Explore UCD

UCD Home >

PHIL20700

Academic Year 2024/2025

Introduction to the Philosophy of History (PHIL20700)

Subject:
Philosophy
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Philosophy
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Brian O'Connor
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module explores the various ways in which the conventional idea of history is wrong. It will work with students on these ideas (among others):
• there is no such thing as ‘objectivity’ in history;
• the ‘past’ is ‘our’ account of it, and therefore history is tied to the present: to the work of the historian at best, to politics at worst;
• history constructs simple stories to capture events that are too complex to be explained in any story;
• nothing in history (compared with nature) happens according to any law: hence the difficulty of saying that one thing ‘caused’ another in history;
• the past is past, and cannot be understood.

And yet we know that the past – and indeed present – is filled with countless real cases of abominable human suffering, of innocent victims, and of horrific crimes. How do we do justice to those victims if we are sceptical about historical objectivity? This module will work towards an answer to that question too.

This module will be of particular interest to students who believe that controversies about the past are tied to today’s political debates. For example, should we replace public monuments (statues) of individuals now perceived to have promoted an obnoxious ideology? Should we rename places and things that bear the names of what we now think of as controversial people? Or should we just leave everything as it is ‘in the name of our history and heritage’?

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Among the learning outcomes of his module are:
• a complex sense of what ‘history’ is
• knowledge of the different alternatives to the notion that history is ‘about the past’
• knowledge of the different alternatives to the notion that history is ‘objective’
• a perspective on how we should ‘deal with the past’ (i.e. morally)
• an independent perspective on whether history is even possible

Indicative Module Content:

This module explores the various ways in which the conventional idea of history is wrong. It will work with students on these ideas (among others):
• there is no such thing as ‘objectivity’ in history;
• the ‘past’ is ‘our’ account of it, and therefore history is tied to the present: to the work of the historian;
• history constructs simple stories to capture events that are too complex to be explained in any story;
• nothing in history (compared with nature) happens according to any law: hence the difficulty of saying that one thing ‘caused’ another in history;
• the past is past, and cannot be understood.

And yet the past – and indeed present – is filled with countless real cases of abominable human suffering, of innocent victims, and of horrific crimes. How do we do justice to those victims if we are sceptical about historical objectivity? This module will work towards an answer to that question too.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

20

Tutorial

7

Autonomous Student Learning

98

Total

125


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Generative AI should not be used in the preparation and writing of any assessed work.

Lecture in first class of each week, seminar in second class of each week.

Tutorial work independent of the lectures / seminars.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

No prior learning requirements.

This module will be most suitable for students who major subject is in Arts and Humanities or Social Science.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Attendance & participation in lectures & tutorials is a graded MUST PASS module component.

Attendance & participation at 80% of lectures & tutorials=A+
70%=B+
60%=C+
50%=D+
fewer than 50%=FAIL
Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded Yes
20
Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): A 2,000 word essay dealing with material covered in the first half of the module. Week 7 Graded Yes
30
Yes
Exam (In-person): Examination held at a UCD examination centre after the end of the teaching trimester. Details of the date and venue are supplied to students by the UCD Examinations Office. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
Graded Yes
50
Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
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?

Each essay will be returned with comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the work, with an explantion of the grade awarded.

Name Role
Ms Clémence Saintemarie Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 15:00 - 15:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 1 Week(s) - 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 Tues 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 2 Week(s) - 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 Tues 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Tutorial Offering 3 Week(s) - 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 Tues 15:00 - 15:50