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Curricular information is subject to change
Students in this module will learn to think critically and logically about the conceptual issues that arise when one tries to make sense of human experience, reason, freedom, and morality in the context of the ongoing scientific picture of the nature of reality from top to bottom, including human nature in all its aspects.
By having learned to uncover and think carefully about the various 'if...then' logical implications of accepting or rejecting various positions, students should have a more clear roadmap about just what is (and isn't) at stake in these famous debates.
One central learning outcome will be further developing one's ability to structure an interpretive and argumentative essay in philosophy clearly and forcefully, improving one's ability to produce good analytical, argument-based written work in general. Students will gain practice in thinking hard about complex concepts and argument forms.
A key text for this new module will be Janet Radcliffe Richards' book, _Human Nature After Darwin: A Philosophical Introduction_ (Routledge, 2000), which includes the following topics:
1) The scientific revolution, Darwinian evolutionary theory, sceptics about evolution, and disputes within Darwinism.
2) What are 'logical implications' and 'conditionals'? (Critical thinking.)
3) Is biology destiny? Are we blameless puppets of evolution, 'gene machines'? Shifts of level and logical sleights of hand.
4) 'Selfish genes' and moral animals. Evolution and altruism. What do evolution and physicalism imply, or not imply, about ethics and politics?
Student Effort Type | Hours |
---|---|
Lectures | 24 |
Tutorial | 8 |
Autonomous Student Learning | 93 |
Total | 125 |
Not applicable to this module.
Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Essay: 1500 2000 word essay. (Due date mid-semester, to be determined.) | Unspecified | n/a | Graded | Yes | 30 |
Examination: 2-hour end of semester exam, either during the exam period, or online (to be determined). | 2 hour End of Trimester Exam | No | Graded | No | 45 |
Continuous Assessment: Short online assignments and/or (announced) quizzes. Overall engagement. | Varies over the Trimester | n/a | Graded | No | 25 |
Remediation Type | Remediation Timing |
---|---|
In-Module Resit | Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board |
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
Individual feedback on essay within three weeks of submission.