Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor/Lecturer Jenny Duke-Yonge jennifer.duke-yonge@mq.edu.au Contact via jennifer.duke-yonge@mq.edu.au, 9850 8858 W6A 722 Monday and Thursday 10-11, or by arrangement Lecturer Jean-Philippe Deranty jp.deranty@mq.edu.au Lecturer Richard Heersmink jan.heersmink@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description The unit introduces the big philosophical questions about human nature, personal identity and the meaning of life. Are human beings somehow unique in nature? Do we have distinct selves that endure through time? Do we have free will? What is the relation between our identity and the things that matter to us? We take a broadly historical approach, reading the classic philosophical texts as well as contemporary work. Three themes recur across the unit: the relation of mind and body, the quest for knowledge and the nature of the self. We begin with conceptions of the mind at the dawn of the modern period, asking whether mind is entirely physical or could in principle survive bodily death. We also explore the links between the self, time, and memory. The remainder of the unit introduces some key thinkers of the twentieth century; and we explore their views on freedom, lived experience, and our relations to others. The unit as a whole offers a detailed introduction to controversial questions about the nature of the mind, showing how historical understanding animates current debates, and demonstrating the relevance of philosophy to live modern issues about science, human nature, and culture.

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:

You will be able to identify key philosophical problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level
You will be able to explain important philosophical responses to problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level.
You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

General Assessment Information

We know that many of you are new to Philosophy and to University, so you will be given plenty of support through the unit to help you with your assessments, and you should not hesitate to talk to one of the teaching staff in the unit if you have any troubles or concerns.

There are a number of different assessment tasks you need to keep track of so it's important to make yourself aware of what is coming up, but most of these are not major assessment tasks, but activities designed to help you to progress through the unit. We hope you'll find them interesting and engaging.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Introductory quiz	10%	Sunday 13/3 (Week 2)
Reflective Exercises	30%	Friday of week 5, 9 and 13
Essay	40%	Thursday 16/6
Reading game	10%	Weekly, Weeks 3-12
Participation	10%	Weekly, Weeks 2-12

Introductory quiz

Due: Sunday 13/3 (Week 2)
Weighting: 10%

In this quiz, you'll be given a series of questions relevant to topics that will be covered later in the unit, and you will be asked to write no more than a sentence or two on each, capturing your initial thoughts or intuitions on these topics as you come into the unit.

You won't be marked right or wrong for your answers, since you're just telling us what you think, and you don't need to do any reading or preparation for it. If you make a serious attempt at this quiz, you will receive the full ten marks.

Over the course of the unit, you will be coming back to reflect on some of these questions and your answers to them in more detail (see 'Reflective exercises' below), so the purpose of this quiz is to help you to reflect on whether or how your thinking on these topics changes during the unit.

You will have 60 minutes to submit the quiz once you start it, and it must be submitted by the end of week 2.

On successful completion you will be able to:

You will be able to identify key philosophical problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level

Reflective Exercises

Due: Friday of week 5, 9 and 13
Weighting: 30%

In these exercises, you will be asked to revisit three of the questions from the introductory quiz, and write short reflections on topics you chosse. You will need to identify the philosophical problem the question raises, and write a brief reflective response, engaging with material from the unit and reflecting whether your thinking on the topic has changed since the beginning of the unit. You will need to do three of these: One on a topic from weeks 1-4 (due in week 5); one on a topic from weeks 5-8 (due in week 9) and one on a topic from week 9-12 (due in week 13). They are worth 10% each. Further instructions and guidelines will be available through iLearn.

On successful completion you will be able to:

You will be able to identify key philosophical problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level
You will be able to explain important philosophical responses to problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level.
You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.

Essay

Due: Thursday 16/6
Weighting: 40%

The essay provides you with an opportunity engage with a topic in some depth. Essays require you to develop and defend a clear argument for your own position, drawing on key ideas from the course material and readings. A choice of essay topics , together with some suggested supplementary readings and a marking rubric will be available through iLearn in week 9. At first year level, the main focus will be on developing and defending an argument, rather than doing extensive research.

A guide to writing Philosophy essays will be available through the website, and an optional lecture with essay writing tips will be given in week 13. The essay is to be submitted through Turnitin on or before Thursday the 16th of June.

On successful completion you will be able to:

You will be able to identify key philosophical problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level
You will be able to explain important philosophical responses to problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level.
You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.

Reading game

Due: Weekly, Weeks 3-12
Weighting: 10%

In this unit, you and your classmates will be building and taking weekly quizzes (from week 3 to week 12) on the course content, by participating in the PHL 131 Reading Game. Each week, you'll need to write a multiple choice question for your classmates, based on the week's content. After you've written a question, you'll also need to answer at least five of your classmates' questions.

This is an excellent way to develop your understanding of the unit content: Having to think up good questions, rather than just answering questions, requires you to think carefully about the content and apply your understanding in a practical way.

Writing one question and correctly answering five questions each week will earn you 10 participation marks.

You can also provide feedback on other students' questions, including giving them Karma for questions you like, and book voucher prizes will be available from time to time over the semester for good engagement with the game.

On successful completion you will be able to:

You will be able to identify key philosophical problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level
You will be able to explain important philosophical responses to problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

Participation

Due: Weekly, Weeks 2-12
Weighting: 10%

Tutorials begin in week 2 and run until week 12. In most weeks, these will be on-campus tutorials as timetabled, however, as a result of public holidays in weeks 5 and 7, tutorial activities will be conducted online instead of on-campus in those weeks. Participation marks will be awarded for engagement in tutorials, based on attendance, preparation and willingness to engage constructively. Further details will be given in class and through iLearn.

On successful completion you will be able to:

You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

Delivery and Resources

Required Reading

There will be a core text to read for each tutorial and topic on the course. These will be available in the unit reader, which you will need to purchase. Additional optional readings may be made available electronically.

Technology Used and Required

We use an iLearn website, and the Echo360 lecture recordings. Lecture notes and any other material you need will be available through the iLearn website. We recommend you have access to a reliable internet connection throughout semester.

Assignment Submission

Assignments in this course will be submitted electronically, as word documents. There is no need for a coversheet - the iLearn assignment submission (Turnitin) involves declaring your details and honesty in submitting your work. Please note, we do not accept submission by email attachment.

Extensions and Special Consideration

Requests for extensions must, normally, be made in writing before the due date. Extensions of up to 3 days can be granted by your tutor if reasonable grounds are given, and some written documentation can be produced. Work load from other units, or from employment, are not considered reasonable justification.

Requests for extensions of more than 3 days should be submitted via a Disruption to Studies Request, which is available in the ask.mq.edu.au portal. Your request should be accompanied by appropriate documentation, such as a medical certificate. Please see the Disruption to Studies policy in the list of policies at the end of this document for further details. Read the policy closely as your request may be turned down if you have not followed procedure, or if you have not submitted a request in a timely manner.

Penalties for Late Submission

Late submissions of assignments will attract a penalty proportionate to the nature and timeliness of the work. All work must be submitted within 2 weeks of the assessment due date. Outside of this time, special circumstances must be proven to have interrupted your study.

Unit Schedule

PHL131 Unit Schedule Session 1, 2016

Introduction (Week 1, lecture 1) - Introduction to PHL 131 (Dr Jenny Duke-Yonge)

Section One - Mind and World in Ancient Greek Philosophy (A/Prof Jean-Philippe Deranty)

Weeks 1- 2: Mind and World: the First Philosophers
Week 3: Plato: Immortal Souls and the Knowledge of Ultimate Reality
Week 4: Aristotle: the Mind and the Substance of Things

Section Two - Problems of Mind and the Self: Early Modern Philosophy and beyond (Dr Jenny Duke-Yonge)

Week 5: Descartes and the Problem of Knowledge(NB: Public holiday Monday - No lecture)
Week 6: Descartes and the Mind/Body Problem

~ Mid Semester Break ~

Week 7: What is the self? (NB: Public holiday Monday - No lecture)
Week 8: Traditional and contemporary accounts of Personal Identity

Section Three - Free will, Consciousness and Cognition (Dr Richard Heersmink)

Week 9: Free Will
Week 10: Consciousness
Week 11: Extended and Embodied Cognition
Week 12: Artificial Intelligence

Week 13 (Monday): Optional Lecture on Essay Writing in Philosophy (Dr Jenny Duke-Yonge). No lecture on Tuesday.

Learning and Teaching Activities

Lectures

Internal students will attend two lectures each week from Week 1 to Week 12. The lectures are on Mondays from 12-1 and Tuesdays 10-11. All lectures are currently scheduled to be in C5C T1, although you should check the online timetable for any late changes. Lectures are an important part of your learning in the unit, and you should come prepared to think, engage and participate. Lectures will be recorded on Echo360, for the benefit of external students and for revision purposes, but if you are able to come to lectures we highly recommend you do so.

Tutorials and discussion

Students will enrol in a tutorial class and engage in weekly discussion and learning activities relating to the weekly course material. Tutorials begin in Week 2 and run until week 12, with online tutorial group activities taking the place of face to face tutorials in weeks 5 and 7. Tutorials give you an opportunity to engage deeply in discussion of the course content to extend your understanding of the content and hone your philosophical skills, and to get to know other philosophy students and staff. Internal students aren't required to participate in the weekly discussion forums, but are encouraged to do so.

Reading

Readings will be assigned each week, and you should make sure you read them before the tutorials, and bring your readers along. If there's anything you have trouble understanding or would like to discuss, make a note of it before you come to the tutorial so that you can discuss it there. Compared to many other disciplines, you will find that you do not have a lot of reading in Philosophy, but you do need to read it carefully so make sure you allow yourself time to do each week's reading.

Reading game

The Reading Game allows you to learn by playing an online game, for which prizes, as well as marks, are available. You'll hear more about this in the first lecture.

Assessment and feedback

Assessment is not just a way to test what you've learnt: it's an important part of the learning process. Throughout the semester your assessments will encourage you to engage and reflect. You will receive feedback through a number of mechanisms to help you improve. As well as written feedback on your reflective exercises and essay, you will receive verbal feedback generally through lectures and tutorials and individually as required. If there is anything you're unsure about, please talk to us about it.

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

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

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

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.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/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.

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

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.

Assessment tasks

Reflective Exercises
Essay
Participation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

Assessment tasks

Reflective Exercises
Essay
Reading game
Participation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

You will be able to identify key philosophical problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level
You will be able to explain important philosophical responses to problems about the relationship between mind and world at an introductory level.
You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

Assessment tasks

Introductory quiz
Reflective Exercises
Essay
Reading game
Participation

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

Assessment tasks

Reflective Exercises
Essay
Reading game
Participation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.

Assessment tasks

Reflective Exercises
Essay
Participation

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

You will be able to critically and reflectively respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
You will be able to express and defend your own views with increased clarity.
You will be able to contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.

Assessment tasks

Reflective Exercises
Essay
Reading game
Participation

Changes from Previous Offering

Changes to content, readings and assessment