CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING - PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will not be available in 2009/10.

Overview

An introduction to some of the central philosophical questions concerning the human mind and personal identity, and to some of the relevant philosophical issues in the field of human personality and relationships.

Structure

12 audio-conference tutorials of one-and-a-half-hours.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (40%) and in-course assessment (60%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will not be available in 2009/10.

Overview

An introduction to some of the most important theories and ideas of four of the most influential philosophers in the history of Western philosophy: Plato, Aristotle, Descartes and Hume.

Structure

12 audio-conference tutorials of one-and-a-half-hours.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (40%) and in-course assessment (60%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course is available in 2009/10 as KL108G.

Overview

The course falls into two main parts: an introduction to some traditional metaphysical questions, such as freewill and determinism; and an introduction to some of the main issues in the theory of knowledge.

Structure

12 audio-conference tutorials of one-and-a-half-hours.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (40%) and in-course assessment (60%).

Credit Points

10

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Overview

This course will explore the structure of argument and consider the difference between good reasoning and bad reasoning. Students will learn how the validity of reasoning differs from the truth of statements. Materials drawn from a variety of sources, including political speeches, argumentative essays, advertisements, and letters to editor, will be analysed to identify common fallacies and to learn how to avoid them.

Structure

1½ hour audio conferenced seminar per week for 6 weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment: 3 equally weighted essays of 2,000 words each (100%).

Resit: In-course assessments: 3 new equally weighted essays of 2,000 words each (100%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will be available in 2009/10.

Overview

This course is an introduction to the major thinkers and topics in political philosophy. It will introduce the ideas of key historical political thinkers including Hobbes, Locke, Marx and Mill as well as key contemporary thinkers such as Berlin, Rawls and Nozick. The central problems of political philosophy will be discussed including liberty, rights, justice, and democracy.

Structure

1 one-and-a-half hour audio-conferenced seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 essay 2,000 word essay (60%) and 1 take home examination (40%).

Resit: 1 take home examination (100%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will be available in 2009/10.

Overview

This course will introduce students to key ethical themes and theories. It will consist of three main components. The first will be an exploration of what we are, ie an exploration of our standing as moral agents. Particular attention will be paid to the claim that morality is all a matter of choice, and the quite different view that we are self-centered, rational egoists and can only ever disguise this fact in our deliberations. The second component will be an exploration of the principal approaches towards normative ethics: Kantiansim, Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics. These are the theories that attempt to tell us what we should do and what we should aspire to be. The third component will apply these rival approaches to a number of contemporary moral problems concerning euthanasia, abortion and our attitudes towards other animals.

Structure

1 one-and-a-half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (100%) 1 short assignment (15%) and 1 essay (85%).

Resit: 1 essay 2,000 words (100%).

Credit Points

10

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Overview

This course will examine the relationship between rhetoric, communication and culture. Students will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of rhetoric theory and to the use of rhetorical devices. They will critically examine material drawn from a variety of sources, politics, film, popular culture and literature, to understand how rhetorical devices generate meaning. The overall aim of the course is to enable students to communicate their own ideas more effectively both orally and in written discourse.

Structure

1½ hour audio conferenced seminar per week for 6 weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (100%): 3 equally weighted essays of 2,000 words each.

Resit: In-course assessment: 3 equally weighted essays of 2,000 words each.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course not be available in session 2009/10.

Overview

This course will critically explore questions relating to the meaning of life. Specifically, it will address five philosophical topics: (i) God, (ii) suffering, (iii) absurdity, (iv) death, and (v) ordinary life.

Structure

1 x 1 1/2 hour session per week.

Assessment

1st attempt: 2500 - 3000 word essay (50%) plus 1 two-hour written exam (50%).
Re-sit: 1 two-hour written examination (50%) and 1 essay (50%). Original essay mark carried forward if CAS 6 or above. New essay to be submitted if original essay CAS 5 or below.

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of at least 2 of the 4 level 1 core courses.

Notes

This course is available in 2009/10 as KL 2580.

Overview

This course will involve the student in choosing an area of philosophical interest relevant to an aspect of professional life, researching it, and writing an extended essay on the basis of this research. All this will be done in consultation with, and with the help and guidance of, a specially chosen supervisor from within Philosophy.

Structure

Tutorials with specially assigned project supervisor.

Assessment

1st Attempt: One 3,500 word extended essay (100%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

To be confirmed

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of at least 2 of the 4 level 1 core courses

Notes

This course is available in 2009/10 as KL 2581.

Overview

This course will involve the student in researching the content area of the Scottish Higher in Philosophy and completing materials for use in school classrooms on the basis of this research. All this will be done in consultation with, and with the help and guidance of, a specially chosen supervisor from within Philosophy.

Structure

Tutorials with specially assigned project supervisor.

Assessment

1st Attempt: One 3,500 word extended essay (100%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of 2 level 1 core courses.

Overview

In the first six weeks this will be a taught course which will introduce the topic of freewill. Students will be introduced to the key concepts of freewill, fatalism, determinism, incompatibilism and compatibilism. The main arguments involved in establishing the various standard positions will be critically examined. During the second six weeks student will research a topic related to this debate, agreed the tutor.

Structure

1½ hour audio conferenced seminar per week for 6 weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment consisting of one 3,500 word essay (100%).

Resit: One 3,500 word new essay (100%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of 2 level 1 core courses.

Notes

This course will be available in 2009/10.

Overview

This course will explore the use and value of thought experiments in philosophical deliberation. Such experiments explore the ways in which extreme and unusual circumstances would change our answers to fundamental questions. For example, if you were the last human alive would you still be under any obligation to look after the planet? Or, if you had access to a teleportation machine would this be a complicated way to annihilate yourself in favour of a duplicate human? Thought experiments are used in philosophy and in the natural sciences. Their use in moral contexts, sometimes viewed as suspect, will also be discussed.

Structure

1 one-and-a-half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (40%) and two equally weighted essays of 2,000 words (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour examination (100%).

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of 2 level 1 core courses.

Notes

This course will not be available in 2009/10.

Overview

The course falls into three main parts: the classic arguments for the existence of God and similar arguments employed by atheists, the problem posed for the theist by evil and morality, and the rationality of religious belief. After discussing the nature of 'religion' or 'religious belief', we will consider the problem of religious pluralism. Given the vast range of mutually incompatible religions, how can belief in or adherence to any particular one be rational? The course will conclude with a look at issues regarding the supposed conflict between science and religion.

Structure

1 one-and-a-half hour audio conferenced seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (40%) and 2 equally weighted essays of 2,000 words (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour examination.