| Unit name | Philosophy of Philosophy |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHILM0044 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Tahko |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None. |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
Philosophers have long debated not just how to resolve particular philosophical issues but how to do philosophy itself. This unit will focus on analysing and comparing different foundational approaches to philosophy, including questions like:
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Each year, the unit will tackle one or more such questions and guide the students through a deep foundational analysis of what it means to be a philosopher and to do philosophy. It is therefore an excellent unit for students who wish to engage intensely with metaphilosophy and who enjoy discussing the crucial foundational divides underpinning many contemporary philosophical debates.
An overview of content:
Each year, the unit will tackle one or more such questions and guide the students through a deep foundational analysis of what it means to be a philosopher and to do philosophy. It is therefore an excellent unit for students who wish to engage intensely with metaphilosophy and who enjoy discussing the crucial foundational divides underpinning many contemporary philosophical debates.
Learning outcomes:
- Gain an excellent understanding of the relative advantages and disadvantages of different foundational approaches to philosophy. - Be able to identify how questions of meta-philosophy have underpinned important philosophical debates. - Analyse debates, arguments and problems on different levels of fundamentality. - Produce coherent written analysis of debates, arguments and problems that clearly identify both philosophical and meta-philosophical aspects. - Be able to present meta-analytical debates to different audiences and in a wide variety of formats.
Learning will take place in small seminars, with an emphasis on interactive and student-based learning. Activities typically included: small group discussions; student presentations; writing clinics; guided debates.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare for the summative tasks (formative):
Students will have regular opportunities to discuss their term essay with their unit tutor. They will be able to take part in a variety of different preparatory tasks (e.g., presenting short arguments; small group discussions; round table debates) during the seminars.
Tasks which count towards your mark (summative):
The course will be assessed by:
When assessments do not go to plan
Students who do not engage with the group presentation will write a short 1,000-word report on the presentation of the group they were assigned to.
Students can obtain extensions for their summative essay.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHILM0044).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
