Unit name | Texts in Early Modern Philosophy: Empiricism |
---|---|
Unit code | PHIL10031 |
Credit points | 10 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Dr. Pyle |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
none |
Co-requisites |
none |
School/department | Department of Philosophy |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The course will consider a key text in early modern philosophy's empiricist cannon (for example: Locke's Essay on Human Understanding, Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Berkeley's Three Dialogues) and engage with it philosophically.
Aims:
The unit aims to bring to life a seminal text in early modern philosophy by engaging critically with its arguments. The unit aims to establish this work as philosophically interesting in its own right and of interest to contemporary philosophers.
On completion of this course, students will:
(1) have a thorough knowledge of a key text from early modern philosophy.
(2) be familiar with some key secondary literature on this text, and be able to engage critically with it.
(3) be able to engage critically with the author's positions and arguments.
(4) be in a position to relate some key ideas in this text to modern philosophical debates.
11 one-hour lectures
One 2000-3000 word essay, from a list of questions designed to test intended learning outcomes (1), (2), (3) and (4).
The target text.
At least one contemporaneous text.
At least one modern introduction to the target philosopher/text.
Illustrative examples: