Module PHL2116 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
PHL2116: Reality, Existence and Change
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
The philosophers listed are indicative. The texts chosen may deviate from those mentioned below.
The problem of change in ancient Greek philosophy – Zeno, Parmenides, Heraclitus, Democritus, Plato
Aristotle on substance – Aristotle
Cartesian dualism and responses – Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz
Idealism – Berkeley, Kant, Hegel
Materialism – Democritus, Hobbes, Marx
Neutral Monism – Spinoza, Mach
Process and the critique of substance – Whitehead
Physicalism and the place of philosophy – Sandra Mitchell, Quine, Carnapp
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 |
...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 | 11 | 11 hour lectures |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activities | 11 | 11 one hour tutorials |
| Guided independent study | 33 | Assigned reading associated with lecture and tutorials |
| Guided independent study | 10 | Preparation for in-class discussion |
| Guided independent study | 35 | Preparation for assigned essay |
| Guided independent study | 50 | Exam Revision and private study |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-class presentation | 10 Minutes | 1,2,5,6 | Verbal |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 2000 words | 1-6 | Written |
| Exam | 50 | 1.5 Hours | 1-7 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay, 2000 words (50%) | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Exam | Exam, 1.5 hours (50%) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Lloyd, G.E.R. (1970) Early Greek Science: Thales to Aristotle. Norton (New York, London)
Collingwood, R.G. (1945) The Idea of Nature OUP (Oxford)
Woolhouse, R.S. (1993), Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz: The Concept of Substance in Seventeenth Century Metaphysics. Routledge (London, New York)
Rescher, N. (2000), Process Philosophy: A survey of Basic Issues. University of Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh)
Selections from…
Spinoza’ Ethics (1996) Penguin Classics translated by Edwin Curley
Leibniz (1992) Discourse on Metaphysics and Other Essays: Translated and Edited by Garber, D. and Ariew, R. Hackett (Indianapolis)
Whitehead, A.N. (1946) Science and the Modern World, Cambridge University Press (Cambridge)
