Students
PHIX3052 – Social and Existential Questions
2021 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Robert Sinnerbrink
Lecturer and Tutor
Albert Atkin
Lecturer and Tutor
Brigid Martin
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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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 brings a philosophical lens to some of the great social and existential challenges of our times. We examine some of the key sources of existential meaning in human life, such as: personal freedom, identity, work, and a sense of belonging. We look at some of the prevailing ways in which these sources are currently threatened in contemporary society. The unit also considers some concrete ethical and political options for dealing with these challenges. Some examples of questions that may be explored in the unit include: What is the meaning we look for in our lives? Is spiritual belief an important or even a necessary element of human life? How does work fit in our idea of a good life? How can we live well together given our different gender, cultural and ethnic identities? |
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:
- ULO2: analyse arguments in the relevant literature.
- ULO1: explain the history and meaning of concepts in existentialist and social philosophy.
- ULO3: apply existentialist and social-philosophy approaches in broader social, cultural, and political debates.
- ULO4: investigate and theorise ideas clearly, cogently, and convincingly through critical analysis and philosophical discussion.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation | 20% | No | Weeks 2-12 |
| Philosophical Essay | 40% | No | Week 13 |
| Online quizzes | 20% | No | Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
| Reflective tasks | 20% | No | Week 6 |
Participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Weeks 2-12
Weighting: 20%
Online discussion participation and associated activities. Students should be prepared for the discussion by reading set papers in advance, and formulating questions for discussion with their fellow students.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- explain the history and meaning of concepts in existentialist and social philosophy.
- apply existentialist and social-philosophy approaches in broader social, cultural, and political debates.
- investigate and theorise ideas clearly, cogently, and convincingly through critical analysis and philosophical discussion.
Philosophical Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%
An argumentative essay analysing and responding to key problems and theories from the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- explain the history and meaning of concepts in existentialist and social philosophy.
- analyse arguments in the relevant literature.
- apply existentialist and social-philosophy approaches in broader social, cultural, and political debates.
- investigate and theorise ideas clearly, cogently, and convincingly through critical analysis and philosophical discussion.
Online quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
Weighting: 20%
Online quizzes
On successful completion you will be able to:
- explain the history and meaning of concepts in existentialist and social philosophy.
Reflective tasks
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 20%
Short written reflective tasks
On successful completion you will be able to:
- explain the history and meaning of concepts in existentialist and social philosophy.
- analyse arguments in the relevant literature.
- apply existentialist and social-philosophy approaches in broader social, cultural, and political debates.
- investigate and theorise ideas clearly, cogently, and convincingly through critical analysis and philosophical discussion.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
This unit uses an iLearn website and Echo360 lecture recordings (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/ MQ/). The website contains links to the reading material, lecture notes, lecture recordings, and other learning materials such as video clips, weblinks, and images. Students will therefore require access to a computer and a good internet connection in order to access all the material and participate in the unit effectively. PHIL3052 will be delivered using a combination of online lectures (recorded via Echo360) and online tutorial forum discussions. Lectures are organised around key texts in which fundamental concepts and arguments are introduced and explained. The weekly quizzes are designed to practise the various skills required in philosophical writing. They will be scaffolded to help students in the preparation for tackling Assessment tasks. External students will engage in these activities online via dedicated iLearn discussion forums. For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations.
Lectures:
Tuesday 9am-11am (Echo360 Online Lecture Recordings will be Livestreamed and then posted on Tuesday morning after 11am)
Tutorials:
Weekly online tutorial classes will be conducted commencing from Week 2. Week 1 will be an Introductory session where students introduce themselves to each other and we discuss any issues relevant to studying this unit. Weekly Tutorial Discussion Questions will be posted after the lecture recordings have been posted. Students are required to respond to the Tutorial Discussion Questions and engage each other in discussion responding to issues raised in these responses.
N.B.: Weekly tutorials will begin in WEEK 2 and will continue until Week 12 (Week 13 tutorial will be an online peer review session for the Essay).
Unit Schedule
PART I - The Question of Existence
Week 1 Introduction: What is Existentialism?
Required Reading: Stephen Crowell, 'Existentialism', Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, online entry (2015): https://plato.stanfor d.edu/entries/existentialism/
Week 2 - Camus and the Question of the Absurd
Required Reading: Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, chapter 1
Week 3 - Heidegger on Anxiety and Mortality
Required Reading: extracts from Martin Heidegger, Being and Time, What is Metaphysics?
Week 4 - Sartre on Consciousness and Freedom
Required Reading: extract from Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism\
Part II: Ethics and Politics as Existential Tasks
Week 5 - The Problem of the Other
Required Reading: Heidegger, “The They” (from Being and Time); Sartre’s “being-for-other” (from Being and Nothingness and No Exit).
Week 6 - De Beauvoir and Feminist Existentialism
Required Reading: Simone de Beauvoir, Ethics of Ambiguity, chapter 1; extracts from The Second Sex
Week 7 - Arendt on Freedom, Action, and Democracy
Required Reading: Hannah Arendt, extracts from The Human Condition
Week 8 - Black existentialism
Required Reading: Jean-Paul Sartre, Black Orpheus; Frantz Fanon, extracts from Black Skin, White Masks; Lewis Gordon, extracts from Existence in Black
Part III - Philosophical Approaches to Race
Week 9 - The Norms of Racist Speech
Week 10 - Race and Incarceration
Week 11 - Racial Profiling
Week 12 - Intersectionality
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.
Unit information based on version 2021.03 of the Handbook