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 Content
Syllabus Plan
(Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics.)
We begin with a couple of sessions introducing the History and Philosophy of Psychedelics
The Philosophy of Psychedelics is a new field, yet concerns a long history. We begin with an overview of the multifarious philosophic facets of this subject, to gain a comprehensive perspective on the current psychedelic renaissance.
We then discuss in more detail, over the following eight weeks:
- Philosophy of mind, consciousness, and psychedelics
- The biopolitics and bioeconomy of psychedelics
- Creativity and aesthetics vis-à-vis psychedelics
- Perennialism and Contextualism: Western mysticism and Non-Western Indigenous approaches
- Metaphysics and psychedelics: Interpreting psychedelic experience through metaphysical systems
- Transpersonal and environmental ethics and psychedelics
The module will close with an overall discussion about the cross-cutting nature of the topic across philosophical sub-disciplines and how a comprehensive philosophy of psychedelics might be possible.
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 | 0 |
...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 | 22 | 11x 40 minute lecture and 11x 80 minute seminars |
Guided independent studies | 48 | Reading and Research |
Guided independent study | 20 | Preparation and recording of presentation |
Guided independent study | 38 | Preparation and Writing of Essay |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
TEDx Talk 'Psychedelics and Consciousness' by Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes: https://youtu.be/tV8PSevhd_M
Erowid: 60 000 pages of online information about psychoactive drugs, plants, chemicals, etc.:
Philosophy and Psychedelics conference (Exeter): www.philosophyofpsychedelics.com
Breaking Convention, conference videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/BreakingConvention/videos
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 |