Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Jennifer Duke-Yonge
Contact via jennifer.duke-yonge@mq.edu.au, or 9850 8826
W6A 722
Monday 1-2, or by arrangement
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides the opportunity for an in-depth study of foundational texts in metaphysics and epistemology. This year, we will focus on David Hume’s Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. In this work, Hume developed a unified empiricist study of human understanding and human nature, incorporating influential and controversial examinations of topics including reason, knowledge, causation, free will and religious belief. We will examine the arguments presented in this text in detail, and consider the influence of Hume’s thought on later philosophy.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Research Essay | 35% | No | Sunday 14/5/17 |
Summaries | 25% | No | 9am Fri, Wks 3, 5, 7, 10 & 12. |
Class Presentation | 20% | No | To be decided |
Participation | 20% | No | Weekly |
Due: Sunday 14/5/17
Weighting: 35%
The essay is designed to develop your ability to engage with a topic in some depth. The essay develops your ability to express, analyse and organise key ideas clearly and systematically, and your ability to develop a sustained argument. Essay topics will be provided. They will focus on material from the first 8 weeks of the unit, and are designed to help you develop a deeper understanding of themes that will inform our discussion for the remaining weeks.
Assessment criteria will be: Understanding of Content; Clarity; Critical Engagement; Argumentation and Research. A rubric will be given in iLearn.
Please note that this essay will be due on Sunday of Week 9 and will be returned by Sunday of Week 11. The essay is to be submitted via Turnitin.
Due: 9am Fri, Wks 3, 5, 7, 10 & 12.
Weighting: 25%
5 summaries, covering the sections for each fortnight. You will give a summary of each fortnight's sections, along with at least three questions or points for discussion, and submit them through Turnitin in iLearn by 9am Friday of weeks 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12. The summaries will be returned with feedback by the following Monday. The summaries and discussion questions should help to guide your discussion in the discussion weeks. Note that the summaries should be no more than two pages (750-1000 words) per fortnight, and are summaries rather than analyses. They are designed to make sure you have a good understanding of the content in the reading week, as the foundation for your discussion in the discussion weeks. Your evaluation and analysis should come out in the discussion questions and subsequent discussion.
Assessment criteria will be: Understanding of content; Clarity; Engagement demonstrated by discussion points.
Due: To be decided
Weighting: 20%
Each student will also make one research presentation during the semester. It may be written, oral or pre-recorded, and needs to be submitted in or before the seminar each discussion week. Internal presentations will be recorded for the benefit of external students, and all presentations will be available through iLearn.
Presenters can assume that all students are familiar with the readings for each week, which will have been discussed in the first part of the week, and should use the opportunity to 'add value' to the discussion. You may choose (for example) to introduce and discuss an interesting piece of secondary literature or a debate from the literature; discuss some connections between the relevant sections of Hume and some contemporary philosophical problems or ideas you've encountered; discuss an argument you're developing for the essay etc. More advice will be given in iLearn.
The presenter, whether internal or external, will also be required to take an active role in a follow-up discussion in iLearn over the next few days.
Criteria for assessment will be the quality of the presentation, the demonstrated understanding of the relevant section of the Enquiry, and the 'added value' provided by the additional material introduced. A rubric will be given in iLearn.
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%
Participation is a vital part of learning in philosophy. Internal students are expected to attend all seminars, to prepare thoroughly for seminars by reading the material set for each week, and to participate in discussions in-class and online. For internal students, half your participation mark will come from seminars, and half from the online forums.
External students participation mark will be based on your participation in online discussions. Because this is more heavily weighted for external students, you are expected to participate more. All students should participate in discussions in the first part of the discussion weeks (before the Wednesday seminar). External students and the seminar presenter are also expected to participate in the follow-up discussion after the seminar.
For all students, the participation mark will depend on your engagement with the course material, your degree of preparation for the seminars, and your willingness to participate in discussion with the group. A rubric will be available in iLearn.
Delivery:
There will be a short introductory class in week 1. After that, this unit will be divided into reading weeks (Weeks 3,5,7,10,12) and discussion weeks (Weeks 2,3,6,8,11,13). Week 9 will be an essay-writing week.
Each fortnightly block (reading week + discussion week) will focus on 2-3 thematically linked sections from Hume's Enquiry.
In the reading weeks, you need to read the relevant sections, and write up a brief summary with some questions for discussion, to be submitted by 9am on Friday. There will be no on-campus seminars in reading weeks, and nor are you required to participate in online discussions, although the forum will be available if you want to use it.
In the discussion weeks, you will need to participate in online and (if you are an internal student) face-to-face discussions, guided by the discussion questions suggested by the class. You will receive your summaries back with feedback on the Monday of each discussion week, to aid your preparation. There will be on-campus seminars for internal students in discussion weeks, on Wednesdays from 12-2 in Y3A210. The seminars will a student presentation (face-to-face, prerecorded or written) , which will contribute to the discussion for the remainder of the week. Further information about participation expectations will be given in iLearn.
Set Text:
David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Hackett, 1993, ISBN 9780872202290.
Please get a copy of this edition. It is inexpensive, and it makes a reading-based unit much easier if everyone has the same edition.
Supplementary reading:
Suggestions for supplementary readings on each topic will be given through iLearn.
Technologies used and required
iLearn
PHIL701 will focus on Hume's Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding.Section references below are to that text.
Week |
Reading week or discussion week? |
Reading (Topic) |
Activities |
Wk 1 |
Intro/ Reading |
Section I (Introduction) |
Seminar 1/3 |
Wk 2 |
Discussion |
Seminar 8/3 |
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Wk 3 |
Reading |
Sections II and III (Ideas) |
Summary due 17/3 |
Wk 4 |
Discussion |
Seminar 22/3 |
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Wk 5 |
Reading |
Sections IV and V (Induction) |
Summary due 31/3 |
Wk 6 |
Discussion |
Seminar 5/4 |
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Wk 7 |
Reading
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Sections VI – VII (Causation) |
Summary due 14/4 (Mid semester break 14/4- 30/4) |
Wk 8 |
Discussion |
Seminar 3/5 |
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Wk 9 |
ESSAY WRITING WEEK |
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Essay due 14/5 |
Wk 10 |
Reading |
Sections IX-XI (Religion) |
Summary due 19/5 |
Wk 11 |
Discussion |
Seminar 24/5 |
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Wk 12 |
Reading |
Section XII (Scepticism) |
Summary due 2/6 |
Wk 13 |
Discussion |
Seminar 7/6 |
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_2016.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 (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
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The essay has been moved to earlier in the unit. This has happened for two main reasons:
1. To avoid conflict with other essays due in week 13, and allow you to get some feedback on this essay prior to writing others.
2. To allow the research you've done for your essays to inform the discussion for the remaining weeks.
The schedule has been changed to accommodate an essay-writing week in week 9.