PH133-30 Introduction to Philosophy
Introductory description
PH133 Introduction to Philosophy
Module aims
This module is team taught by a number of academic staff from the Philosophy department to provide a wide-ranging introduction to some of the most important issues and works in philosophy.
The areas covered will be:
Term 1: Ancient Philosophy, Continental Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Political Philosophy
Term 2: Epistemology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Mind, Aesthetics
Term 3: Logic
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.
The following subject areas and approaches will be covered:
Terms 1 and 2:
Ancient Philosophy
Moral Philosophy
Political Philosophy
Aesthetics
Continental Philosophy
Epistemology
Metaphysics
Philosophy of Mind
Term 3:
Logic
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Understand main debates in key subject areas of philosophy, such as moral and political philosophy, epistemology and metaphysics, aesthetics, and continental philosophy.
- Articulate their own view of the relative merits of different positions in key debates and engage critically with other points of view.
- Critically analyse and evaluate philosophical arguments in different subject areas of philosophy.
- Recognise the distinctive contributions made by various texts that are central to the history of philosophy and critically engage with the arguments presented therein.
- Understand the notion of logical validity and related logical notions. Use formal techniques to show the validity of arguments. Translate between a formal first-order language and English.
Indicative reading list
See electronic bibliography.
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Subject specific skills
Knowledge and understanding of core philosophical topics; philosophy essay writing skills; logical analysis and methods.
Transferable skills
Critical evaluation, persuasive writing, logical analysis, critical discussion.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 23 sessions of 2 hours (15%) |
| Seminars | 21 sessions of 1 hour (7%) |
| Private study | 233 hours (78%) |
| Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group D4
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assignment 1 (1000 words) | 10% | Yes (extension) | |
| Written Assignment 2 (1000 words) | 10% | Yes (extension) | |
| Written Assignment 3 (1750 words) | 27% | Yes (extension) | |
| Written Assignment 4 (1750 words) | 27% | Yes (extension) | |
| In-person Examination | 26% | No | |
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Feedback on assessment
Feedback on essays will be provided via Tabula, addressing standard areas of evaluation and individual content. Feedback on examinations will be provided in the form of a summary report.
Anti-requisite modules
If you take this module, you cannot also take:
- PH136-15 Logic 1: Introduction to Symbolic Logic
- PH142-15 Central Themes in Philosophy
- PH144-15 Mind and Reality
- PH145-15 Plato and Descartes
- PH149-15 Key Debates in Moral and Political Philosophy
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of UPHA-L1CA Undergraduate Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
- Year 1 of UPHA-VQ72 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature
- Year 1 of UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Year 1 of UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy