Postgraduate Course: History of Analytic Philosophy MSc (PHIL11097)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Philosophy |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
Please see Learn page |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Towards the beginning of the twentieth century, a group of philosophers sought to apply developments in logic and the study of language to traditional philosophical problems. These efforts resulted in the rich and influential tradition known as Analytic Philosophy, the predominate style of philosophy in the English speaking world. In this course, we will look at the early history of this movement, as reflected in the works of Frege, Russell, and Wittgenstein. This course will cover the philosophical climate in which these philosophers developed, their views on traditional philosophical issues, and the distinctive debates that arose within the emerging tradition.
Difficulties in understanding the foundations of mathematics led Frege and Russell to develop rigorous new ways of thinking about logic and language. These tools form the foundation of many developments in contemporary logic and linguistics. But Frege and Russell went beyond the investigation of logic, mathematics, and language. We will see how these tools were put to use in understanding the structure of human thought and the world it represents, and in resolving scientific puzzles. We will also examine the early Wittgenstein¿s more radical attempt to solve all philosophical problems by getting clear on how language is capable of representing the world.
The course is taught by Dr Aidan McGlynn and Dr Bryan Pickel.
Shared with UG course: History of Analytic Philosophy (PHIL10116)
Formative feedback available:
- the opportunity to submit a formative essay
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 2, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 5 |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2015 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Revision Session Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
The goal of this course is to help students better understand the work of foundational figures in analytic philosophy: Frege, Russell, and Wittgenstein. This will inform the students¿ understanding of contemporary debates in metaphysics, philosophy of language, logic, and epistemology. It will also help them locate contemporary debates in their proper historical context.
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Assessment Information
One 2500 word essay.
Essay deadline: Monday 20th April 2015 by 12 noon
Word limit: TBC
Return deadline: Tuesday 12th May 2015 |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Readings:
Frege
- Foundations of Arithmetic
- "On Sense and Reference"
Secondary:
- Joan Weiner, selections from Frege
- Patricia Blanchette, selections from Frege's Conception of Logic
Russell
- Letters to Frege
- "On Denoting"
- "Knowledge by Acquaintance and Knowledge by Description"
- "On the Relation of Sense Data to Physics"
Secondary:
- L. Susan Stebbing, selections from A Modern Introduction to Logic
Wittgenstein
- Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
Secondary:
- Ray Monk, selections from Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius
- Marie McGinn, selections from Elucidating the Tractatus
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| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, 20th century philosophy, metaphysics, language, logic |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Bryan Pickel
Tel: (0131 6)51 5177
Email: bpickel@staffmail.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: Lynsey.Buchanan@ed.ac.uk |
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