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PHIL150 Introduction to Philosophy B: Introduction to Metaphysics

Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study
Armidale Trimester 2 Off Campus
Armidale Trimester 2 On Campus
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
18 August 2013 20 August 2013 Non-Mandatory Subject to a minimum of 10 students attending.
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions PHIL100
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) Arcady Blinov (ablinov@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This unit examines humanity's attempt to discover the nature of reality and of our knowledge of it beginning with the Ancient Greeks. The questions raised by the Greeks and later philosophers include: Can we trust our senses? Can we distinguish between illusion and reality? What kinds of things exist? Are change and time real?
Materials Textbook information will be displayed approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the teaching period. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment Assessment information will be published prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. demonstrate a familiarity with the basics of philosophical thought about the nature of reality and of our knowledge of it;
  2. evaluate basic arguments in the areas of epistemology and metaphysics; and
  3. understand important links between epistemology and metaphysics, on the one hand, and science, on the other hand.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Knowledge of the philosophy discipline will be taught through unit notes, readings and assignments. Knowledge is assessed in all assessment tasks. 		True True
2 Communication Skills
Students will be taught communication skills through written feedback on the assessments for the unit. Students will learn valuable communication skills through participation in tutorials and online (this will include debates and small group work). Students will practise their communication skills through completing the assessment tasks (online assessments) and online participation. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
This unit's emphasis on the broader philosophical underpinnings of our reasoning practices will present students with opportunities for developing a global perspective. 		True
4 Information Literacy
Students will be directed to relevant literature and taught how to assess its validity. Students will be assessed on their ability to identify and critically analyse the relevant literature. 		True True
5 Life-Long Learning
By completing the assessments, students will be provided with the necessary lifelong skills to be able to research, write on and discuss social issues. These skills can be transferred to any discipline, and will be useful in any research positions. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Students will be assessed on their ability to deconstruct the questions and to integrate theory and literature into their answer. Students will need to work out how to address the question and where to find the most appropriate material to answer the question. 		True
7 Social Responsibility
Students will be taught that they have a social responsibility to question and challenge some 'facts'. This will be assessed and taught through their responses to the essay and exam questions. 		True True
8 Team Work
Students will practise their teamwork skills through participating in tutorials, or online discussion postings. They will be required to discuss the weekly topics with their fellow students in a thoughtful and respectful manner. 		True
   

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