HUM6032 - Modern Philosophy of the Person

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate:
The ability to engage critically with contemporary philosophical questions utilising a range of philosophical concepts and positions, with the aim of constructing new ideas and approaches;
Knowledge of how recent cultural and technological developments have been identified as significant by philosophers;
The deployment of appropriate skills for discussing and engaging with contemporary issues in a variety of media and interdisciplinary contexts;
The capacity to analyse, construct and defend philosophical arguments and positions at a high level.

Content:

This module examines modern philosophical thought about the person by outlining how it has developed since the Early Modern Period. This module will provide students with not only a robust understanding of contemporary philosophical debate about personhood and overlapping themes such as mind, agency, freewill and subjective experience, but also a meta-philosophical awareness about how philosophy develops over time.

This module will outline the most influential thoughts and active areas of debate concerning the person which occurred between the Early Modern and the Modern Period, which could include philosophers like, Descartes, Hume, Kant, Nagel, Dennett, Inwagen and Wittgenstein, and fields of study like, Existentialism, Hegelianism, Determinism and Panpsychism.

By tracking the historical development of philosophy between the Early Modern and the Modern Periods, students will explore, analyse and debate the influence and role of society, culture and technology.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The course will be taught in plenary sessions which will make use of a blend of teaching and learning methods. These will normally include: lecture-style presentations by the tutor; seminar-style discussion of a particular topic; informal prepared presentations by students, followed by discussion; formal assessment by presentation to the rest of the group; other exercises as appropriate to material and group. Guidance on reading in preparation for each session and activity will be given; and learning will be supported where appropriate by VLE and other electronic resources. Guidance on research and essay-writing will be embedded in the learning and teaching process throughout the module; and may also be supported by tutorial guidance on essay plans if required. Where possible, learning will be supplemented with site visits. Research methods that aid fieldwork will also be considered where appropriate and, whenever possible, put into practice.

Seminars
Contact Hours: 32
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Guided independent study
Hours: 168

Further details relating to assessment
The portfolio will comprise 4 individual elements (not to exceed the maximum allowed in the final submission). Elements will be expected to cover: overview key trends in the history of personhood; analyses of key concepts; book review of key secondary text; close analysis of selected passages. Guidance on these topics will be provided in class and informal feedback will be provided. The pieces will be submitted as a single item.

Students may also negotiate their assessment topic with the lecturer.

Assessment:

001 Essay; 2,000 words; mid semester 1 50%
002 Portfolio; 2,000 words; end of semester 1 50%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - David Ellis
Level - 6
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 6S1

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