Introductory description

PH107 - Problems in Philosophy and Literature

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Philosophy and Literature: basic ideas and questions

2. Emotion and Reason
   Weeks 2 and 3: J. M. Coetzee, The Lives of Animals
   Extracts from:
   Aristotle, Poetics
   Thomas Nagel, ‘What is it like to be a bat?’
   Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

3. Belief and Unbelief
   Week 4: Flannery O'Connor, short stories: “A Good Man is Hard to Find”; “Everything That Rises
   Must Converge”; the three O'Connor stories are all included in a pdf here
   Week 5: Flannery O'Connor, “A Temple of the Holy Ghost”; “Novelist and Believer”; Pierre
   Teilhard de Chardin, “Faith in Man” (1959, trans. 1964)

4. Ethics and Aesthetics
   Weeks 7 and 8: Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye
   Extracts from: Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Judgement
   Pierre Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste
   Iris Murdoch, The Sovereignty of Good

5. Poetic Language
   Week 9: William Wordsworth, “The Brothers”
   Week 10: Martin Heidegger, “. . . Poetically Man Dwells . . .”; Friedrich Hölderlin, 'In Lovely Blue'

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand how central themes are addressed in the core texts, and understand how philosophical and literary concerns combine in addressing these themes;
• Articulate their own views on how to interpret and evaluate the achievements of the core texts, showing ability to support claims with textual detail, enter into debate and respond constructively to other points of view;
• Critically analyse and evaluate philosophical and interpretive arguments on central issues in philosophy and literature;
• Recognize the distinctive contributions made by various texts that have combined philosophical and literary significance.

Indicative reading list

(included in syllabus above)

Interdisciplinary

Co-taught across two departments.

Subject specific skills

• Understanding of what it means to bring the disciplines of philosophy and literature together
• Apply philosophical concepts and arguments to literary works and vice versa
• Ability to critically discuss literary and philosophical texts
• Ability to support claims with textual detail, enter into debate and respond constructively to other points of view

Transferable skills

• Close reading, analysis and interpretation of complex texts
• Ability to discuss complex texts and identify themes
• Ability to communicate (both oral and written communication)