Undergraduate Module Descriptor

PHL1002A: Knowledge and Reality 1

This module descriptor refers to the 2023/4 academic year.

Overview

NQF Level 4
Credits 15 ECTS Value 7.5
Term(s) and duration

This module ran during term 1 (11 weeks)

Academic staff

Dr Jonathan Davies (Convenor)

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Available via distance learning

No

This module introduces you to classical epistemological and metaphysical questions such as ‘how do we know what we know?’ and ‘what is there?’. It presents and analyses some classical questions of the nature of reality and discusses subjects such as innate knowledge, scepticism, empiricism and common sense.

You will consider the early modern debate between rationalists and empiricists, as well as older and newer treatments of such related issues as Decartes’ cogito, substance, idealism and the value of metaphysics. You will gain an understanding of technical terminology such as epistemology and metaphysics and be able to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of these views.

Module created

01/10/2005

Last revised

22/02/2022