Postgraduate Course: Philosophy of Law MSc (PHIL11056)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will introduce students to a number of topics and questions in contemporary philosophy of law.
Shared with undergraduate course PHIL10166 Philosophy of Law.
For courses co-taught with undergraduate students and with no remaining undergraduate spaces left, a maximum of 8 MSc students can join the course. Priority will be given to MSc students who wish to take the course for credit on a first come first served basis after matriculation.
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| Course description |
This course will introduce students to a number of topics and questions in contemporary philosophy of law. There will be particular emphasis on the ways in which philosophy of law overlaps and interacts with legal theory and with other branches of philosophy such as moral philosophy, political philosophy and epistemology. Topics to be covered in the course may include the normativity of the law, the relationship between law and morality, standards of legal proof, the presumption of innocence, the nature of legal precedent and of legal reasoning, the legal notion of evidence, legal rights and obligations and the ultimate aims of a legal system. The course may also include, in any given year, an examination of legal topics of particular contemporary interest, such as the use of 'cold hit' DNA evidence in the courtroom or the corroboration rule in Scots law.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a detailed understanding of a selection of central theories and arguments from contemporary philosophy of law.
- critically assess and compare principal contemporary arguments and positions in the philosophy of law and to deploy these arguments for themselves.
- analyse complex arguments and concepts and apply these abilities to topics in the philosophy of law.
- write and discuss with greater clarity, rigour and structural transparency and develop appropriate research skills in philosophy.
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
Please see Learn page |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Reading, understanding and critically engaging with complex texts; critical thinking; constructive oral engagement; essay writing. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
The course will be taught by Dr Martin Smith. |
| Keywords | Law,Evidence,Reasoning,Rights |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Martin Smith
Tel: (0131 6)50 3654
Email: Martin.Smith@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: Lynsey.Buchanan@ed.ac.uk |
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