Course Catalogue

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The focus of this course is affective experience, the phenomenon of certain experiences (such as pain) feeling bad or good. Affective experience is the focus of increasing philosophical and scientific attention. It poses numerous questions across a range of philosophical areas (and beyond), from philosophy of mind and psychology to value theory.

16x1hr lectures and 4x1hr seminars as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in Philosophy and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Philosophy, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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None.

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Essay (2000 words) - 65%

■ Written assignment (1000 words) - 35% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the essay and written pieces, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

■ Allow students to gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of debates concerning affective experience;

■ Allow students to explore the nature of affect and particular affective experiences, e.g. pain or pleasure;

■ Encourage students to develop analytical and critical skills, by considering and developing key arguments and positions.

By the end of the course students will be able to:

 Formulate clearly, and explain, the key philosophical theories of affect and of affective experiences such as pain and pleasure

 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the key philosophical approaches to affect and to affective experiences such as pain and pleasure

 Critically assess debates about the relationship between (on the one hand) affect and affective experiences, and (on the other) representational content, perception, evaluation, desire, motivation, and action

D certain anomalous cases (such as phantom limb cases, pain insensitivity, pain asymbolia, masochism, and anhedonia) and explain their theoretical significance

 Articulate complex arguments in clear, written form.