Metaphysics PHIL5073

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Humanities
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This courses discusses a number of major issues in metaphysics such as Necessity and Possibility; Identity; Existence; Time, Change and Persistence; and Determinism and Freedom.

Timetable

2 lectures per week for 9 weeks, plus 4 tutorials. The course may not run every year. Options running this year are available on MyCampus.

Requirements of Entry

Standard entry to Masters at College level

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Two essays, equally weighted, each with a word limit of 2500 words.

Course Aims

The course aims to:

 

■ introduce students to a number of major issues in metaphysics.

■ familiarise students with the main positions and arguments within each topic.

■ enable students to deploy these arguments for themselves.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

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

■ identify and explain the key issues in metaphysics, such as: Necessity and Possibility; Identity; Existence; Time, Change and Persistence; and Determinism and Freedom.

■ expound the varying views on these topics covered in the course 

■ critically assess the positions using appropriate specialist terminologies 

 

Assessment for this course is at Masters Level.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.