Philosophy

An examination of central themes in the metaphysics and epistemology of Locke, Berkeley and Kant, specifically their theories concerning the nature of material things, of our knowledge of them, and of the role and origin of the concept of material substance.  The module will proceed through first-hand study of selected parts of Locke’s Essay, Berkeley’s Principles, and Kant’s First Critique.

John Stuart Mill (1806-73) is one of the most important 19th century moral and political theorists and a key figure in both the utilitarian and liberal traditions. This course will examine his moral and political thought, focusing principally on the essays ‘Utilitarianism,’ ‘On Liberty,’ ‘Considerations on Representative Government,’ and ‘The Subjection of Women.’ Discussion will concern both how best to interpret Mill’s writings and the plausibility of his arguments and how they might apply to modern problems. We shall also devote some time to the overall consistency of Mill’s views.

This course provides an introduction to metaphysics, the branch of philosophy that deals with the ultimate structure of reality. We will discuss a variety of traditional and recent topics, focusing on four general areas:

• Properties (universals; sets of particulars; sets of tropes)
• Modality (necessity, possibility, essence, and possible worlds)
• Modal and temporal puzzles (persistence through time, and across possible worlds)
• Causation and Laws of Nature

The module provides an introduction to core issues in contemporary philosophy of science.

The module aims to give each student an understanding of contemporary philosophy of biology, through the explanation and critical discussion of prominent theories and arguments in the field. The module will begin with a brief introduction to contemporary neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory. Following that it will explore a series of issues raised within evolutionary theory, issues that have a philosophical dimension (e.g. ‘Are genes the units of selection?’, ‘Is adaptation through natural selection the primary cause of nearly all organic form?’). Finally, the module will address a number of controversial questions that have wider social and political significance, questions such as  ‘What are the ethical implications of evolutionary theory?’, and ‘Is Darwinism in conflict with religion?’. Scientific material will be presented within the module in a manner that is fully accessible to students who have an arts and humanities background.

Theories of practical reason are concerned with a range of normative issues relating to action. For example, what sort of thing is a reason for action? Do all, some, or none of our reasons depend on our desires? Do moral considerations necessarily provide reasons for action, or is there sometimes most reason to be immoral? What kinds of failures of practical reasoning are possible, and how do they occur?

Might such failures sometimes even be rational? These are the kind of questions we will consider in this module. We will begin by focusing on questions about the relationship between rationality and morality - about whether there is always most reason to be moral. We will then move on to consider various issues about irrationality. Here we will focus in particular on issues about the nature and possibility of weakness of will.

Metaethics concerns questions about morality – about the nature, status and foundations of moral thought and discourse. Its guiding questions include: Are there any moral facts, truths, values? If so, what are they like? Are they objective? If so, what does moral objectivity involve? This course examines some of the main theories and debates in contemporary metaethics.

The module focuses on three sets of issues concerning the principles of criminal law:

- The Purpose and Scope of the Criminal Law

- The Principles of Criminal Liability

- Punishment and Sentencing

The module will cover all the main approaches in contemporary philosophy to environmental ethics. Students will study theories on what the right moral attitude to the environment should be, and on what we all as individuals are morally obliged to do to conserve the environment; as well as on global environmental issues, such as population pressure.

This course will cover a number of issues in democratic theory including different models or understandings of democracy, the value and justification of democracy, who should have the vote (including age thresholds and whether felons should forfeit the franchise), representation, and whether voting should be morally or legally obligatory. It will also relate to wider themes in political philosophy, such as political obligation and distributive justice.