PHIL30550 Honours Seminar

Academic Year 2021/2022

This intensive module is designed for a small group of enthusiastic students. Places are limited and open only to Stage 4 Single and Joint Major philosophy students and PPE students who have attained a GPA average of 3.2 based on philosophy modules in Stages 2 and 3 as well as Stage 3 Single and Joint Major philosophy BA students who have attained a GPA average of 3.2 based on philosophy modules in Stage 2. There will be a single two-hour seminar each week. The seminars will be highly interactive and the students will be expected to have read the material in advance of the seminar and be prepared to discuss it. The module will be divided into two halves, each focused on a different book or articles, ranging over several areas of philosophy. Students interested in enrolling should contact the Philosophy Undergraduate Administrator: helena.mccann@ucd.ie, who will register you directly. The lecturers running the Honours Seminar for 2021-22 will be Dr Ruth Boeker for the first six weeks and Dr Tatjana von Solodkoff for the second six weeks. For further information about the content of the seminar, see below on 'Indicative Module Content', and also feel free to contact ruth.boeker@ucd.ie and tatjana.vonsolodkoff@ucd.ie.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete this module should be able to:

• REFLECT critically upon central philosophical questions and develop their own philosophical responses to a variety of these questions;
• IDENTIFY key philosophical concepts and show awareness of potential problems that lead to the revision and refinement of these concepts;
• INTERPRET complex philosophical texts;
• ANALYSE arguments in the literature and construct their own arguments with improved clarity and precision;
• WRITE well-structured and coherent essays that explain and critically assess philosophical views covered in this module;
• ARTICULATE their own responses to philosophical views in the literature and in discussion, support them by reasons and defend them in light of criticism;
• INTERACT effectively and respectfully with other students, listen to and learn from others.

Indicative Module Content:

This module is divided into two parts. The first half of the seminar (with Dr. Ruth Boeker) will focus on topics in moral psychology. We will discuss philosophical questions such as what is empathy, what is the potential of empathetic interaction, what are the limits and dangers of empathy, what is trust and what distinguishes trust from reliance and distrust, what makes a person the same over time, does personal identity require empathic access to one's past, and should we live our lives as narratives.
The second half of the seminar (with Dr Tatjana von Solodkoff) will focus on art and morality. We will discuss the phenomenon of imaginative resistance to immoral content of artworks and the question whether such content diminishes the aesthetic value of the work (think of, e.g., Leni Riefenstahl's Nazi propaganda films). Please email ruth.boeker@ucd.ie if you are interested in taking this module and for further resources and information.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

24
Autonomous Student Learning

101
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The emphasis in this seminar will be on students engaging with the other students in the module analysing the ideas and arguments presented in the readings, and reflecting together on their meaning and significance. This practice will carry over into the students' work on the two analytical essays required in the module. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

At least five stage 2 Philosophy modules


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: 2500 word essay Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

50
Essay: 2500 word essay Week 7 n/a Graded No

50

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

At a minimum there will be detailed feedback on the two essays communicated to each student, with feedback on the first essay received well before the second essay is due.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Ruth Boeker Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Tatjana von Solodkoff Lecturer / Co-Lecturer