Undergraduate Module Descriptor

PHL1004: Philosophical Problems 1

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will address some or all of the following questions through the medium of concrete examples and dilemmas:

What is the nature of being?
What is the nature of personal identity?
What is the nature of meaning and language?
What does it mean to know things?
How do we ascertain what is right or wrong?
What is the relationship between moral responsibility and autonomy?
What is the nature of consciousness?
What is freedom?
What is equality?
Is there a relationship between beauty and moral goodness?

Learning and Teaching

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

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
27.5	122.5

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

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	16.5	11 x 1.5 hour lectures. Lectures provide you with a detailed presentation and analysis of core philosophical problems.
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	11	11 x 1 hour tutorials. Tutorials build on the content of the lectures and involve free-flowing yet guided debate between students. Each student, as part of their formative assessment, will be asked in one of the tutorials to deliver a 10 minute presentation that will serve to promote class discussion
Guided Independent Study	44	Preparation for lectures and tutorials
Guided Independent Study	78.5	Preparation for presentation and examination

Online Resources

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