Module PHL2016 for 2022/3
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
PHL2016: Metaphysics
This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.
Module Aims
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the place of metaphysics in the history of philosophy, to the challenges associated with the practice of metaphysics in contemporary thinking and with the principal problems that are presently addressed under the heading of metaphysics. You will become well versed in the nature of these problems and how one goes about addressing them from ‘analytic’, ‘naturalistic’ and ‘critical’ points of view.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. articulate an understanding of the meaning of metapyhysics, the place of metaphysics in philosophy, various philosophical challenges to the status of metaphysics, and a familiarity with some range of particular topics in metaphysics and the reasons why they have merited philosophical attention; 2. analyze the metaphysical presuppositions of truth claims; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. expose and explore the metaphysical presuppositions at play in other areas of philosophy; 4. begin to consolidate philosophical concepts from other modules and begin to convey a sense of the unity of philosophy as a discipline; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. begin to identify the substantive presuppositions of worldly truth claims beyond philosophy; and 6. write coherently and cogently about the conceptual context of real-world beliefs. |
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 Plan | 250 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 50 | 1 hour | 1-6 | Written |
| Essay | 50 | 1500 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Examination (1 hour) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment Period |
| Essay | Essay (1500 words) | 1-6 | August/September reassessment Period |
