Mind and World in the History of Philosophy

Module overview

This module will explore how philosophy as we know it today has been shaped profoundly by past debates over the nature of the world we inhabit and what we can hope to know about it. For example, in the 17th and 18th centuries, Europe experienced enormous intellectual upheaval, driven crucially by revolutions in science that seemed to reveal a gap between the world as it really is and as it appears to be. This was a transformative period for philosophy too, as thinkers across Europe critically explored the emerging worldviews and the place of both humans and God within them. This module will introduce you to the ideas and arguments of a range of prominent philosophers from this era, such as René Descartes, John Locke, Benedict de Spinoza, Gottfried Leibniz, and David Hume—as well as neglected but important thinkers, such as Margaret Cavendish, Anne Conway, Damaras Masham, and Anton Wilhelm Amo. In doing so, it will reveal the contemporary significance of their answers to such questions as: What is the fundamental nature of reality? How does the mind relate to the body? How does perception relate us to the external world? What is causation? Is there a God? Are there limits to human knowledge?

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

take notes from talks and written materials.
Analyse, and produce, writing on complex topics
work effectively to deadlines.
undertake, with adequate supervision, independent work, including identifying and using appropriate resources.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

some of the central issues in the history of theoretical philosophy
the enduring relevance of the issues that animate the history of philosophy
theoretical issues arising specifically in the context of the early modern period

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

interpret, synthesise and criticise philosophically complex texts and positions.
present and debate philosophical ideas in an open minded and rigorous way.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

Lectures
In-class discussion
Group tutorials

Learning activities include

Attending lectures
Contributing to discussion in lectures and tutorials
Doing research for and writing assessed essays
Applying techniques and skills learnt to your reading and writing inside and outside the module

Study time
Type	Hours
Lecture	33
Seminar	7
Independent Study	110
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps.

Textbooks

Jonathan Bennett (1971). Locke, Berkeley, Hume: Central Themes. Oxford University Press.

John Cottingham (ed) (2008). Western Philosophy: An Anthology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Essay proposal

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback:
Final Assessment:
Group Work: No
Percentage contribution: 100%

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Test	10%
Presentation	20%
Essay	70%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Timed Assignment	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	70%
Test	10%
Presentation	20%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External