Course Catalogue

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Susan Stebbing, the first woman to be a professor of philosophy in the United Kingdom, was a central figure in early analytic philosophy. Stebbing developed important contributions in theoretical subjects such as philosophy of language, epistemology, and metaphysics, but also applied these theories to practical problems in her work on critical thinking, popular physics, and politics. This course will introduce students to both sides of her philosophy and show that even rigorous theoretical philosophy can affect one's life outside of the classroom.  

16x1hr lectures, 4x1hr seminars over 10 weeks 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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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Essay 1 (2500 words) - 50%

■ Essay 2 (2500 words) - 50%

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 essays, 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:

■ Introduce students to the major themes in the philosophy of Susan Stebbing in their historical setting.

■ Provide students the opportunity to apply abstract philosophical theories to real world problems, including the communication of scientific results and the assessment of political arguments.

■ Develop core philosophical skills of historical reconstruction, argumentation, and philosophical analysis.

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

■ Explain the major theories developed in the work of Susan Stebbing in their historical context. 

■ Identify obstacles to clear thinking resulting from compressed or emotionally toned language in political discussion and in the communication of scientific results. 

■ Produce sustained written arguments evaluating different notions of philosophical analysis. 

■ Critically analyse different views of communication as developed in the works of Stebbing and her contemporaries.