PHIL1021: KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY

• None.

• At least one other 'Year 1' module in Philosophy.

• None.

• To provide an introduction to philosophical problems in epistemology, the study of knowledge; and metaphysics, the study of reality and ourselves.
• Subsequent modules to which it will relate are: Early Modern Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology, Feminist Philosophy, Fundamentals of Logics, Philosophy of Science, Metaphysics, and Language, Logic and Reality.

• The module introduces a broad range of problems in epistemology, such as what 'knowledge' is, and whether we can have it; and in metaphysics, such as what kind of beings we are, and what the world we inhabit is like.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the module, students will have knowledge and understanding of key philosophical theories in epistemology and metaphysics.
• The precise list of topics and authors studied may vary from year to year. Topics will be taken from a list including:
• knowledge and scepticism
• theories of justification
• sources of knowledge
• knowledge and society
• minds and bodies
• change and persistence
• time
• free will and determinism
• composition
• personal identity

Subject-specific Skills:

• correctly utilise specialist vocabulary
• grasp, analyse, evaluate and deploy subject-specific concepts and arguments
• locate, understand, assess and utilise pertinent philosophical (and, where appropriate, other academic) sources

Key Skills:

• expressing oneself clearly and succinctly in writing
• comprehending complex ideas, propositions and theories
• defending opinions by reasoned argument
• seeking out and identifying appropriate sources of evidence and information
• tackling problems in a clear-sighted and logical fashion.

• How these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module:
• Lectures deliver basic module-specific information, and provide a framework for further study.
• Discussion groups provide opportunities for students to test their own understanding of the material studies, and defend and debate different opinions.
• Guided reading provides a structure within which students exercise and extend their abilities to make use of available learning resources.
• The Formative essay provides the opportunity for students to test their knowledge and understanding of the module content, and their ability to present and defend relevant arguments and theories, uninhibited by the need for summative assessment.
• The Summative essay tests knowledge and understanding of the course material, and the ability to identify and explain issues covered in the module, and, using relevant research material, to present different approaches to those issues, and make reasoned judgement on the merits and demerits of such approaches.
• The unseen examination tests students' overall knowledge and understanding of the module content at the end of the module, and their ability to bring it to bear on new problems under pressure of time.

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