Undergraduate Module Descriptor

PHL1009: Philosophies of Art

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module has two main parts: the first part looks at theories from the history of philosophy concerning the nature and status of art, while the second explores some individual philosophical problems arising in the field of aesthetics.Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following themes:

Theories of art:

       Art as representation

       Art as expression

       The institutional theory of art

 

Philosophical problems in Aesthetics:

       Hume’s critique of taste

       Forgery

       Emotional responses to fictional characters

       The paradox of tragedy

       Humour and the morality of art

       Beauty and the natural environment

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
27.5122.50

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity16.511 x 1.5-hour seminars (lecturer’s explanations, student participation and discussion)
Scheduled Learning an1111 x 1 hour seminar
Guided Independent Study122.5A variety of reading and private study activities guided by the module leader. These tasks may include: Reading assignments (40 hours) Formative assessment preparation, including research and writing (20 hours) Essay preparation, including literature review, research, and writing (30 hours) Revision and exam preparation (30 hours)

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Web based and electronic resources:

 

Stanford Encyclopedia: http://plato.stanford.edu/index.html

PhilPapers online database of philosophical papers: http://www.philpapers.org