PHIL31130

Are you interested in developing a philosophical research project of your own? Would you like to develop the skills that will help you to pursue research projects in philosophy? Do you enjoy thinking and writing about philosophical problems and discussing your ideas with your peers?

Throughout the trimester there will be weekly interactive and discussion-based seminar meetings. The seminars will not only give you an opportunity to discuss philosophical texts on a range of topics in philosophy, but will also provide space for learning and developing philosophical skills that will prepare you well to pursue your own research project and complete a thesis in the following spring trimester.

This module will be co-taught by Ruth Boeker and Tatjana von Solodkoff. During the weekly seminar meetings, we will discuss topics in philosophy of film, metaphysics and epistemology, moral psychology, social epistemology, and the history of philosophy. For instance, we will discuss whether viewers of fictional films actually see fictional events and characters in films; what trust is and what distinguishes trust from reliance and distrust; whether and how death is bad for the deceased and what, if any, form of immortality is desirable; what role women played in the history of philosophy, how they were marginalized, and how their contributions can be recovered and restored, and how women philosophers thought about freedom and the constraints that limit their freedom.

We encourage students who plan to enrol in this module to also enrol in the Philosophy Research Project module (PHIL31140), which will be offered in the following spring trimester. Please note that if you wish to enrol in PHIL31140 Philosophy Research Project in the spring you are expected to have completed this module.

The assessment for the Training as a Philosophy Researcher module will consists of a short presentation (5%), a short written mid-term assignment (25%), and a final essay of 3000 words (70%). Students taking the module are encouraged to write the final essay on a topic of their own choice and can use this as an opportunity to write a chapter or section of their thesis that is meant to be completed in the Philosophy Research Project module (PHIL31140).

This intensive module is designed for a small group of enthusiastic students. Places are limited and open only to Stage 4 Single and Joint Major philosophy students and PPE students who have attained a GPA average of 3.2 based on philosophy modules in Stages 2 and 3 as well as Stage 3 Single and Joint Major philosophy BA students who have attained a GPA average of 3.2 based on philosophy modules in Stage 2. If you are interested in enrolling please contact the School of Philosophy Office at philosophy@ucd.ie, who will be able to register you directly.