Mind, Knowledge, and Ethics
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| PHIL1013 | Philosophy | 1 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- PHIL1013
- School
- Philosophy
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
This module focuses on a range of philosophical topics that are key to understanding us, and our place in the world. To this end the module will introduce several central issues from across the areas of philosophy of mind, perception, epistemology, agency, normative ethics and meta-ethics and it will consider the links between these areas of enquiry.
Topics that may be covered include: The relationship between the mind and the body; perception; knowledge and scepticism; the possibility of free will; understanding and applying selected normative theories (such as utilitarianism and deontology); moral motivation; moral scepticism and relativism; and the nature of moral judgements.
Target Students
First year single honours and joint honours Philosophy students, including Liberal Arts students. Also available to subsidiary students from other Schools and exchange students.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks
- Two 1-hour lectures each week for 10 weeks
2 hours contact per week: 2 lectures one week, then 1 lecture and 1 seminar the next, then 2 lectures the next week, and so on.
Assessment
- 50% Coursework: One 2000 word essay
- 50% Exam (2-hour)
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
This module aims to introduce students to a variety of core ideas and arguments that relate to philosophical attempts to understand ourselves and our relationship with the world. By the end of the module, students will have a foundation of basic knowledge of issues and arguments across the topics of philosophy of mind, perception, epistemology, agency, normative ethics and meta-ethics. They will have engaged with a selection of philosophical literature and begun to understand how to critically assess it. Additionally, students will have some understanding of the links between the different topics.Learning Outcomes
Key Skills:
- An ability to write clear prose which, using a minimum of jargon, describes and assesses arguments of an abstract kind
- An ability to identify central questions on a given topic and to present these questions briefly and succinctly in verbal form
- An ability to engage in argument and debate in a spirit of co-operative inquiry
- An ability to read and understand philosophical texts
Knowledge & Understanding:
- A critical understanding of the arguments for and against different conceptions and positions within the material covered.
- An understanding of some key philosophical terminology.
- A general understanding of the common features of philosophical discussions.