Introductory description

What is it to do research in philosophy? Among other things, it is to engage in philosophers' particular ways of "doing philosophy", which reflect themselves in particular ways of arguing, writing, and discussing. What is distinctive about philosophy is that right from the earliest Presocratic thinkers up to the present day, this activity of doing philosophy is itself subject to philosophical investigation and reflection. In this module, you will become part of this tradition, by both improving and reflecting on your practice of doing philosophy.

Module web page

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.

TERM 1

Week 2: Winch on the Nature of Philosophy
– Part I of The Idea of a Social Science and its Relation to Philosophy

Wk. 4: Quine on Ontological Commitment
WVO Quine, "On What there Is"

Wk. 7 Frege on the content of Thought
Gottlob Frege. "The Thought"

Week 9: Anscombe on Moral Philosophy
GEM Anscombe. "Modern Moral Philosophy"

TERM 2

Wk. 2. Nagel on Consciousness
T. Nagel. "What is it like to be a bat?"

Wk. 4. Williams on the nature of Philosophy.
B. Williams. 'Philosophy as a Humanistic Discipline'

Wk. 7. Strawson on Free Will.
P. Strawson. 'Freedom and resentment'.

Wk. 9 Lemmon on Moral Dilemmas
EJ Lemmon. "Moral Dilemmas"

Learning outcomes

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

• Have a systematic and advanced understanding and knowledge of the texts covered in the module, the main arguments of the texts, and critical responses to those arguments.
• Be able to communicate at an advanced level clearly and substantively in speech and in writing on the questions addressed in the module. They should be able to provide critical analysis of the relevant texts.
• Be able to work autonomously to articulate their own view of the relative merits of arguments, methodologies and positions in the literature, and engage critically with other points of view.
• Be able to demonstrate the skills involved in philosophical discussion, they will have improved abilities to analyse and critically asses complex concepts and arguments. They will be able to communicate at an advanced level clearly and substantively in speech, as well as in writing, the philosophical arguments and concepts covered in the texts. They will be able to demonstrate sound judgement and initiative in selecting appropriate texts and methods for their investigation of a specifically circumscribed problem and should have acquired an advanced ability to pursue and organize philosophical research using a range of sources (print and electronic media), documenting research carefully, and showing the ability to engage independently in philosophical debate.

Indicative reading list

See outline syllabus

Research element

The short essays and presentation elements of the module are all research-based.

Subject specific skills

By the end of the module students will:

• Have a systematic and advanced understanding and knowledge of the texts covered in the module.
• Be able to communicate at an advanced level clearly and substantively in speech and in writing on the questions addressed in the module.
• Be able to work autonomously to articulate their own view of the relative merits of arguments, methodologies and positions in the literature, and engage critically with other points of view.
• Be able to communicate at an advanced level clearly and substantively in speech, as well as in writing, the philosophical arguments and concepts covered in the texts.

Transferable skills

By the end of the module students will have acquired an advanced ability

• to pursue and organize independent research
• to understand, analyse and critique complex arguments
• to use a range of sources (print and electronic media) in documenting research
• to present the outcome of research in writing
   To present their research orally to audiences, using power point and handouts