PHIL20670 Origins of Analytic Philosophy

Academic Year 2020/2021

What is analytic philosophy? The best answer is that analytic philosophy is a moving target, defined by the topics, problems, and questions pursued by a particular group of philosophers working today. In this module, we will learn about these topics by tracing their origins to a number of classic papers in analytic philosophy. We will trace the current interest in transformative experiences and the first-person perspective to Gottlob Frege, exciting new trends in metaphysics to Bertrand Russell and W.V. Quine, and recent work on implicit bias and belief to G.E. Moore, Susan Stebbing, and others. The module is thus an invitation to engage in an active dialogue between the founders of analytic philosophy and those who remain under their influence. Students will acquire a clear grasp of major issues in contemporary analytic philosophy and gain a robust understanding of their historical origin and development.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be familiar with key issues and debates in early analytic philosophy. They will have an understanding of how the major questions and problems in contemporary analytic philosophy developed from the background of the new logic and semantics developed by Frege and Russell, logical positivism, and ordinary language philosophy. They will have a robust ability to engage with issues in contemporary philosophy - especially metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind and language - in an historically informed way.

Indicative Module Content:

This course focuses on the history of analytic philosophy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and its relevance for contemporary debates.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Tutorial

8

Autonomous Student Learning

93

Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures and tutorials. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: Take home terminal exam (Brightspace). Coursework (End of Trimester) No Graded No

40

Continuous Assessment: Short multiple choice quizzes, once a week (Brightspace). Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

20

Essay: Coursework essay, 1500 words Week 8 n/a Graded No

40


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual feedback on essay within three weeks of submission.