Undergraduate Course: Introduction to the History of Philosophy B (PHIL08020)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The aim of this course is to introduce students to some of the texts, debates, and questions in the history of philosophy (in all traditions). |
| Course description |
***This course is one of two stand-alone introduction courses:
Introduction to the History of Philosophy A
Introduction to the History of Philosophy B.
These are non-sequential, independent, courses.***
The aim of this course is to introduce students to some of the texts, debates, and questions in the history of philosophy (in all traditions).
Students will learn how to understand a text historically and philosophically. Students will learn about key issues in the history of philosophy.
The course is not restricted to any particular set of historical figures or texts and, in any given year, could cover anything from the history of philosophy (specific details for any given year will be outlined in the course handbook).
In the academic year 23¿24, this course will cover modern European philosophy and the discipline of World philosophies.
In this first half of IHOP B, the focus will be on reading historical texts from 17th and 18th century Europe, primarily shorter philosophical texts that we can read (almost) in their entirety. We will start with Descartes¿s Meditations on First Philosophy and then read two or three other short texts, covering a variety of genres, topics, and including works considered canonical and recently re-discovered texts. In reading these texts, we will consider different approaches to the interpretation of historical texts, consider the ways in which the ideas in these texts are still relevant (or not) to contemporary philosophy, and ask why and how some texts have come to be included in the philosophical canon and others have not. There are so many great choices of texts that I haven¿t settled on a final list yet, but frontrunners include: Émilie du Châtelet, George Berkeley, Margaret Cavendish, David Hume, and Mary Shepherd.
In the second half of this course, we will focus on how the concepts and the methodology of modern European philosophy are generally considered to be problematic in the context of world philosophies. Students will be firstly introduced to the discipline of ¿world philosophies¿ and its guiding methodology that challenges the main characteristics of modern European or Western philosophy. Then students will be taking on a world tour of philosophical thinking. They will be asked to critically engage with the binding philosophical themes in the works of leading thinkers in Africana, Latin American & Indigenous, Asian, and Maori philosophy.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
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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
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| Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 190 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 43,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
153 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Final exam (100%) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Introduction to the History of Philosophy B (PHIL08020) Final Exam | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the distinctive methods of philosophy and the history of philosophy.
- Demonstrate an understanding of some of the problems and questions in the history of philosophy.
- Appreciate the value of characteristically philosophical ways of thinking.
- Interpret, analyse, and critically evaluate the main claims and arguments of historical works of philosophy.
- Clearly explain, orally and in writing, their interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of historical works of philosophy.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Jennifer Marusic
Tel:
Email: Jennifer.Marusic@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Catriona Keay
Tel:
Email: ckeay4@ed.ac.uk |
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