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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Centre for Open Learning : Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

Undergraduate Course: Modern British Philosophy in the 20th and 21st Centuries (LLLI07033)

Course Outline
SchoolCentre for Open Learning CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 7 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummarySince the beginning of the 20th century, British philosophy has presented a rich variety of approaches to central questions such as the nature of ethics, how to run society, and what knowledge is and how we can achieve it. You will learn about these debates and how they have affected current philosophy through studying the lives and thoughts of key figures in its development.
Course description This course will explore the main themes and developments of British philosophers from 1900 to the present day. Students will study philosophical texts using weekly themes as identified by the class teacher.

Students will address a range of themes through relevant texts, including: British idealism - R G Collingwood (1889-1943); logical positivism - A. J. Ayer (1910-1989); substantive ethical questions - Mary Midgley (1919-2018); alternatives to the mainstream analytic tradition - Gillian Rose (1947-95); feminist philosophy - Miranda Fricker (1966- ); and ethics, authenticity and self-expression -Sophie Grace Chappell (1964- ).

Each session will combine lecture and teacher-led group discussion. You will be encouraged to critically engage with the course reading, introducing you to some of the key writings about philosophy. You will be encouraged to reflect on the texts through the lenses of your own thoughts and experiences. Formative feedback provided during class and on an essay plan will enhance your ability to understand the course topics.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of some key ideas in British philosophy since the beginning of the 20th Century.
  2. Demonstrate an awareness of the diversity of modern philosophical thought and its development.
  3. Apply basic skills, techniques and practices associated with reading philosophical texts.
  4. Evaluate some central arguments and ideas of philosophy
Reading List
All reading extracts will be provided by course teacher or be available from freely available online sources including:

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills - curiosity for learning that makes a positive difference
- critical and reflective thinkers
- effective and influential contributors
- skilled communicators
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserMr Douglas Dougan
Tel:
Email: ddougan@exseed.ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr John Ethcuit
Tel: (0131 6)50 3409
Email: jethcuit@exseed.ed.ac.uk
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