Students

PHIL703 – Foundations of Research in Modern European Philosophy: Kant's Critique of Pure Reason

2014 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Nicholas Smith
nicholas.smith@mq.edu.au
Contact via nicholas.smith@mq.edu.au
W6A 735
To be confirmed
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The unit will equip students with the knowledge and skills to carry out research in the field of Modern European Philosophy, broadly conceived. The focus of the unit is the seminal text of ‘critical philosophy’ which has formed the point of departure for the main European philosophical traditions from the end of the 18th century to this day: Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Many philosophers consider Kant’s book to be one of the most profound works of philosophy ever written, and it is certainly one of the most influential. The aim of the unit is to examine this text in detail, to reflect critically upon its central arguments, to develop an awareness of its place in the history of philosophy, and to understand its contribution to contemporary philosophical debates.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason and its historical and contemporary significance.
  • Synthesise and analyse information from a variety of sources concerning foundational concepts and arguments in Critical Philosophy.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
  • Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.
  • Work in cooperation with others and reflect on individual and group performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Text analysis 15% 03/04, 15/05
Research essay 60% 20/06
Class presentation 10% throughout semester
Seminar attendance 15% thoughout semester

Text analysis

Due: 03/04, 15/05
Weighting: 15%

2 x 750 words analyses of readings
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason and its historical and contemporary significance.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.

Research essay

Due: 20/06
Weighting: 60%

1 x 3000-4000 word research essay
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason and its historical and contemporary significance.
  • Synthesise and analyse information from a variety of sources concerning foundational concepts and arguments in Critical Philosophy.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments.
  • Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.

Class presentation

Due: throughout semester
Weighting: 10%

Oral presentation on a given topic
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
  • Apply acquired knowledge and skills in the context of philosophical scholarship.
  • Work in cooperation with others and reflect on individual and group performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

Seminar attendance

Due: thoughout semester
Weighting: 15%

weekly attendance and participation in seminar discussion
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire a coherent and advanced knowledge of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason and its historical and contemporary significance.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments in Critical Philosophy in written and oral form.
  • Work in cooperation with others and reflect on individual and group performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

Delivery and Resources

The unit will be delivered by way of weekly seminars.

All students should acquire a copy of the Kemp-Smith translation of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason (any edition).

 Further references and sources are provided in the syllabus.

Unit Schedule

See syllabus handout

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.