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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2023/2024

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Philosophy

Postgraduate Course: Freedom, Consent and Political Obligation (PHIL11194)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryA course in political philosophy conducted by an examination of three fundamental concepts: freedom, consent and obligations to the state. The seminar-based course is oriented around the discussion of focal works by mostly twentieth-century philosophers.
Course description A course in political philosophy conducted by an examination of three fundamental concepts: freedom, consent and obligations to the state. The seminar-based course is oriented around the discussion of focal works by mostly twentieth-century philosophers. The guiding idea is that understanding these concepts provides insights into different constructions of legitimate government and political authority. We will consider each concept several times to understand the varieties of ways in which the concepts may be defined. The course will begin with a discussion of the idea of political philosophy and conclude with a consideration of the extent to which the political can be treated separately from the moral where similar considerations of freedom, consent and obligation exist.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 24, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 172 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) One essay of 3000 words, 100%.
Feedback Students will be asked to write a formative essay for which they will receive detailed, written feedback with the opportunity to discuss that feedback one-to-one.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. explain how several fundamental political concepts are combined to conceive of legitimate government.
  2. understand how to address questions such as ¿How is political authority possible?¿ or ¿Do we have a duty to obey the state?¿
  3. articulate the differences between the political, moral, public and private spheres of activity.
  4. conduct conceptual analysis of inter-related, abstract concepts.
  5. give clear, structured arguments in favour of or against a proffered conceptual analysis, revision or elaboration.
Reading List
Indicative titles:
J. P. Plamenatz, Consent, Freedom and Obligation.
Isaiah Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Rigorous reasoning about sometimes difficult and controversial theoretical matters, as well as increased subtlety in the application of abstract concepts to the political domain.
Keywordspolitical philosophy,liberty,freedom,political obligation
Contacts
Course organiserDr David Levy
Tel: (0131 6)50 9943
Email: david.levy@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Ida Conlin
Tel:
Email: iconlin@ed.ac.uk
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