Undergraduate Course: Greats: From Plato to the Enlightenment (PHIL08016)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Philosophy |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
http://www.philosophy.ed.ac.uk/ |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | The aim of this course is to introduce students to some of the great texts in the history of philosophy that have been and still are influential in the development of
philosophy. By enhancing their ability to understand a text historically and philosophically the students will come to comprehend the depth and significance
of milestones in the history of philosophy as well as realise how progress is achieved in persisting problems. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2012/13 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| Central | Lecture | Greats: From Plato to the Enlightenment | 1-11 | 10:00 - 10:50 | | | | | | Central | Lecture | Greats: From Plato to the Enlightenment | 1-11 | | | 10:00 - 10:50 | | | | Central | Lecture | Greats: From Plato to the Enlightenment | 1-11 | | | | | 10:00 - 10:50 |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
| Additional information |
1 hour(s) per week for 10 week(s). |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Greats: From Plato to the Enlightenment | 2:00 | | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | Greats: From Plato to the Enlightenment | 2:00 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
In lectures and small group tutorials, students will:
Find out about the early searches for the definition of basic concepts such as virtue in Plato's Meno and gain critical understanding of the methodology so as to avoid the logical pitfalls that infest such edeavours.
Gain familiarity with innatist theories of knowledge through Plato's theory of recollection.
Come to understand Plato's account of the value of knowledge over true belief, which is of current concern in epistemology.
Gain familiarity with the arguments and the methodology of Descartes's skeptical line of reasoning in the Meditations in his search for certainty in knowledge.
Find out in Descartes's cogito how an internalist account of the foundations of knowledge can be developed against skeptical doubts.
Learn how to critically evaluate significant but impaired argumentation.
Become familiar with such philosophical doctrines as Hume's empiricism, his theory of ideas and of the association of ideas, his skeptical arguments, his
nominalist account of the causal relation and his views on miracles and laws of nature.
Come to understand Kant's fundamental distinction between analytic and synthetic judgments in his philosophy.
Become familiar with the concept of the synthetic a priori metaphysical judgments, which is vital for current epistemology and metaphysics.
Gain understanding of Kant's idealism and his arguments for the limits of reason, experience and knowledge.
For students taking this as their only philosophy course, be inculcated with an understanding of the nature of philosophy and an appreciation of the value of
characteristically philosophical ways of thinking. |
Assessment Information
1 mid-term essay (1500 words)and 1 exam at the end of the semester.
Coursework counts for 25%; exam for 75%. |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alasdair Richmond
Tel: (0131 6)50 3656
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Francesca Anderson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3961
Email: |
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