group

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:Demonstrate an understanding of some of the key issues in the philosophy of war and conflict

Engage in sustained discussion of philosophical questions in person

Produce a critical, well-argued and –developed written discussion of a central question of the philosophical implications of war-fighting or the implications of war-fighting for philosophy.

Outline Syllabus

This course will examine some of the core philosophical questions raised by warfare and conflict. We will look at the ethics of war and killing, but also at more neglected philosophical issues in this area, and non-Western approaches as well as classic texts in the Western tradition.

We will do so by examining some of the central dilemmas faced by soldiers, policy makers and non-combatants, in the form of a weekly question for discussion. These questions include: Can war be beautiful? When, if ever, should we go to war? What counts as legitimate action in war? What, if anything, do we owe to our enemies? Is soldiering a good life? What does technological development mean for warfare? What should a responsible citizen do when their country is, or looks about to be, at war? Who has the epistemic authority to speak about war? Is war always tragic?

Assessment Proportions

100% coursework, 4,500-5,000 word self-directed mini-dissertation

PPR.392a: Future generations

• Terms Taught: Lent Term Only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy.

Course Description

What moral obligations do we have towards future generations to people who are yet to be born, and to merely possible people whose very existence (or non-existence) depends on how we act now? PPR392a Future Generations explores this question by examining both a series of practical case studies and some of the main concepts and theories that philosophers use when thinking about these issues. Questions considered normally include:

• How should we weigh quality against quantity of life? Would a world with a relatively small number of happier people be preferable to one with many more less happy ones?

• Ought we to try significantly to extend the human life span (to 150 years or beyond)?

• Is there a moral obligation to refrain from having children (e.g. for environmental reasons) and what measures may governments take to encourage or enforce population control? Conversely, might there be a moral obligation to have (more) children?

• Should we use selection techniques to minimise the incidence of genetic disorders and disabilities in future populations?

• Should parents be allowed to use these techniques to determine the characteristics of their future children (e.g. choosing their childs eye or hair colour, or sex selection)?

• When considering the future, how should the interests of non-human creatures be weighed against those of humans? How strong are our moral obligations to prevent extinctions, and to preserve wildernesses?

• When considering long-term environmental issues (e.g. climate change, nuclear power) and long-term financial issues (e.g. national debt and pensions) how should we balance the interests and rights of people who exist now against those of future people?

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Give a sustained critical discussion of at least one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic;
• Use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking

Assessment Proportions

• Dissertation: 100%

PPR.392c: The Ethics and Politics of Communication

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy.

Course Description

This module critically explores a range of key topics in the ethics and politics of communication. In the first half of the course, we begin by an introduction to some basic concepts in linguistics and philosophy of language – especially to do with the practical side of communication. We then focus on (a) how certain kinds of communication can bring about ethical change (e.g. making something permissible); (b) upon whether lying and other kinds of deception are permissible, and if so, when. In the second half we turn to some broadly political issues: whether political lying is justified in a way that everyday lying is not. We consider three domains where freedom of communication is both important and contentious: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom on social media, including the challenges posed by "content moderation".

Educational Aims

These Seminar options are mounted specifically to provide work at an advanced level for third year single and combined major students. Special Subject classes run as seminars: the tutor convenes the group and suggests reading but does not lecture. Students are required to attend special subject seminars regularly. Each seminar group member takes their turn in making a presentation to the seminar, and it is the presentation that forms the basis for the seminar discussion. It also forms the basis for the submitted written coursework. In recent years, special subjects have included Philosophy, Politics and Economics; Hannah Arendt; Leibniz; feminist ethics; Aesthetics; Nietzsche.

The aims are to take participants' knowledge of philosophy and skills in philosophising to advanced levels. In particular, to give participants

• advanced knowledge and understanding of a particular philosophical topic
• experience of close philosophical study, led by a tutor who has an active research interest in the topic being considered
• experience of how to benefit from working in a small study group

Assessment Proportions

• Dissertation: 100%

PPR.392e: Complexity, Ethics, Values and Policy

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS  
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in politics and/or philosophy.

Course Description

The module aims to develop participants' knowledge of complexity in public policy, led by a tutor who has an active research interest in the topic being considered. The seminars will also give students the experience of how to benefit from working in a small study group.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to...

Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the theory of complexity and its history

Apply the tools of complexity theory to issues of public policy

Relate issues of complexity to questions of moral and political values.

Outline Syllabus

As is now commonly recognised, the world is becoming increasingly connected and complex. Just as policy and socio-political actors can no longer view the state, market and society as distinct and separate entities, we can no longer see the global as neatly divided between powerful and distinct nation-states. Global interaction via economics, the media and the internet overwhelm these earlier rigid barriers. But how do we understand this new world and, equally important, how do we act within.

To try to answer that question we will explore complexity theory its applications to politics, policy and society. The module will begin with an introduction to the development of the earlier ‘orderly/Newtonian’ framework played in shaping 19th and 20th century social science and public policy. It will then go on to examine the paradigm shift in the natural sciences beyond the limits of that framework and towards a more complexity oriented paradigm. Following this the module will begin to explore how complexity has spilled over into the social sciences in the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st. It will then explore how complexity overlaps with some of the main concepts from pragmatist philosophy and its implications for ethics and values. Finally, it will conclude with an exploration of the impact of a complexity framework on several policy areas.

Topics will typicall include:

What is Complexity?

Concepts and Tools of Complexity

Applying Complexity to Politics and Policy

Complexity, Pragmatism and Policy

Complexity, Ethics, Values and Policy

Complexity and International Relations

Complexity and Health

Complexity and Law

Assessment Proportions

The module will be assessed by a single extended essay, of 5000 words.