Undergraduate Course: Freedom and the State: The Social Contract (PHIL10252)
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 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This module looks at some classic theories of the state and of political obligation, such as those of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant and Rawls, and asks you to decide whether you accept their answers to questions of this kind, or whether you can find better ones. |
| Course description |
Why do we have a government? What is it for? Is it just that, human beings being what they are, they have to have someone to keep them in order? Or is there some other reason, some better reason? People talk a lot about political freedom. But is there really any such thing as a free society? Doesn't the very existence of governments and laws mean it's impossible for us to live together and be free at the same time? Why should we obey the law? Is it just because we'll be punished if we don't, or is there a better reason? Does it make a difference who made the 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 | Visiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicantsshould note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. **Please note that Philosophy honours courses are inhigh demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.** These enrolments are managedstrictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made throughthe CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment 1 - 40% (1500 words) «br /»
Assessment 2 - 60% (2500 words) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate core skills in philosophy, including interpreting and critically engaging with philosophical texts, evaluating arguments and theories, anddeveloping one's own ideas in response to the issues discussed.
- Acquire knowledge of the Social Contract tradition.
- Analyze the strengths and weakness of different accounts of the social contract.
- Articulate and defend your own views regarding the issues the module concerns.
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Reading List
Primary sources
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
John Locke, Second Treatise of Government
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality and The Social Contract
Immanuel Kant, Political Writings (selected writings, CUP)
John Rawls, Theory of Justice |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Enquiry and lifelong learning
This course will foster students' propensity to seek personal and academic learning that makes a
positive difference to themselves and to the world around them. Inspired by their exposure
to world-leading research, the course will increase their likelihood of becoming innovative and lifelong learners.
Aspiration and personal development
This course will foster students' propensity to draw on their initiative and experience to expand and fulfil their potential. The course will increase theirlikelihood of being able to make the most of a confident and reflective approach, and to take personal responsibility for pursuing their goals andopportunities to grow.
Skills
Research and enquiry
This course will put students in a position to use their highly-developed skills in research and enquiry to identify and creatively tackle problems, and to seekout opportunities for learning.
Personal and intellectual autonomy
This course will put students in a position to use their personal and intellectual autonomy to
critically evaluate ideas, evidence and experiences from an open-minded and reasoned
perspective.
Personal effectiveness
This course will foster students' development as effective and proactive individuals, skilled in
influencing positively and adapting to new situations with sensitivity and integrity.
Communication
This course will foster students' ability to use skilled communication to enhance their
understanding of a topic or context and to engage effectively with others. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alix Cohen
Tel:
Email: Alix.Cohen@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Joan MacKenzie
Tel:
Email: jmacken8@ed.ac.uk |
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