Last modified: 05 Oct 2023 08:46
What would the Perfect World look like? How is to be achieved? The history of religion, philosophy, and science shows us an interesting mix of answers to these questions that give witness to particular visions of the future. We will investigate different pictures of a perfect world as a way of understanding the many contrasts, controversies, and conjunctions that have developed historically and remain as resources for us to think about the perfect world today.
In addition to lecture and seminar meetings, the course will involve research workshops with a focus on writing and an emphasis on methods and tools in academic writing and research. Students will work on a specific project throughout the half-session, from topic selection and question formation to research and writing, to produce a final piece of academic or professional writing such as a research paper, conference paper, article, book review, prospectus, or syllabus.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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What would the Perfect World look like? How is to be achieved? The history of religion, philosophy, and science shows us an interesting mix of answers to these questions that give witness to particular visions of the future. We will investigate different pictures of a perfect world as a way of understanding the many contrasts, controversies, and conjunctions that have developed historically and remain as resources for us to think about the perfect world today. In addition to lecture and seminar meetings, the course will involve research workshops with a focus on writing and an emphasis on methods and tools in academic writing and research. Students will work on a specific project throughout the half-session, from topic selection and question formation to research and writing, to produce a final piece of academic or professional writing such as a research paper, conference paper, article, book review, prospectus, or syllabus.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Weekly attendance is mandatory. Two posts (in any week), either initiating a discussion thread or replying within an existing discussion thread will be requested as part of the assessment of student participation. Additional will be optional but encouraged. As per departmental practice in monitoring attendance. The instructor will post replies to any post to which another student has not replied. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To acquire critical perspectives on a range of theories, arguments, and historical practices in science and religion. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To demonstrate an informed understanding of key concepts in the philosophical and cultural study of science, religion, and the sub-discipline of science and religion. |
| Procedural | Apply | To demonstrate a capacity to articulate and express discursive, philosophical arguments both in oral exchange and in writing |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Four short papers reflecting on readings, of no more than 300 words each, which encapsulate and critically assess the main themes and arguments of seminar readings in weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 of teaching. The four Short Reflections shall then be collated and submitted as a single 1200 word assessment in or after week 8 of teaching. Feedback will be provided within a week. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | To acquire and hone skill at the reading and analysis of complex, sometimes historically and culturally distant, primary texts as well as contemporary scholarly literature. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To acquire critical perspectives on a range of theories, arguments, and historical practices in science and religion. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To demonstrate an informed understanding of key concepts in the philosophical and cultural study of science, religion, and the sub-discipline of science and religion. |
| Procedural | Apply | To demonstrate a capacity to articulate and express discursive, philosophical arguments both in oral exchange and in writing |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Two Project Plans (with abstracts) (500 words). The first project plan is an initial proposal of the student’s chosen Final Project that will be discussed during the first workshop. The second is a refinement and elaboration of the first in light of assessment feedback. Workshop papers will be marked and assessment feedback provided within a week. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | To demonstrate an informed understanding of key concepts in the philosophical and cultural study of science, religion, and the sub-discipline of science and religion. |
| Procedural | Apply | To demonstrate a capacity to articulate and express discursive, philosophical arguments both in oral exchange and in writing |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
This is a piece of academic or professional writing such as a research paper, conference paper, article, book review, prospectus, or syllabus, as chosen by the student. In all cases, the project will consist of a minimum length of 2,000 words (for Year 1) or 2500 words (for Year 2), exploring a question related to the specific subject matter and texts considered in the course. The final project will be formed by the two project plans reviewed during the workshops, which act as proposals for it. To be submitted during the first week of the relevant examination period following the conclusion of teaching. Normal written feedback is to be provided as per departmental practice. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | To acquire and hone skill at the reading and analysis of complex, sometimes historically and culturally distant, primary texts as well as contemporary scholarly literature. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To acquire critical perspectives on a range of theories, arguments, and historical practices in science and religion. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To demonstrate an informed understanding of key concepts in the philosophical and cultural study of science, religion, and the sub-discipline of science and religion. |
| Procedural | Apply | To demonstrate a capacity to articulate and express discursive, philosophical arguments both in oral exchange and in writing |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Evaluate | To acquire critical perspectives on a range of theories, arguments, and historical practices in science and religion. |
| Conceptual | Understand | To demonstrate an informed understanding of key concepts in the philosophical and cultural study of science, religion, and the sub-discipline of science and religion. |
| Procedural | Apply | To demonstrate a capacity to articulate and express discursive, philosophical arguments both in oral exchange and in writing |
| Conceptual | Analyse | To acquire and hone skill at the reading and analysis of complex, sometimes historically and culturally distant, primary texts as well as contemporary scholarly literature. |
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