module
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
PHL1004: Philosophical Problems 1
This module descriptor refers to the 2023/4 academic year.
Module Aims
The aims of this module are both general and specific. The general aims are to introduce you to a way of approaching concrete problems with both clarity of thought and methodological sophistication. However, it will also introduce you to the fundamental nature and underlying motivations behind core areas and debates in philosophy. Too often students are told to read the two sides of a debate in philosophy without being first given an appreciation of why the debates in question are taking place. In stark contrast, this module situates, grounds and motivates key debates in philosophy, so that you will understand why so much ink has been spilled on certain (often seemingly trivial or obscure) issues.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate familiarity with some of the canonical problematic examples and dilemmas of philosophy. 2. Demonstrate understanding of what is problematic in these examples, and how a philosopher can respond to them with clarity and sophistication. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Illustrate a variety of philosophical positions on a specific topic. 4. Critically evaluate, orally and in writing, a variety of philosophical positions |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. Engage in complex arguments verbally and in small groups. 6. Analyse, critically engage with, and report accurately upon, existing written material while articulating it within a structured and cogent argument. |