Course Catalogue

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Philosophy is an activity. This course focuses on developing the skills of doing philosophy. In particular, we focus on three primary texts to introduce, model, and practice fifteen skills falling under the broad headings of reading, writing, and talking philosophy.

7x1hr lectures, 4x1hr seminars, 3x1hr workshops, and 3x2hr workshops over 10 weeks as scheduled 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: 

■ 10 x set exercises (20%) 

■ 1 x 500-word marking exercise (10%) 

■ 1 x 2000-word essay (60%) 

■ 1 x 5-minute oral presentation (10%) 

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 set exercises, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

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

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

■ A Video Presentation as an alternative to the oral presentation.

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

This course aims to:

■ Provide students with a sustained and focused opportunity to develop the skills of doing philosophy by actively engaging with three key texts.

■ Create opportunities for students to reflect upon the nature of distinctive philosophical skills and the processes of acquiring them.

■ Encourage students to become adept at surfacing acquired transferable skills.

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

■ Apply and demonstrate key skills in reading philosophy to three primary texts, including contextualising, interrogating, and summarising texts, argument reconstruction, and position comparison.

■ Employ key skills in writing philosophy to at least two primary texts, including identifying a thesis, developing an argument, anticipating and responding to objections, outlining, drafting, and editing.

■ Deploy key skills in talking philosophy using at least one primary text, including public speaking, developing presentational aids, and asking and answering questions.