Unit rationale, description and aim
The unit examines some of the major developments in European and British philosophical thought from the dawn of the enlightenment to early German idealism. In examining the work of some of the major thinkers of the period, such as Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant, it traces some central debates of the period in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical theology, ethics and political philosophy. These are debates that have helped to profoundly shape our contemporary understanding of the world, of the possibility of knowledge of the world, of society, and of our selves. In enabling students to explore influential perspectives regarding those debates, and to develop reasoned positions of their own concerning them, the unit aims to strengthen students' philosophical acumen and enhance their critical thinking skills more generally.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify and accurately explain some of the centra...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically analyse selected themes and debates in ...
Learning Outcome 02
Demonstrate appropriate skills in philosophical re...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Topics will include:
- the philosophical significance of the scientific revolution;
- the nature of mind and its relationship to the material world and the human body;
- rationality, sensation, and the possibility and extent of human knowledge;
- questions concerning the existence and nature of God in relation to the world;
- problems of social organisation and political power;
- theories of ethics and the ground of moral (and aesthetic) value.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy for this unit has been designed to examine students’ understanding of the philosophical issues and theories under consideration and deepen their ability to analyse and critically reflect on those issues and theories. It does so through a mix of cooperative/discussion-based and individual projects. The written analysis task examines understanding of key issues, concepts and debates. The oral presentation task examines critical thinking skills applied to this field, as well as skills in both oral and written communication/ engagement. The research essay examines higher level critical analysis and written argumentation skills in the interpretation of early modern philosophy.
Overview of assessments
Written analysis task Requires students to demon...
Written analysis task
Requires students to demonstrate understanding of key concepts and debates.
30%
Oral presentation with written component Require...
Oral presentation with written component
Requires students to demonstrate critical thinking skills in dialogue with others.
30%
Research Essay Requires students to critically an...
Research Essay
Requires students to critically analyse an important debate in the field and to develop a coherent position.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment. The unit has been designed as a blend of project learning along with direct instruction within a collaborative context. The direct instruction ensures that students develop a grounding in understanding basic problems, concepts and arguments in early modern philosophy (LO1). The project learning enables the students to apply those concepts and theories critically and reflectively to problems in the field, and this feeds into the achievement of the other aim of the unit concerning the development of philosophical skills of analysis, interpretation and argumentation (LO2-3). The collaborative context of the unit is focused especially on the weekly tutorial, during which the emphasis is on small group discussion of the weekly readings. Students engage in class discussions, provide written critiques of significant theories, and present their reasoned position on matters at issue, after being introduced to them through readings and lectures.