Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Philosophy is the study of argument and its application to a wide variety of questions of fundamental importance to human life and intellectual activity. Philosophers attempt to answer questions such as: What is knowledge? What is the nature of truth? Could the existence of God be proved? What is justice? Why should we act morally? What is the nature and value of art? On these questions most people have an opinion. Philosophers, however, seek to ground their views on rational argument. Hence, philosophy is as much the study of what constitutes a Ð''sound' or Ð''valid' argument as it is the application of such canons of thought to specific problems. Engaging in the activity of philosophy, oneself, is one of the highest forms of mental exercise: a workout for the mind. Engaging in philosophy with others teaches one to present and develop arguments, to lead discussion but also to listen to the viewpoints of others, to assess their arguments and to settle disputes rationally. This involves hard thought, imagination and open-minded pursuit of truth.

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY?

For over 2000 years the study of philosophy has been considered of foremost educational importance and a mark of the educated person. Why should this be so? There are obvious benefits to the pursuit of truth, knowledge and understanding - these are always valuable to their possessor and particularly so as regards the fundamental questions with which philosophy is concerned. What one learns in a philosophy course - particularly the ability to think critically and construct valid arguments - is of value to the student of any academic subject. Moreover, these skills are highly prized in the business community and beyond. Hence, while the subject-matter of philosophy is challenging in distinctive ways, the study of philosophy produces articulate individuals who are able to think critically and to argue persuasively. Little wonder, then, that recent research suggests that graduates in Philosophy are amongst the most successful in their chosen careers.

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY AT ABERDEEN?

Two key features make the Department of Philosophy at Aberdeen University especially attractive: the breadth of courses and specialties on offer and the accessibility of both course-materials and the staff who deliver them. The diverse interests of members of department is reflected in the sheer variety of teaching provision from 1st level to 4th level. Note too that during academic session 2001-2002 the Department was examined by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for the entirety of its teaching provision. This examination involved three criteria: Teaching and Learning, Student Progression, and Learning Resources. The best possible outcome obtainable from the assessment was to be commended on all three counts - precisely the result the Department of Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen obtained.

HOW IS PHILOSOPHY TAUGHT?

Teaching in philosophy comes in two principal forms: lectures and tutorials. In the former, students will find themselves members of a large audience to which the lecturer presents course-materials in a systematic and engaging fashion.

Lectures offer students the opportunity to hear an expert introduce and explain key philosophical issues and assess the thought of some great philosophers on those issues. In this way, students become party to a philosophical dialogue which may stretch back more than 2000 years. Lectures are also preparatory for subsequent tutorials. In tutorial, students will find themselves part of a much smaller group of perhaps 10 or 15 students together with a group Tutor. In general, tutorials will concentrate on a particular philosophical problem, and tutorial discussion may be shaped by specific questions around that problem. For these purposes, preparatory readings are generally set in advance. Thus, together with their Tutor, students can exploit tutorials to clarify points arising from lectures and/or set readings. Here students also have a unique opportunity to personally engage in the activity of philosophy with others and, with their tutor's guidance, to hone their argumentative abilities. Assessment within the Department is generally conducted through class essays during term (usually one per course per half-session) together with a degree examination for each course at the end of each half-session.

THE DEGREES

MA: Philosophy courses are primarily taken by students studying for an MA - either with Honours (i.e. as a four-year degree) or as an MA designated (i.e. a three year degree involving an element of philosophy significant enough to entitle students to have the subject named on their degree certificate). In the former case, after the first two years (when a number of subjects are taken at first and second levels), a student either does Philosophy alone (Single Honours) or combines Philosophy with another subject (Joint Honours).

Mlitt (by research): This is a one year postgraduate degree based on research work under a supervisor leading to the production of a thesis.

PhD in Philosophy: This is a three year postgraduate degree based on research work under a supervisor leading to the production of a lengthier, more substantial thesis.

THE DEGREE STRUCTURE

Level 1: First Half Session

PH1009 Philosophy of Art and Literature

The elements of this course are: (I) An introduction to issues in aesthetic theory - the nature of art and art appreciation, the aesthetic attitude, and aesthetic properties such as representation, expression and beauty. (II) A detailed study of philosophical issues concerning the nature, interpretation and value of several specific art media including literature, music, painting, photography and architecture.

PH1010 Formal Logic 1

Logic concerns argument. The central problem for the logician is how to tell good arguments from bad arguments. The classical formal logician's solution to that problem is the subject-matter of this course. Students are taught to assess natural language arguments in terms of the logical standards of validity and soundness. A formal language for formal logic is then introduced and students are taught how to represent arguments formally and to exploit formal techniques to test for validity.

PH1306