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Department of Philosophy

Guide to Modules for Second Year Students in


2018/19

0
Guide to Second Year Modules for 2018 - 19
Contents

Section 1 – Introduction

Modules 2

Key Ideas modules 2

Second Year Option Modules 2

Electives 3

Languages for All 3

Changing modules 3

Maximum numbers on modules 4

Section 2 – Degree Programmes Structures


Philosophy Single Subject 5

English and Philosophy 6

Philosophy and Linguistics 6

French/German and Philosophy 7

History and Philosophy 7

Mathematics and Philosophy 7

Philosophy and Sociology 8

Physics with Philosophy 8

Section 3 – Module Details


Key Ideas 9-12

Politics Modules 13

Second Year Options 13-16

1
Section 1 – Introduction
This Catalogue sets out the modules which will be available to present first year students in their second
year, 2018-19. All current first year students, whatever their combination, need to choose the Philosophy
modules for their second year. These choices can be reviewed later, with certain restrictions (see
Changing Modules on the next page). Students on joint programmes will hear from their other
department about the modules they need to take with them.

Students will need to register their module selections via an online system which will be made available
between 10 am on Monday 26th February and 5 pm on Monday 5th March. More information about this
will be sent out shortly and students should check their University of York email account regularly for any
updates.

Advice from Supervisors


You are strongly advised to read through this catalogue and then discuss your module options with your
supervisor before selecting the modules online. Supervisors are available during their Drop-in Feedback
and Advice Time sessions or at other times by special arrangement. These sessions are available at:
Staff Contact Details - Spring Term 2018 and are also posted on the wall near the Philosophy office.

If you are a joint student and your supervisor is not in Philosophy you can discuss your choices with the
following Philosophy members of staff who act as Joint Programme Advisers whose contact and
availability details can be found at the link above:

English/Philosophy – Peter Lamarque


History/Philosophy – David Efird
Maths/Philosophy – Mary Leng
Physics/Philosophy – Mary Leng
Linguistics/Philosophy – Barry Lee
French or German/Philosophy – Barry Lee
Sociology/Philosophy – David Efird

Modules

All modules taken in the second and third year are University assessed and count towards your final
degree classification. Students must take 120 credits over the course of the year. This includes modules
taken for assessment in any other department.

Key Ideas (20 credits)/ Key Ideas – Short (10 credits – for specific programmes only)
The Key Ideas modules introduce key issues in three central areas of philosophy:
 Value
 Theoretical Philosophy
 History of Philosophy

They are designed to aid development of core philosophical skills.

Second Year Options (10 credits)


Second year options give you an opportunity to broaden your knowledge of the discipline by taking
shorter, more focused modules dealing with a particular area, topic or skill.

Lecture-based Modules

These modules are designed to introduce a specialist area of Philosophy and are generally taught by
weekly lectures, with four additional 1.5 hour seminars during the term.

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Reading Group Modules

These modules provide an opportunity for close study of a philosophical text and are generally taught by
a weekly 90-minute reading group to discuss set reading.

Elective Modules – (Please note that only students on the Philosophy Single Subject programme may
substitute a Philosophy module for an elective in their second year)

Within the University Elective Module scheme the opportunity exists to substitute modules in other
departments for some Philosophy modules. If you wish to take any elective module you should first
consult the University's Compendium of Elective Modules:
http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/sro/electives.htm), see your supervisor or joint programme adviser, and
then enquire in the relevant department whether space is available. Forms for elective registration are
available online at: http://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/current/undergraduate/modules/#tab-4 and also
from Carol Dixon in the Philosophy Office to whom the form must be returned on completion by the
Department offering the elective.
Please note: as there is no guarantee that there would be a place available on an elective of your choice
or that it would be compatible with your timetable, when choosing your modules for 2018/19 you
should ensure that you select 120 credits of modules from your degree programme. If it is subsequently
confirmed that a place is available on the elective and it fits in with your timetable you may apply to
replace one of your modules with an elective by using the elective form mentioned above.

Languages for All – modules taught by the Language Teaching Centre


The opportunity also exists on some degree programmes to substitute Philosophy modules with
Languages for All (LFA) modules. If you wish to take an LFA module you should first consult the LFA
webpages: www.york.ac.uk/inst/ltc/lfa, and be sure to discuss the option carefully with your supervisor
or joint programme adviser.

Please note that in the second year only students on the Philosophy Single Subject programme may
replace a Philosophy module with an LFA module to count for credit.

Please also note that if you choose to take an LFA module that is below the level appropriate to your
stage (ie, below second year level) this may be approved but the module will only be marked on a
pass/fail basis and the credits would not be used to calculate the overall degree mark. Please contact
Carol Dixon in the Philosophy Department for further details.

Practical considerations (e.g. timetable clashes, over-subscription, or pre-requisites in the other


Department), may mean you are not able to take a specific elective or LFA module.

The University imposes an upper limit on the number of credits you may take as Electives or LFA
modules. You may take up to 20 credits of electives in your second year.

Changing Modules
Autumn and Spring Terms
You may change out of or into a module up to the end of the second week of teaching on that module
(normally the end of Week 3) but no later than that.

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Summer Term

Due to the restricted number of teaching weeks in the Summer Term, Second Year 10-credit modules
taken in the Summer Term cannot be changed once term has started.

Requests for changes should be sent to Carol Dixon (carol.dixon@york.ac.uk)

Although changing modules is permissible under the rules above, practical considerations, (e.g. timetable
clashes and over-subscription), may mean you are not able to change onto a specific module.

Only where there are exceptional reasons, such as illness, and with the permission of the Board of Studies
and the University’s Special Cases Committee, can you drop out of a module after the deadline.

NB No change of module will be recognised unless notification of it has been received and
acknowledged by Carol Dixon in the Department office.

Maximum numbers on modules


Key Ideas modules are normally capped at 60

All other modules are normally subject to a maximum number cap:

Lecture-based modules: 45

Reading group modules: 30

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Section 2 – Degree Programme Structure
Your choice of modules for the second and third years (Stages 2 and 3) is governed by the programme
structure for your degree programme (as detailed below) but there are two general rules which apply to
all programmes:

1. All students may take a maximum of 60 credits and a minimum of 20 credits in any term (a
module lasting more than one term is considered to have its credits spread evenly across its
duration).

2. All students must take 120 total credits in the second year, including credits taken in other
departments if they are combined students, and any elective modules.

These rules are meant to protect you from over-burdening yourself. The credit value of a module reflects
the time spent in teaching and learning.

Philosophy Single Subject


Year (Stage 2 ) (120 credits)

Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

*Key Ideas Module (20) *Key Ideas Module (20)

*Key Ideas Module (20) *Key Ideas Module (20)

Option Module (10)

A further Option Module in any one of the terms (10)

LFA, elective**, or *Key Ideas Module (20)

Students may replace one Key Ideas module and one Option Module with either History of
Political Thought (30) or Contemporary Political Philosophy (30)

NB Students may not take more than 60 credits in a single term


*Students must take at least one Key Ideas module from each of the three bands below:

Value: Theoretical: History:


Aesthetics Metaphysics Aristotle
Applied Ethics Intermediate Logic Hume
Ethical Theory Philosophy of Language Kant
History of Ethics Philosophy of Mind Nietzsche
Religious Ethics Philosophy of Science Spinoza and Leibniz
**You may only take 20 credits in electives or LFA modules in a single year.

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Combined Degrees
All joint students should also consult the handbooks from their other departments. Degree programme
structures for Politics/Economics/Philosophy, Social and Political Sciences with Philosophy, and Natural
Sciences are available on those departments’ websites.

English and Philosophy EQ


Year (Stage) 2 (60 credits in Philosophy)
Students may choose one of the following options:

Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

English Module (20) English Module (20)

(English) Critical Practice* (20)

Philosophy Key Ideas Module Philosophy Key Ideas Module (20) Philosophy Option Module (10)
(20)

Philosophy Option Module (10) in either Spring or Summer

* You may instead choose one 30 credit World Literature module in the Spring and Summer Term with one
10 credit Topic module in the Summer term and either Critical Practice (20 credits) or an Autumn term
module (20 credits)

Philosophy and Linguistics EQ


Year (Stage) 2 (60 credits in Philosophy)

Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

Introduction to Language One 20-credit Linguistics module. One further 20-credit


Acquisition (20, core-Linguistics) Linguistics module or a 20-credit elective module.

Philosophy of Language, (20, Key Ideas module (20, Philosophy)


core - Philosophy)

Key Ideas module (20) in the spring term, or two 10-credit


options, each of which must be taken in a different term

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French/German and Philosophy EQ
Year (Stage 2) (60 credits in Philosophy)
Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term

French/German Language and Society II (20, core French/German)

At least one French/German option module (20, French/German)

Linguistics option, French/German option module or Elective (20)

Philosophy of Language (20, core Key Ideas Module (20, Philosophy)


Philosophy)

A further 20 credits of Philosophy made up of:


a further Key Ideas Module (20), or one 10-credit option
in the Spring Term and one 10-credit option in the
Summer Term.

History and Philosophy EQ


Year (Stage) 2 (60 credits in Philosophy)
Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1
0 0 0

Histories and Contexts | 20 Explorations | 30 credits | Option


credits | Option
Using Primary Material | 10 credits | Core
Assessment

Assessment

Feedback
Induction

2x
Philosophy
Philosophy Key Ideas (20 Philosophy Key Ideas (20
Options
credits) Credits)
(10 credits
each)

Mathematics and Philosophy EQ


Year (Stage) 2 (60 credits in Philosophy)
Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term
Linear Algebra (10, core)
Vector Calculus (10, core)
Pure Mathematics (40, core)
Key Ideas Intermediate Logic (20, core Philosophy)
Either PHI00074I Key Ideas Metaphysics (20) or PHI00080I Key Ideas
Philosophy of Science (20)
A further Philosophy Key Ideas module (20), or two 10-credit options,
each of which must be taken in a different term

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Philosophy and Sociology EQ
Year (Stage 2) (60 credits in Philosophy)
Stage 2
SOCIOLOGY:

Either, Social Research Methods (30 Credits), if intending to do a dissertation at stage 3, plus a
further 30-credit option, or two 30-credit modules.
Philosophy Key Ideas Module Philosophy Key Ideas Module (20 2 x Philosophy Option* Modules
(20 credits) credits) (10 credits each)

*Option modules could be taken in the Autumn and Spring Terms but only with the permission of the
Philosophy/Sociology Combined Board of Studies.

Physics with Philosophy 3 Year BSc and Physics with Philosophy 4 year MPhys
Year (Stage 2) (40 credits in Philosophy)
Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term
Lagrangian Mechanics and Solid State Physics (20 credits, core)
Electromagnetism and Fourier Optics (20 credits, core)
Quantum Physics I: Quantum Mechanics, Atomic Physics and Lasers (20 credits, core)
Mathematics II (10 credits, core) Mathematics III (10 credits, core)
Key Ideas Philosophy of Science
(20 credits, core)
Either Philosophy Key Ideas module in the Autumn Term (20 credits) or Key Ideas (short) taken in the
Autumn Term (10) and one Option module in any term or elective or LFA module

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Section 3 – Module Details
Key Ideas Modules

Autumn 2018
MODULE MODULE NAME ASSESSMENT CREDITS LINK FOR FURTHER DETAILS
CODE
PHI00091I AESTHETICS 70% Essay 20 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Brief details: 30% Exam /studying/manage/programmes/
This module will module-
introduce students to catalogue/module/PHI00091I/20
some of the key issues 18-19
and concepts in
contemporary analytical
aesthetics (philosophy
of art), in relation to a
range of art forms,
including the visual arts,
music, and literature.
PHI00067I AESTHETICS (SHORT) 100% Essay 10
Details as above: https://www.york.ac.uk/students
/studying/manage/programmes/
module-
catalogue/module/PHI00067I/20
18-19
PHI00082I ETHICAL THEORY 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module introduces /studying/manage/programmes/
some key issues in module-
moral philosophy catalogue/module/PHI00082I/20
including: the concept 18-19
of value; moral
aggregation; population
ethics; problems of co-
operation, and the role
of character ethics.
PHI00083I ETHICAL THEORY 100% Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
(SHORT) /studying/manage/programmes/
Details as above module-
catalogue/module/PHI00083I/20
18-19
PHI00081I HUME 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module will /studying/manage/programmes/
introduce the key ideas module-
in Hume’s philosophy, catalogue/module/PHI00081I/20
including, for example, 18-19
impressions and ideas,
causation, induction,
external world
scepticism, the self,
liberty and necessity.

9
PHI00076I HISTORY OF ETHICS 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module will /studying/manage/programmes/
introduce students to module-
some key ideas in the catalogue/module/PHI00076I/20
history of ethics which 18-19
are of continuing
importance in
contemporary debates.
PHI00096I INTERMEDIATE LOGIC 50% Essay 20
(Autumn and Spring) 50% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Brief details: /studying/manage/programmes/
The module aims to module-
introduce students to catalogue/module/PHI00096I/20
formal logic, in contrast 18-19
to Reason & Argument
which focuses on the
logic of natural
languages.
PHI00095I INTERMEDIATE LOGIC 100% Exam 10 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
(SHORT) /studying/manage/programmes/
(Autumn only) module-
Details as above catalogue/module/PHI00095I/20
18-19
PHI00073I PHILOSOPHY OF 70% Essay 20 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
LANGUAGE 30% Exam /studying/manage/programmes/
Brief details: module-
This module will catalogue/module/PHI00073I/20
investigate a range of 18-19
key puzzles, problems,
issues, and debates in
philosophy of language.
PHI00086I PHILOSOPHY OF 100% Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
LANGUAGE (SHORT) /studying/manage/programmes/
Details as above module-
catalogue/module/PHI00086I/20
18-19
PHI00077I SPINOZA & LEIBNIZ 70% Essay 20 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Brief details: 30% Exam /studying/manage/programmes/
This module looks at module-
Descartes’ discussion of catalogue/module/PHI00077I/20
substance, attribute, 18-19
and the mind/body
relationship along with
responses found it the
works of Spinoza and
Leibniz.

10
Spring 2019
MODULE MODULE NAME ASSESSMENT CREDITS LINK FOR FURTHER DETAILS
CODE
PHI00079I APPLIED ETHICS 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module introduces /studying/manage/programmes/
students to a range of module-
important debates in catalogue/module/PHI00079I/20
applied ethics, such as: 18-19
global poverty, animal
ethics, abortion, and
euthanasia.
PHI00084I APPLIED ETHICS 100% Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
(SHORT) /studying/manage/programmes/
Details as above module-
catalogue/module/PHI00084I/20
18-19
PHI00066I ARISTOTLE 70% Essay 20 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Brief details: 30% Exam /studying/manage/programmes/
This module introduces module-
the key ideas in catalogue/module/PHI00066I/20
Aristotle’s philosophy, 18-19
including, for example,
his theory of substance
and accident,
hylomorphism, and
efficient, formal,
material and final
causation.
PHI00097I KANT 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module will provide /studying/manage/programmes/
an introduction to module-
Kant’s theoretical catalogue/module/PHI00097I/20
philosophy (his theory 18-19
of knowledge and
metaphysics).
PHI00074I METAPHYSICS 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module will /studying/manage/programmes/
develop students’ module-
knowledge and catalogue/module/PHI00074I/20
understanding of a 18-19
representative range of
key puzzles, problems,
issues, and debates in
metaphysics.
PHI00092I METAPHYSICS (SHORT) 100% Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Details as above /studying/manage/programmes/
module-
catalogue/module/PHI00092I/20
18-19

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PHI00075I NIETZSCHE 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module will provide /studying/manage/programmes/
an introduction to some module-
key themes in catalogue/module/PHI00075I/20
Nietzsche’s philosophy 18-19
PHI00078I PHILOSOPHY OF MIND 70% Essay 20
Brief details: 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
This module will /studying/manage/programmes/
introduce central issues module-
in the philosophy of catalogue/module/PHI00078I/20
mind, including: the 18-19
metaphysics of mind
(the mind-body
problem), the
epistemology of mind
(knowledge of our own
and others’ minds),
intentionality and
agency.
PHI00093I PHILOSOPHY OF MIND 100% Essay 10
(SHORT) https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Details as above /studying/manage/programmes/
module-
catalogue/module/PHI00080I/20
18-19
PHI00080I PHILOSOPHY OF 70% Essay 20
SCIENCE 30% Exam https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Brief details: /studying/manage/programmes/
This module will module-
introduce several key catalogue/module/PHI00080I/20
themes in 18-19
contemporary
philosophy of science.
PHI00085I PHILOSOPHY OF 100% Essay 10
SCIENCE (SHORT) https://www.york.ac.uk/students
Details as above /studying/manage/programmes/
module-
catalogue/module/PHI00085I/20
18-19
PHI00072I RELIGIOUS ETHICS 70% Essay 20 https://www.york.ac.uk/stude
Brief details: 30% Exam nts/studying/manage/program
This module considers mes/module-
questions about the catalogue/module/PHI00072I/
relationship between
2018-19
God and morality
PHI00094I RELIGIOUS ETHICS 100% Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.uk/stude
(SHORT) nts/studying/manage/program
Details as above mes/module-
catalogue/module/PHI00094I/
2018-19

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Politics Modules available to Philosophy Single Subject Students only

Autumn 2018, Spring 2019 and Summer 2019


MODULE LINK FOR FURTHER DETAILS
MODULE NAME ASSESSMENT CREDITS
CODE
CONTEMPORARY https://www.york.ac.uk/students/s
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY tudying/manage/programmes/mo
Brief details: dule-
POL00004I By what criteria do we Essay and 30 catalogue/module/POL00004I/201
decide that political Exam 8-19
arrangements are just or
unjust? What would a
just society be like?
HISTORY OF POLITICAL https://www.york.ac.uk/students/s
THOUGHT tudying/manage/programmes/mo
Brief details: dule-
This module explores the catalogue/module/POL00005I/201
continued relevance of 8-19
some classic texts in
POL00005I Essay and 30
modern political theory.
Exam
It focuses specifically on
the 'social contract
tradition' and its critics:
Hobbes, Locke,
Rousseau, Hume and
Kant.

Second Year Option Modules


Autumn 2018
MODULE MODULE NAME YEAR ASSESSMENT CREDITS LINK FOR FURTHER
CODE DETAILS
PHI00056I EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM 2 Essay 10
Brief details:
Many of us want our lives https://www.york.ac.uk
to “make a difference”. /students/studying/ma
But what exactly does this nage/programmes/mo
amount to? Is it a realistic dule-
goal? How might it be best catalogue/module/PHI0
pursued? In this module 0056I/2018-19
we explore and critically
assess the answers to
these questions offered by
the Effective Altruism
movement
PHI00042I IMAGINATION 2 Exam 10 https://www.york.ac.uk
Brief details: /students/studying/ma
This module examines the nage/programmes/mo
role of the imagination in dule-
epistemology, philosophy catalogue/module/PHI0
of mind and aesthetics 0042I/2018-19
from historical and
contemporary
perspectives.

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PHI00008I PHILOSOPHY OF TIME 2 Exam 10 https://www.york.ac.u
Brief details: k/students/studying/
This module will manage/programmes/
introduce students to module-
some of the central catalogue/module/PHI
philosophical questions 00008I/2018-19
concerning the nature of
time.
PHI00019I READING PLATO 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
Brief details: k/students/studying/
This module will promote manage/programmes/
engagement with Plato’s module-
ideas through close catalogue/module/PHI
textual study of a Platonic 00019I/2018-19
dialogue.

Spring 2019
MODULE MODULE NAME YEAR ASSESSMENT CREDITS LINK FOR FURTHER
CODE DETAILS
PHI00071I HEGEL 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
Brief details: k/students/studying/
An introduction manage/programmes/
to Hegel’s module-
philosophy catalogue/module/PHI
through his 00071I/2018-19
Phenomenology
of Spirit
PHI00105I PHILOSOPHY OF 2 Exam 10 https://www.york.ac.u
SOCIAL SCIENCE k/students/studying/
Brief details: manage/programmes/
The module aims module-
to develop an catalogue/module/PHI
understanding of 00105I/2018-19
the nature of our
society and of our
knowledge of it
through
philosophical
examination of
the social
sciences.
PHI00101I READING SARTRE 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
Brief details: k/students/studying/
This module will manage/programmes/
provide a close module-
reading of catalogue/module/PHI
selected passages 00101I/2018-19
from Sartre’s
work on
existentialism.

14
Summer 2019
MODULE MODULE NAME YEAR ASSESSMENT CREDITS LINK FOR FURTHER
CODE DETAILS
PHI00013I CAUSATION & 2 Exam 10 https://www.york.ac.u
LAWS k/students/studying/
Brief details: manage/programmes/
This module module-
introduces the catalogue/module/PHI
topics of 00013I/2018-19
causation, laws of
nature and the
relationship
between these
two subject
matters of
philosophical
study.
PHI00048I EPISTEMIC 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
NORMATIVITY k/students/studying/
Brief details: manage/programmes/
In this module we module-
will investigate catalogue/module/PHI
the source of 00048I/2018-19
epistemic norms,
we will try to
explain why they
are binding, and
we will consider
their relation to
other norms.
PHI00102I LIES, BULLSHIT, 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
PERVERSIONS k/students/studying/
AND manage/programmes/
PROPAGANDA module-
Brief details: catalogue/module/PHI
This module looks 00102I/2018-19
at papers in
philosophy of
language and
social
epistemology
which deal with
assertion and
implicature,
testimony, and
the dissemination
of
(dis)information
for political
purposes.
PHI00063I ROUSSEAU 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
Brief details: k/students/studying/
This module manage/programmes/
provides students module-
15
with an catalogue/module/PHI
introduction to 00063I/2018-19
Rousseau’s
philosophy
through the close
study of
selections from
his work
PHI00100I STRUCTURE OF 2 Essay 10 https://www.york.ac.u
THE GOOD k/students/studying/
Brief details: manage/programmes/
This module module-
considers the catalogue/module/PHI
structural issues 00100I/2018-19
within evaluative
deliberation and
thought.

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