Module PHL3117 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
PHL3117: Philosophy and Psychedelics
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
By considering the multifaceted aspects of psychedelics, we will bridge across the major subareas of philosophy – exploring how they speak to one another and what we can understand about contested practices. [PB1] Contested in this case are the effects of psychedelic substance use on individuals and society, as well as the practices to regulate/prohibit their production. Adopting different philosophic perspectives on psychedelic substances, experiences, and discourses concerning knowledge and science, including current clinical trials, will provide you with insight into a very topical debate. Furthermore, it will provide you with an understanding of the ways in which philosophy organizes knowledge, and how this separation of areas fosters and hinders integrative understandings of phenomena in our lifeworld.
The focus on psychedelics allows teaching core philosophical themes in some depth and clarity about their interconnectedness, i.e. aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of cognition, cultures, and mind, but also philosophy of nature, ecology, and the philosophy of psychiatry and medicine more generally.
This module aims to teach you about a very hot topic in contemporary society and how philosophers engage with it. It invites you to partake in exciting discussions, preparing and giving a joint presentation and writing a substantive essay on a topic of your choice in this subject area.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the theories and texts (readings) for the course 2. Demonstrable understanding of the methodological and conceptual problems of a philosophy of psychedelics |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the structure of the discipline and the interrelation between its subdisciplines 4. Demonstrate deep knowledge of the philosophical inquiry and dimensions of a specific topic |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. Demonstrate ability to critically analyse and present texts, and discuss complex problems 6. Demonstrate excellent the ability to research independently and write a critical philosophical essay on a module theme. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay outline | 500 words | 1-6 | Written |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 70 | 0 | 30 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded presentation with slideshow | 30 | 10 minutes | 1-6 | Oral |
| Essay | 70 | 3000 words | 1-6 | Written |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Short essay, 1000 words | 1-6 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay | Essay 3000 words | 1-6 | August/September reassessment period |
