Philosophical Readings 3: (PHL3024A)
This module description relates to the academic year 2012/3.
| Lecturer(s) | Dr Christine Hauskeller |
|---|---|
| Module level | 3 |
| Credit Value | 15.00 |
| ECTS Value | 7.5 |
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Co-requisites | None |
| Duration of Module | One Term. Term 2 |
| Total Student Study Time | 150 hours (11 x 2 hour lectures, 128 hours private study) |
Aims
In this advanced seminar you will have another opportunity to practise your reading and interpretation skills. We will read and analyse an important philosophical book that already requires some familiarity with the history and methods of philosophy.
This year we will read Michel Foucault's The Order of Things (1966). Foucault is one of the most prominent 20th century philosophers, professor of the history of Systems of Thought at the College de France, a lead thinker of post-structuralism and a critic of enlightenment as progression of knowledge. In The Order of Things Foucault develops his theory of episteme, historically changing formations of thought. The book is a foundational text in the philosophy of social sciences and humanities. The focus of the module will be on the ways in which Michel Foucault describes the shift in the configuration of knowledge to place the human at the centre. The course is suitable for advanced students of all disciplines. Previous study of Enlightenment philosophy is recommended .
This will be an optional module for the SH degree programme in Philosophy, and for the modular degree pathway in philosophy. It will also be available to students from other schools and departments as an optional course in philosophy. This course will familiarise the student with an important philosophical text and the fundamental techniques required to read, understand, criticize, a philosophical argument. It will proceed by in-depth reading and analysis of one or more texts drawn from the list below.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Module-specific skills:
1 engage in in-depth analysis of a text, and reasoning about abstract matters.
Discipline-specific skills:
2 develop an ability to analyse arguments, understand the historical and social context of production of a philosophical text, criticise it, and write well-argued essays.
Personal and key skills:
3 develop an ability to construct and evaluate arguments, to formulate and express ideas at different levels of abstraction, to assess and criticise the views of others.
Learning/Teaching Methods
Weekly seminars. The course will be devoted to detailed discussion and analysis of the text. This format allows for in-depth analysis, exploration of students' own ideas and discussion between students and lecturer. In one or two dedicated sessions, all students will present to the group how they intend to structure their essay.
Assignments
Formative:
Presentation (5 mins) [ILO's 1-3] [oral feedback]
Assessed:
2,500 word essay
2 hour exam
Assessment
2,500 word essay (40%) [ILO's 1,2,3] [Written feedback]
2 hour exam (60%) [ILO's 1,2,3] [Written feedback]
Syllabus Plan
The syllabus plan will vary depending on the text that has been chosen (see below). In general, each week will be devoted to in-depth analysis of a significant part of the text (one or two chapters).
This year (2012/13) it will be Michel Foucault's The Order of Things.
Indicative Basic Reading List
The main text chosen for this module may vary from year to year. This year (2012/13) it will be Michel Foucault's The Order of Things.
ELE - http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
