CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING - PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will run in 2012/2013.

Overview

This course will introduce some of the fundamental issues in the theory of knowledge (epistemology) It will examine how knowledge has traditionally been defined and how that definition meets various modern challenges. Topics covered will include, justification, scepticism, and the problem of induction.

Structure

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

Continuous assessment 100%: 2 equally weighted essays of 2000 words.


2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Short assignment of 500 words defining types of knowledge to be submitted week 4.

Short assignment of 500 words explaining the difference between true belief and knowledge(or similar topic) to be submitted week 6.

Feedback

Feedback on formative assessment will be given in written form (individual) and class discussion (general).

Feedback for summative assessment will given in written form: detailed comments on an essay feedback form for each student plus class discussion for general errors and advice for improvement.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will run in 2012/13.

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, i.e an exploration of our standing as moral agents. The second component will be an exploration of the principal approaches towards normative ethics: Kantianism, 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

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

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

Resit: 2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will not run in 2012/13.

Overview

This course is an introduction to personal identity and to some of the relevant issues in the field of human personality and relationships.

Structure

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

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

2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Short assignment of 500 words to be submitted week 4.

Short assignment of 500 words to be submitted week 6.

Feedback

Feedback on formative assessment will be given in written form (individual) and class discussion (general).

Feedback for summative assessment will given in written form: detailed comments on an essay feedback form for each student plus class discussion for general errors and advice for improvement.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will not run in 2012/13.

Overview

This course will introduce the central problems of political philosophy, liberty, rights, justice, equality and democracy through the work of historical and contemporary political thinkers.

Structure

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

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

Resit: 2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will not run in 2012/13.

Overview

This course will examine the structure of argument and consider the difference between good reasoning and bad reasoning. It will enable students to identify common fallacies and to learn how to avoid them. Students will also be introduced to the fundamental concepts of rhetorical theory and to the use of rhetorical devices.

Structure

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (100%): Three equally weighted exercises (60%) and 1 essay of 2,000 words (40%).

Resit: 2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will not run in 2012/13.

Overview

This course will provide an introduction to some traditional metaphysical questions. The topics covered will include the existence of God, causality and free will. Both classical and contemporary approaches will be discussed.

Structure

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

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

Resit: 2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will run in 2012/13.

Overview

This course will look at three fundamental philosophical questions that have been debated since Plato, the definition of knowledge, the relationship between appearance and reality and the mind/body problem. The responses to these questions by philosophers from different historical periods will be discussed.

Structure

Textbook and guidance notes for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per week.

Assessment

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

Resit: 2 essays if both original essays CAS 5 or below. If 1 original essay CAS 6 or above mark carried forward for that essay. New essay questions will be supplied.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will run in 2012/13 as KL 25B7.

Overview

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.

Structure

Workbook for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per fortnight.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (40%): 1 essay of 2,500 words. 1 two-hour examination (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour examination (100%), provided each element of assessment is CAS 6 or above.

Formative Assessment

Continuous informal assessment of performance in class, unmarked.

Feedback

Feedback on formative assessment will be given in class discussion (general).

Feedback for summative assessment will given in written form: detailed comments on an essay feedback form for each student plus class discussion for general errors and advice for improvement.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will run in 2012/13 as KL 25B8.

Overview

The course falls into three main parts: the classic arguments for the existence of God and similar arguments employed by atheists, the problems 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

Workbook for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per fortnight.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (40%): 1 essay of 2,500 words. 1 two-hour examination (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour examination (100%), provided each element of assessment is CAS 6 or above.

Formative Assessment

Continuous informal assessment of performance in class, unmarked.

Feedback

Feedback on formative assessment will be given in class discussion (general).

Feedback for summative assessment will given in written form: detailed comments on an essay feedback form for each student plus class discussion for general errors and advice for improvement.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr L Clayton

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will not run in 2012/13.

Overview

This course will examine the application of ethical theories to the key principles of medical ethics such as respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice together with the virtues of everyday 'good practice'. A historical dimension will trace the development of medical ethics and will include an examination of contemporary debates about euthanasia, abortion, animal rights, experimentation, and bioethics; what constitutes the body, the mind, birth and death, the changing perceptions of gender, how to deal with the mentally ill and the chronically incapacitated and how different religions and cultures relate to medical.

Structure

Workbook for self-study
1 one and a half hour audio-conferenced tutorial per fortnight.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (100%) made up of: one 2,500 word essay on a set topic (50%) and one 3,000 word essay on a topic of the student?s choosing (50%).

Resit: Continuous informal assessment of performance in class, unmarked.

Formative Assessment

Continuous informal assessment of performance in class, unmarked.

Feedback

Feedback on formative assessment will be given in class discussion (general).

Feedback for summative assessment will given in written form: detailed comments on an essay feedback form for each student plus class discussion for general errors and advice for improvement.