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Modules at Level 8

At Level 8 the Department offers three modules, which are common to semesters 1 to 3 of all Philosophy programmes.

Modules at level 8 are designed to be accessible and relevant equally to students who do not intend to continue with Philosophy, but who are interested in gaining an introduction to the subject.

Level 8 Modules

Available each year to students in semesters 1-3

PHI911 Philosophy - What is it all about?

Offered each Autumn

What is knowledge and how, if at all, can we ever be certain of anything? What is the mind and how does the mind relate to the body? Is freedom compatible with determinism—the view that for every event there is a cause sufficient to bring it about? Is morality subjective or objective? These are among the issues explored in this module, which provides a general introduction to philosophy. No prior knowledge of the subject is presupposed. The module is designed to be of interest both to students who intend to continue studying philosophy and to those who wish to supplement their work in other disciplines.

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PHI912 Mind, Value and Reality

Offered each Spring

Does God exist?  What is consciousness?  On what does our personal identity depend?  Are we motivated only by self-interest?  In this module we shall examine these and other questions bearing on the nature of human beings, their place in the world, and the obligations to which they are subject.  We shall address metaphysical topics from the philosophy of religion and the philosophy of mind, along with issues concerning human motivation and values.  We will examine an influential argument which purports to show that God exists, and assess whether the existence of evil in the world gives us good reason to believe that God does not exist.  We will attempt to gain a clearer understanding of some central questions in the philosophy of mind, such as what fact (or set of facts) guarantees a person’s identity over time, and whether it is only human beings who have the power of thought.  We will consider some related ethical questions, such as whether we are essentially egoistic.  We will consider to what extent we are morally obliged to give to famine relief, and whether abortion is justified.  Finally, we will reflect on the value of life, and onthe significance of death.

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PHI913 From Plato to Existentialism

Offered each Autumn

This 'semester 3' module offers a philosophical examination of several challenging and influential theoretical discussions of the relation between the individual and society, through a study of texts ranging from Ancient Greek to 20th century thinkers.