The Philosophy of Value

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• understand complex philosophical texts. This involves: - identifying the central themes and problems in a philosophical text - identifying main views and solutions offered by the authors - identifying authors’ arguments in support of the above
• articulate, present and debate philosophical ideas, both orally and in writing, in an open-minded but rigorous way
• critically assess complex philosophical texts. This involves: - identifying and explaining solutions to the philosophical questions and problems proposed in the central texts - assessing the cogency and success of the above - identifying and explaining other possible solutions and assessing their relative merits

Knowledge and Understanding

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

• the relationship between the different texts studied, where appropriate.
• the central themes, problems and arguments in the texts studied
• how to undertake independent research appropriate to the production of an assessed essay

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• summarise the central themes, questions, problems and solutions related to that topic
• research a complex topic independently
• manage the time and resources available to you in order to achieve success in the above tasks
• critically assess the cogency and success of proposed solutions
• present the outcome of your research orally in a seminar context
• engage in group discussion, making and taking constructive criticism
• write a clear and well-structured overview of the main issues, possible problems and solutions relevant to topic being examined

The syllabus will vary from year to year, depending on the research interests of the module coordinator. Some recent topics include:

• Kant's Critique of Judgment
• T.M. Scanlon's What We Owe To Each Other
• The Nature and Norms of Blame

Teaching activities include

• Seminars

Learning activities include

• Reading assigned material
• Attending seminars and contributing to discussion
• Preparing and giving presentations
• Doing research for and writing assessed essays

Summative

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