Philosophy

Credit Points

10

Course Coordinator

Dr Guido Bacciagaluppi

Pre-requisites

In general, an upper second class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Philosophy or in a subject with Philosophy as a major component

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

The course will give students training in library skills and using computer data bases for research. It will introduce students to research methods and practices in Philosophy

Structure

Assessment

Continuous assessment 100%

Credit Points

10

Course Coordinator

Dr Guido Bacciagaluppi

Pre-requisites

In general, an upper second class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Philosophy.

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

Training in research methods appropriate to the particular style of dissertation that is expected in the programme

Structure

Assessment

100% continuous assessment

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr Guido Bacciagaluppi

Pre-requisites

Available only to postgraduate students (but see 'Notes').

Notes

Overview

The course will focus on issues of current interest in contemporary philosophy of physics, usually in philosophy of quantum mechanics, philosophy of space-time or philosophy of statistical mechanics.

Structure

12 two-hour seminars over twelve weeks.

Assessment

One 4,000-5,000 word essay (90%) and seminar participation (10%).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr Nikolaj Jang Lee Linding Pedersen

Pre-requisites

Available only to postgraduate students.

Notes

Overview

Disagreement comes in various kinds. A distinguished mathematician might disagree with a novice over whether there are more rational than natural numbers. However, she might also disagree with another distinguished mathematician - an epistemic peer - over the size of the continuum. Having distinguished between various kinds of disagreement, we will zoom in on disagreement between epistemic peers. That is, individuals who are epistemic equals in that they have equally good access to the evidence that bear on the relevant question (the size of the continuum, say), are equally competent with respect to that question, and have knowingly shared all their evidence. We will discuss the main views on peer disagreement. According to conformism, two epistemic peers must change their degree of belief when they find themselves in disagreement. They must conform, in other words. According to non-conformism, the opposite is the case: two epistemic peers who find themselves in disagreement need not change their degree of belief, but each can reasonably maintain her initial degree of belief. We will also familiarize ourselves with a hybrid of conformism and non-conformism. Lastly, we will discuss the issue what it is reasonable for a novice to believe in light of disagreement between experts.

Structure

12 two-hour seminars, or 8 three-hour seminars over twelve weeks, or equivalent, possibly in blocks spread out during semester.

Assessment

One 4,000-5,000 word essay (90%) and seminar participation (10%).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr Mogens Laerke

Pre-requisites

Available only to postgraduate students.

Notes

Overview

This course will be dedicated to the close reading of Spinoza's Ethics (1677), in particular parts I and II. Through discussion, it is the aim to identify and articulate the originality and radicality of Spinoza's pantheistic system. We will discuss in some detail what has been called "the enduring questions", i.e. problems in Spinoza's philosophy which have puzzled commentators for over three hundred years and still do, such as the coherence of Spinoza's concept of God, the meaning of his doctrine of the attributes, and the nature of the substance-mode relation. In this connection, we will read and discuss relevant commentary literature.

Structure

12 two-hour seminars over twelve weeks.

Assessment

One 4,000-5,000 word essay (90%) and seminar participation (10%).

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Francesco Berto and Nancy Davies

Pre-requisites

In general, an upper second class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Philosophy or in a subject with Philosophy as a major component.

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

The content of the course will invariably consist of a range of key topics and debates definitive of the contemporary state of formal and philosophical logic.
More specifically, the topics constituting course content will typically be drawn from the following list (but need not be confined thereto:
* Conditionals
* Counterfactuals
* Modal Logics
* Intensional Logics
* Deviant Logics
* The Logic of Formal Dialogue
* The Logic of Truth
* Probability

Structure

Assessment

Presentation of paper in class (20-25 minutes); paper graded once and reworked to be at conference level (4,000-5,000 words) - then regraded (presentation: 10%; paper: 1st grading 25%, 2nd grading 65%)

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Walter Pedriali

Pre-requisites

Normally, an upper second class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Philosophy or in a subject with Philosophy as a major component.

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

The content of the course will invariably consist of a range of key topics and debates definitive of the contemporary state of Epistemology and Theoretical Philosophy.
More specifically, the topics constituting course content will typically be drawn from the following list (but need not be confined thereto):
* Recent Debates about Scepticism
* New Conceptions of Knowledge: Contextualism, Virtue Epistemology, Social Epistemology.
* Internalism vs. Externalism
* The Nature of Concepts
* Truth
* Rationality and Justification
* A Prior Knowledge
* Perception
* Self-Knowledge

Structure

Assessment

One 4,000-5,000 word essay (90%) plus one seminar presentation (10%)

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Catherine Wilson

Pre-requisites

In general, an upper second class Honours degree (or equivalent) in Philosophy or in a subject with Philosophy as a major component.

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

The content of the course will invariably consist of a range of key topics and debates definitive of the contemporary state of Practical Philosophy.
More specifically, the topics constituting course content will typically be drawn from the following list (but need not be confined thereto):
* Recent Developments in Normative Ethics
* Reason and Motivation: Internalism and Externalism
* Moral Relativism
* The Nature of Moral Emotions
* Morality and Religion
* Moral Realism
* Practical Conflicts: Moral Dilemmas and Value Incommensurability
* Moral Luck
* New Theories of Autonomy
* Recent Theories of Action
* Practical Rationality
* Contemporary Issue in Political Theory

Structure

Assessment

One 4,000-5,000 word essay (90%) plus one seminar presentation (10%)

Credit Points

60

Course Coordinator

Dr Guido Bacciagaluppi

Pre-requisites

For level 5 students in Philosophy

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

The content of the course will necessarily vary and consist of a range of key topics and debates definitive of the contemporary state of Philosophy in general.

Structure

Assessment

100% continuous assessment - dissertation of 15,000 - 20,000 words.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr Paolo Diego Bubbio

Pre-requisites

Available only to postgraduate students.

Notes

Overview

Kierkegaard's reflection on Abraham's sacrifice of his son Isaac presents a challenge both to ethics and religion. Is it possible that Abraham was right in killing Isaac, and that can there be a teleogical and religious "suspension" of ethics? By a close reading of Kierkegaard's classic Fear and Trembling, this unit provides the student with an understanding both of the basic components of Kierkegaard's philosophy and of the issue of the relation to ethics to which he is responding.

Structure

12 two-hour seminars over twelve weeks.

Assessment

One 4,000-5,000 word essay (90%) and seminar participation (10%).