UZRPMW-30-1 Problems of the Self

Module handbook 2014-15

Module Leader: Dagmar Wilhelm dagmar.wilhelm@uwe.ac.uk

Module Team: Charlotte Alderwick c.alderwick@hotmail.co.uk

Lectures: Monday 11am – 12pm in Room: 3E12 Frenchay CampusColloquia: Monday 12pm -1pm in Room: 4B027 Frenchay Campus

Seminars: See your personal timetable for day, time, and room.

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Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Staff details:

Dr Dagmar WilhelmOffice: 3E6b (Frenchay Campus)Office hours: Tuesday 10:30 – 11:30 (and you are welcome to see me at other times, just knock on the office door or email for a meeting)E-mail: dagmar.wilhelm@uwe.ac.uk

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Contents1. PROBLEMS OF THE SELF: THE CONTENTS OF THE COURSE..........................................4

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES.................................................................................................................4

3. ORGANISATION OF THE MODULE............................................................................................4

3.1 TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS............................................................................................43.2 YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.................................................................................................................43.3. STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES................................................................................................................53.4. FACILITIES AND RESOURCES..........................................................................................................5

4. MODULE PROGRAMME.................................................................................................................6

5. LECTURE DETAILS.........................................................................................................................7

WEEK-BY-WEEK BREAKDOWN OF TOPICS AND READING......................................................................7

6. ASSESSMENT...................................................................................................................................106.1. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA.................................................................................................................10PLEASE READ THE SECTIONS ‘WRITING AND YOUR OWN WORDS’ AND ‘REFERENCING’ BELOW CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. FAILURE TO REFERENCE PROPERLY WILL BE PENALISED AND SUSPECTED PLAGIARISM CASES WILL BE REFERRED TO THE PLAGIARISM OFFICER. .................................................................................................................................................6.2. WRITING IN YOUR OWN WORDS....................................................................................................116.3 REFERENCING.................................................................................................................................116.4. ASSESSMENT DETAILS...................................................................................................................15FIRST OPPORTUNITY............................................................................................................................15SECOND ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITY (REFERRAL).............................................................................16

7. SOURCE MATERIAL.....................................................................................................................16

GOOD ONLINE RESOURCES...................................................................................................................17

8. REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS FOR DISABLED STUDENTS..............................................18

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1.Problems of the Self: the contents of the course

This module will offer a problem-oriented introduction to a range of philosophical questions about the self, understood broadly to include questions about the mind and body (and their relationship), consciousness, self-knowledge, personal identity, human nature, and a range of issues connected with human action.

2.Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Display a knowledge of contemporary philosophical debates surrounding the nature of the self and related topics.

• Understand the nature of philosophical argument.

• Demonstrate the ability to think critically about philosophical problems.

• Show transferable writing skills developed through the presentation and analysis of complex philosophical arguments.

All learning outcomes will be assessed at all assessment points.

3.Organisation of the Module

3.1 Teaching and Learning Methods

Teaching will follow a lecture/colloqium/seminar format, with a one-hour formal lecture, which you must attend scrupulously, and a one hour informal lecture (colloquium) which you must also attend scrupulously. In a separate, much smaller room, you will then attend much more informal seminars, at which you will be able to discuss the material in the lecture and the readings.

3.2 Your responsibilities

Lectures

Lecture attendance is absolutely essential. If you do not attend the lectures your chances of success in the module will be severely diminished. If you cannot attend the lecture for a given week, you should contact your seminar leader to provide a reason for your absence.

Colloquia

Colloquia attendance is absolutely essential. The colloquia allow you to discuss issues that arise from lectures. If you cannot attend the a colloqium in a given week, please contact your seminar leader or module leader and provide reasons for your absence.

Seminars

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The seminar is the place for you to speak, and to learn to feel comfortable speaking in a small group, in a relatively informal context. The idea is to clarify anything you didn’t understand in the lectures and the reading and the exercises. As well as to share with others any ideas that occurred to you while working on the material for that week. Seminar attendance is all the more important if you have not understood something from the lecture. Reading Assignments

You must do the reading before the lecture. The reading should take you at least 2-3 hours per week. It may take longer. Reading critically and carefully takes time. Do not rush through the reading. If you’re struggling with it, the only answer is to do more reading and to talk to your tutors. At the same time, the library should become your second home.

3.3. Staff responsibilities

Staff will aim to produce useful, interesting, thought-provoking lectures, and to provide you with some insight, background, and a way into the material in question, as well as to philosophy as a whole. In seminars, tutors will attempt to foster an atmosphere that makes it comfortable to have a free discussion without fear, and to clear up as many obscurities as they can.

Staff will return work, with feedback, within 4 working weeks of the submission date and will try to mark exams within 2 weeks of the exam date. Staff will be available to discuss your work on a one-to-one basis during our office hours.

3.4. Facilities and Resources

Blackboard. ‘Blackboard’ is an electronic system which gives each module its own website, where useful information can be provided to every student on the course. You should have access to it when you log into a UWE computer or get to the UWE homepage on any web browser. To find it, go to http://www.uwe.ac.uk/?page=1 and click on MyUWE.

On the website for each particular course, often under the heading ‘Course Materials’, you’ll find the module handbook, lecture notes, readings, and all sorts of things. You should check every week, particularly before the lectures and seminars, to see if there is anything new for you to do or read.

You will also be able to find there information about seminars, and essay questions, and the kind of criteria used to assess your work.

You must check Blackboard regularly (every week, or even more often) for updates so that you know of any last minute changes or other important information.

Library. You are expected to use the full potential of the UWE library system, including the e-library. There will be a very useful introduction to the library during the first week’s seminars for Reason and Knowledge. UWE has any number of disparate campuses, and the books that you want may be at the library on other campuses: you can go there, or more conveniently perhaps, you can use the inter-site loan system which will bring the books you need to the particular campus you want (probably St. Matthias). Many books and journals are now available electronically, which should make access to them easy at any time and place. If you cannot find a resource, please let us know so we can order additional copies or locate the

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texts and place them in the ‘short loan’ section of the library. So do email the lecturer if you are having problems finding a text in the bookshop, library, or online.

Electronic journals. For more detail on useful online journals look at section 7 in this handbook, ‘Source Material’. Generally these can be found from the library catalogue page: click the button ‘User Services’ and ‘Electronic Resources’. You can also find these ‘e-journals’ via the library catalogue, through a journal title search.

E-mail: Emails will inform you of important updates, news about the assignments, lectures and seminars etc. This information will be sent to your UWE email, no other, so check your UWE email regularly.

4.Module Programme

Below, you will find a full schedule for term 1 and an outline of term 2. A full schedule of readings and lectures for term 2 will be made available before the start of term 2.

Term 1

Course Description

In this section of the course we will focus on the question of what a self is and the problem of how we can know the self. We will look at both analytic and continental accounts of the nature of self-knowledge and consider obstacles to self-knowledge and attempts to overcome these obstacles.

TextsReading will be taken from a selection of different thinkers and therefore most weeks a PDF will be provided on blackboard for you to download, though you will also be able to find copies of the books they are taken from in the library or may choose to purchase these books.

Term 2

Course Description

In this section of the course we will examine the problematic notion of ‘human nature’ and ‘human flourishing’. What is it to be a human being? Do human beings have an immutable essence? Are there distinguishing characteristics, ways of acting, thinking, feeling, etc. that members of our species have naturally? How does essence relate to well-being? Are there universal, objective condition that are conducive to human flourishing? We will explore these and similar questions through an historical survey of philosophical approaches to the question of human nature (Aristotle, Rousseau, Marx, Marcuse and Honneth).

Texts

We will read selections from the authors mentioned above. All required reading in term 2 will be provided either via Blackboard or in a reader.

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5.Lecture Details

TERM 1

Week 1: Introductory lecture: What is a self?

Essential Seminar Reading: There is no set reading this week, we will focus on our preconceptions about what a self is and what we know about ourselves.

Week 2: Synchronic aspect of self/dualism

Essential Reading: Rene Descartes, Meditations 2&6 in his Meditations (any edition)

Further Suggested Reading:G. Hatfield Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Descartes and the Meditations, Routledge, 2003, chapters 4 &8A. Oksenberg Rorty “Descartes on thinking with the body” in J. Cottingham (ed) The Cambridge Companion to Descartes, CUP, 2005, pp 371 – 392George Dicker Descartes, an analytical and historical introduction, OUP, 1993, chapters 2&5.

Week 3: Synchroni aspect of Self/ Physicalism

Essential Reading: Bernard Williams Problems of the Self, CUP 1973, pp. 64 – 81

Further Suggested ReadingP. F. Strawson Individuals, Methuen, London, 1959.Parfit, Derek Reasons and Persons (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984)Carl Gillett and Barry Loewer Physicalism and its discontents, CUP, 2001 (available online via library)

Week 4: Diachronic aspect of Self :Personal Identity

Essential Seminar Reading (available on Blackboard): Lowe, E. J., An Introduction To The Philosophy of Mind, Chapter 10 pp 264-287

Further Suggested Reading:Parfit, Derek Reasons and Persons (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984)Shoemaker, Sydney Self-Knowledge and Self-Identity (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1963)Williams, Bernard ‘The Self and the Future’, Philosophical Review 79 (1970), pp. 161–80, reprinted in his Problems of the Self (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,1973)

Week 5: Self-Perception

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Essential Seminar Reading (available on Blackboard): Lowe, E. J., An Introduction To The Philosophy of Mind, Chapter 10 pp 288-297

Further Suggested Reading:

D. Hume A Treatise of Human Nature, P. H. Nidditsch (ed) OUP, 1978, especially Book I, section VI “Of personal identity” pp. 251 – 263.Jane L. McIntyre “Hume and the Problem of Personal Identity” in David Fate Norton & Jacqueline Taylor (eds) The Cambridge Companion to Hume, second edition, CUP, 2009, pp. 177 – 208P. Guyer Kant Routledge, 2006, chapter 3, esp. pp 134 -138P. Guyer The Cambridge Companion to Kant, CUP, 1995, Introduction and chapter 4.

Week 6: The genesis of self-consciousness

Essential Seminar Reading:A. Wood Hegel’s Ethical Thought

Further Suggested Reading:A. Honneth “From desire to recognition: Hegel’s account of human sociality” in D. Moyar & M. Quante (eds) Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit – a critical guide, CUP, 2008, pp. 76 – 90.M. J. Inwood Hegel, Routledge, 1983, chapter 2Frederick Beiser Hegel, Routledge, 2005, chapter 8

Week 7: Sartre

Essential Seminar Reading (available on Blackboard): Sartre, Jean-Paul, Being and Nothingness, trans. Hazel Barnes (London: Routledge, 2003):243 – 326 and 383 – 452.

Further Suggested ReadingCatalano, Joseph A Commentary on Jean-Paul Sartre’s ‘Being and Nothingness’, (London; Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1985), pp. 78-92 (available on Blackboard)Gardner, Sebastian Sartre’s Being and Nothingness, (London; New York: Continuum, 2009)Warnock, Mary, ‘Introduction’ in Being and Nothingness trans. Hazel Barnes (London: Routledge, 2003): xi-xxi.Warnock, Mary, The Philosophy of Sartre (Hutcheson, 1965)

Week 8: The priority of the other: Scheler and Buber

Essential ReadingQ. Smith “Max Scheler and the classification of feelings”, Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, Volume 9, 1, 114 – 138.

Further Suggested Reading

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Max Scheler The Nature of Sympathy (any edition) especially Part I. I – I. iii (on Fellow - Feeling)Martin Buber I and Thou (any edition)Martin Buber “The philosophical Anthropology of Max Scheler”, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 6, 2, 307 – 321.z. Davis and A. Steinbock “Max Scheler” SEP (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scheler/)

Week 9: Freud’s Theory of the Unconscious

Essential Seminar Reading (available on Blackboard):Freud, S. ‘Five Lectures on Psycho-analysis’ in Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud Vol 11, trans. J Strachey (London: Vintage, 2001) Lectures 1-3, pp. 9-28

Further Suggested Reading:Freud, S. ‘The Ego and the ID’ in On Metapsychology: the theory of psychoanalysis: 'Beyond the pleasure principle' 'The Ego and the id' and other works (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1991) Freud, S. Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Vol 4, Part 1: The Interpretation of Dreams, and Vol 5 Part 2: The Interpretation of Dreams trans. J Strachey (London: Vintage, 2001)Storr, A. Freud a Very Short Introduction (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1989)Wollheim, R., Freud (London: Fontana, 1971)

Week 10: Essay Preparation Week

Week 11: Freud

Essential Seminar Reading (available on Blackboard): Freud, S. ‘Five Lectures on Pyschoanalysis’ in Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud Vol 11, trans. J Strachey (London: Vintage, 2001) Lectures 4-5, pp. 29-55

Further Suggested Reading:See week 9

Week 12: Revision session

Term 2 (Outline )

NB. A complete schedule of readings will be made available before the start of term 2.

Week 1: Introductory lecture: The Question of Human Nature and human flourishing (Term 2 outline)

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Week 2: Alasdair MacIntyre, Dependent, Rational Animals, Chapter 1 (Vulnerability, dependence, and animality) & 2 (Humans as contrasted with, humans as a class of animals)

Week 3: Alasdair MacIntyre, Dependent, Rational Animals, Chapter 7 (Vulnerability, flourishing, goods and 'good')

Week 4: Jean Jacques Rousseau, Second Discourse on Inequality, The beginning of the modern view of human nature, Dedication and Preface, and Beginning of First Part pp. 1-13

Week 5: Jean Jacques Rousseau, Second Discourse, Read to end of Part I, pp. 13-23

Week 6: Jean Jacques Rousseau, Second Discourse , Part II, pp. 23-33

Week 7: Jean Jacques Rousseau, Second Discourse , Part II, pp. 33-41

Week 8: Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts (First Manuscript, sections ‘On Estranged Labour, pp. 28-35), ‘Species-Being’, Does Marx have an idea of of human nature, function and flourishing?

Week 9: Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts (selections), ‘Species-Being’, Marx's concept of Alienation,

Week 10: H. Marcuse on emancipation

Week 11: A. Honneth – recognizing another

Week 12: TBA / Revision session

Assessments

This course is assessed by essay, exam and also ongoing seminar questions.

Essay Deadline 1 4th December 2pmEssay Deadline 2 19th March 2 pm

6.1. Assessment criteria

Assessment criteria for essays: • Clarity: the essay should be clearly written. The ideas presented in it should be

coherent and easy to follow. The writing style should enable, not hamper understanding. Write short, clear sentences in short, clear paragraphs.

• Argument: the essay should present an argument in an organized and coherent manner and follow it through. Listing someone else’s ideas or reiteration of primary

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material is ideally not enough. The essay must try to construct a coherent argument of its own.

• Structure: the essay should be structured: it should have a clear introduction, body and conclusion, and perhaps subheadings. The ideas should be separated clearly into paragraphs, and there should be a logical and thematic flow from one paragraph to the next.

• Conceptual clarity: the essay should demonstrate a clear understanding of concepts used. The concepts should be used consistently throughout the essay. Alertness to conceptual issues is expected. Try to define your terms when you first introduce them.

• Relevance and discrimination: the essay should only present material that is relevant to the essay subject. However interesting tangential material may be, it’s not possible to give it any extra marks. Be prepared to read a lot and write in as succinct a manner as possible.

• Presentation: the essay should be typed, edited and proof-read carefully, showing appropriate division into paragraphs, grammar, spelling and referencing. Poor grammar, word choice and typos will result in lower marks. Appropriate referencing and a full bibliography at the end are essential. The essay should be printed with each line doubly-spaced and should use a 12-point font. Printing on both sides of the page, if possible, is encouraged, to save paper.

• Scholarship: the essay should engage with material and sources appropriate to first year undergraduate level. Lack of scholarship and poor research are common problems that will radically curtail your ability to write a good essay. Online sources are of varying quality and shouldn’t be wholly relied upon. Do not rely solely on internet resources. Do not rely on just one or two pieces of secondary literature. Do not read randomly. Use your time wisely by consulting the secondary literature listed in this booklet and in the bibliographies of other respectable books. Generally, the more reading you do, the better your essay will be. But you shouldn’t expect to refer to and quote from all of these books in the actual essay. That can easily lead to the essay’s being a patchwork of quotations. This reading will in general just enhance your understanding and allow you to write a better essay without getting directly involved.

Assessment criteria for examinations: • Clarity: the exam answers should be clearly written. The ideas presented in them

should be coherent and easy to follow. Write short, clear sentences in short, clear paragraphs.

• Argument: the exam answers should present an argument in an organized and coherent manner and follow it through. Summarising someone else’s ideas or reiteration of primary material is insufficient. The answer must address the question asked.

• Structure: the exam answers should have a clear introduction, body and conclusion. If necessary, try writing out a rough plan or a diagram or list of topics before you start to write, to make sure that you don’t miss anything out. The ideas should be separated clearly into paragraphs, and there should be a logical and thematic flow from one paragraph to the next.

• Conceptual clarity: the exam answers should demonstrate a clear understanding of concepts used. The concepts should be used consistently throughout the answers. Alertness to conceptual issues is expected.

• Relevance and discrimination: the exam answers should only present material that is relevant to the question asked. Failure to answer the question will lead to a lower

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mark. Only very little of the background reading will actually find its way into the exam answers. Be prepared to read a lot and write little.

• Scholarship: the exam answers should engage with as much material and as many sources as possible. You will need to take good notes throughout the year, and work hard at revision, in order to write a good exam. When revising use your time wisely by consulting the secondary literature list provided below. Go over the lecture notes, talk to others who are also revising for the same exam, and talk to your tutors.

Assessment Criteria for Seminar Questions:

For this element of assessment you will either be asked to answer assigned seminar questions or to come prepared with two of your own questions about that weeks’ readings. These should be handed in at the end of the session. If your questions are not discussed during the lecture and/or seminar you may introduce them yourself into the discussion. You may be asked to present your questions during seminars if the tutor sees fit. The questions will be graded on an all or nothing basis; if you hand in the questions you will receive credit for them. If you hand in 20 sets of questions for the full year you will receive the full 5%. Credit will be awarded proportionate to the number of weeks that questions are handed in.

Please read the sections ‘writing and your own words’ and ‘referencing’ below carefully and follow the instructions. Failure to reference properly will be penalised and suspected plagiarism cases will be referred to the plagiarism officer.

6.2. Writing in your own wordsThe great majority of the assignment should be written in your own words.

This is important for three main reasons. First, it is important for you to demonstrate your command of written English. Second, using your own words enables you to show that you have understood the sources that you have read. Third, it enables you to show that you can construct an argument which is your own.

When you do use others’ words – whether citing from books, articles or web-sites – it should be:

i.     relatively infrequent ii.     Brief (at most, a couple of sentences at a time)iii.    Properly referenced (i.e. add the author, with the date or name of the article, and the page number after the quotation or paraphrase) [see the detailed guidance on referencing below] 

6.3 ReferencingWhat is referencing?Referencing involves noting the sources (e.g. books, articles, websites etc) you use in writing a piece of coursework and referring to them in a way that makes them unambiguously identifiable.

Why reference?1. Making an argument or offering an interpretation are public acts. It is necessary to make your sources publicly available. Referencing is how this is done. Failure to reference accurately is therefore a failure of scholarship, and will be penalised. If you go back to your

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work at a later date (say, to revise for exams) you may want a reminder of your sources so you can re-read them. Referencing tells you where to go back to look. In reading the work of others, their referencing lets you discover their sources and so tells you where to find additional, important material. Even if you do not go on to look at these sources immediately you are adding to your knowledge in discovering what is worth reading on a particular subject.

2. It is a hallmark of academic writing.You will find it in the books and articles you read for your course.

3. It avoids any suggestion of plagiarism.Referencing shows that you are not attempting to claim the work of others as your own.

• REFERENCING IS REQUIRED FOR ALL WRITTEN COURSEWORK• FAILURE TO REFERENCE— OR SERIOUSLY INADEQUATE REFERENCING

— WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR MARK

What to reference1. When you use the exact words of another person.2. When you use the ideas, thoughts, opinions, interpretations of others, paraphrasing them.

How to referenceThere are several different formats. We use the Harvard Method. There is an extensive guide to this (and other formats) on the UWE library webpages, ‘Guide to Referencing’. Below we provide a very brief guide to the Harvard Method. Much more can be found at http://iskillzone.uwe.ac.uk/RenderPages/RenderConstellation.aspx?Context=10&Area=8&Room=25&Constellation=39

NB. You must reference a page number even when paraphrasing or otherwise representing the idea of another author. This is regardless of what might be written elsewhere in the UWE referencing guides.

Where to referenceIn the Harvard Method a reference is made in two different places:

1. In the place where you quote the words of another person or refer to their ideas. Put the reference in brackets at the end of the sentence before the full stop. Write the author’s surname, the date of publication, and the page(s) you refer to.

In the example below exact words are quoted and so inverted commas are used to surround the words. Note that p. is short for page number:

‘The war in Iraq provided a spectacular demonstration of US military power’ (Herbert, 2006, p.241).

In the next example, the author’s exact words are not quoted so there are no inverted commas. Note that pp. is short for page numbers (plural):

Plato argued that in a democracy citizens will be free to live as they choose (Plato, 1955, pp. 327-31).

2. At the end. This is the ‘bibliography’ – the list of all the sources you have referred to. The list is organised in alphabetical order by the surname of the author. The bibliography gives more information than the reference within the text.

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An example of a bibliography is: Downs, A., (1957), An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harper and Row

Fieldhouse, E.and D. Cutts, (2005)., ‘The Liberal Democrats: steady progress or failure to seize the moment?’, in A. Geddes and J.Tonge, (eds.), Britain Decides: The UK General Election 2005. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.70-90.

Hansard (2005) House of Commons Debates,http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmse0405.htm [accessed 14 July 2007]

Katz, R. and P. Mair, (1995), ‘Changing Models of Party Organization and Party Democracy: The Emergence of the Cartel Party’, Party Politics 1 (1), pp. 5-28.

Worcester, R., R.Mortimore and P. Baines, (2005). Explaining Labour’s Landslide. London: Politico.

The bibliography shows:• The surname of the author(s) (or the name of the organisation)• Their first initial• The year of publication• The title of the book or article (for an article, the title appears in inverted commas) • Where it was published. i. For a book this is a place — a town or city (not the county or the country; although in many bibliographies the abbreviation of the American state is given). and the name of the publisher. An example in the bibliography above is New York: Harper and Row.

ii. For an article This is either

The name of the journal, the volume and issue number, and the page numbers. An example in the bibliography above is Party Politics 1 (1), pp.5-28.[The first figure is the volume number. Usually each year of a journal has an individual volume number. There are usually several separate issues each year. If so, then each issue will have a separate number, and this is the figure in brackets after the volume number. Sometimes this is also written as 1:1 (Volume:Issue)]

or the book within which the article appeared and who edited it. An example in the bibliography above is

in A. Geddes and J. Tonge, (eds.), Britain Decides: The UK General Election 2005. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.70-90.[Note that ‘eds.’ is short for editors, ‘ed.’ is short for editor]

iii. For a website this is the URL and the date you looked at it (this is needed because often addresses change and content is sometimes deleted). An example of this is:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmse0405.htm [accessed14 July 2007]

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6.4. Assessment details

First and second referral opportunities

First Assessment OpportunityThe first ‘assessment opportunity’ means that you do the assignments on time throughout the year, and the vast majority of you will manage this. There are three types of assessments for the first assessment opportunity - an examination, seminar questions and 2 essays:

Component A (Controlled conditions)Examination (3 hours) 30%Seminar Questions 10%

Component B (Coursework)Essay 1 (2000 words) 25%Essay 2 (2000 words) 35%

EXAMINATION (30%): will take place during the exam period towards the end of the academic year. The exam comprises two sections, each containing 5 questions, and each dealing with one term of the module. Students are responsible for answering 3 questions, one from each of the two sections and a third of the student’s choice from either section.

Your answers in the examination should be clear, concise, well-informed and well-argued. Study guidelines and revision strategies will be issued nearer the time, and revision sessions will take place after Easter.

SEMINAR QUESTION (10%): Each week you will either be assigned pre-set seminar questions or be asked to come prepared to the seminars with two of your own questions. These will be marked on an all or nothing basis, if you come to the seminar prepared you will receive full credit for the week. Students must complete 10 seminar assignments per term to receive full credit.

ESSAY 1 (25%) on material from term 1, of 2000 words: The assignment must be typed, double-spaced and in 12 point font. It is due by 4 December 2014, before 2pm.

** Essay questions will be available on blackboard by week 8 **

ESSAY 2 35%) on material from term 2, of 2000 words. The assignment must be typed, double-spaced and in 12 point font . You will be given a range of questions in the beginning of Term II. The essay is due by 19 March 2015, by 2pm.

All assignments and essays must be handed/submitted on-line in before 2pm on the given date.

Second Assessment Opportunity (Referral)

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If you fail a component, either the coursework or the controlled conditions (exam), then you might be allowed to resit. This is known as ‘referral’, and this will be your second assessment opportunity.

For the second assessment opportunity there will be two components. However, you will not need to resit all components if you have passed one of them. You must resit only the component you have failed. If you have failed both components (A and B), then you will need to resit all the assessments. The elements of the assessment for the second opportunity are:

Component A (Controlled conditions)Examination (3 hours) 40%

Component B (Coursework)Essay 1 (2000 words) 30%Essay 2 (2000 words) 30%

EXAM (40%): 3 hours. This will be exactly the same format as for the first opportunity, with 3 hours of examination devoted to answering 3 questions, one from each section.

Two ESSAYS of 2000 words (30% & 30%). You must write an essay addressing the questions and materials from each half of the course (term 1&2). Other assessment criteria and instructions are the same as for the first assessment.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT REFERRAL COURSEWORK: If you have been referred for the coursework component you must hand in both elements of the component (translation: you must hand in two essays even if you have already passed one). HOWEVER, if you have passed on essay and failed another, you may resubmit the essay that you passed as the referral submission, along with a new essay. BUT, you must submit both essays! Please do not get caught out by this rule.

7. Source MaterialBooks

Bibliographies are not intended to frighten you, although they often do. They are not just a starting point for you own studies, but something you should learn about. They provide, if you like, conceptual maps of the area you are studying: they chart particular areas of study and the debates that these have generated. It might be best not to see them in linear form but more like a map where one starting point can mark the beginning of many journeys in many directions. So if you find a book that really stimulates you, or you find very helpful, follow the further references it provides. Hence many of the books below are starting points or suggestions, platforms from which to jump off in your own direction.

Journals

Always consult philosophy journals for relevant articles and recent debates. The popular magazines Philosophy Now and The Philosopher’s Magazine carry exciting articles on philosophers and philosophical topics aimed at a general readership. Academic journals, meanwhile, are held in the library (and are increasingly available electronically, through the library website). A good online collection is JSTOR – go to the library homepage and click on ‘Electronic resources’ to find it and other online collections and journals which you can look at or download. But don’t rely only on JSTOR: it generally has only the older journal articles.

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Better to look at the websites of current journals, or try to use the copies in the library, or access the articles through the library website, electronically.

Websites (Wikipedia etc.)

These can be a good source of initial information, to give you a general idea of something you feel that you should have known about already, and to give you some ideas of what to read, but they must not be used as a source of information that you can simply insert into essays. You should be critical about websites (anyone can have one, and write whatever they want on it) and never use them as the sole resource for your essay.

Good online resources• Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy online is hugely informative and allows

searches by keyword. It is available through the UWE online library catalogue.• Google Scholar• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/contents.html• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/

These are very handy for looking up philosophical terms and for clarifying concepts or ideas you are not sure about. They all have useful further reading suggestions.

Never rely on definitions from non-specialist dictionaries for defining philosophical terms.

8. Reasonable adjustments for disabled studentsThe University recognizes that there are circumstances where a student should be entitled to claim some form of reasonable adjustment to the format of an existing assessment task on grounds that are 'disability-related'. If you find yourself in such a position it is essential that you speak to the nominated 'disability contact' in your department who can advise you of the process for making such an application. Please note that speed is of the essence as it can sometimes take a considerable period of time to produce the required medical information and for the Department to organize an 'alternative assessment format'. If in doubt, speak to your disability contact as soon as possible.

Evidence of need should be seen and recorded by the Disability Service who will allow the necessary information to be known to a wider range of staff. Colleagues in Schools and Departments dealing with the student will be guided by the staff in the Disability Service.  Clear institutional processes will ensure that any requests for reasonable adjustments are considered fairly and transparently, with parity across all faculties.

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Both Faculty and Disability Service staff will collaborate to agree reasonable adjustments and ensure that necessary preparations are put in hand. Students should contact their Student Advisors in the first instance.

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