Students
PHIL2056 – Knowledge, Language and Power
2022 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor; Lecturer (Wks 1-4, 11-12)
Jennifer Duke-Yonge
Consultation by arrangement
Lecturer (Wks 5-10)
Mark Alfano
Consultation by arrangement
Tutor
Noel Clemente
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| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
What is knowledge? Why is it valuable? And to what extent is our knowledge of the world affected by social position, power and language? In this unit, we will explore traditional and contemporary approaches to epistemological questions about what we can know, what we should believe, and whom and what we should trust. Can we trust our individual senses or reflection to provide knowledge of the world, or is knowledge inherently social? When our own intuitions clash with what others say, should we trust ourselves or our community? When should we trust and defer to experts, and how can we tell who's really an expert to begin with? We will consider philosophical and practical questions about what it is to be a good or bad epistemic agent, focusing on concepts of epistemic (ir)responsibility and epistemic virtues and vices. We will also examine society-level phenomena that may undermine some people's ability to engage fully as epistemic agents, including systemic material, social, and political patterns that can manifest as epistemic injustice. Through an examination of issues including political language, propaganda and conspiracy theories, we will consider how our epistemic practices and institutions can lead to injustice or corruption, and what we can do about it. |
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:
- ULO1: apply understanding developed through course material and readings to explain key theoretical and applied problems in Epistemology and responses to them.
- ULO2: apply skills in critical analysis and reflection to respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
- ULO3: clearly communicate your own perspective on the views and arguments presented in the unit.
- ULO4: contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.
General Assessment Information
Detailed assessment information and rubrics
Detailed information about each of the assessments, including rubrics, will be available in iLearn. Please make sure you read the assessment information carefully, and contact the convenor if you have any questions.
Submission and return of assessments
Assessments in this unit are to be submitted through the appropriate 'Turnitin' links in the unit website. They will be marked through 'Grademark', which will allow you to access your marked assignments directly through the website. For information about Turnitin and Grademark, see:
Special Consideration
Requests for extensions should be submitted via a Special Consideration request, which is available in the http://ask.mq.edu.au portal. Your request should be submitted no later than five days after the due date and should be accompanied by appropriate documentation. Please see here: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration
Read this information carefully, 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.
Late Assessment Submission Penalty
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.
This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.
Academic Integrity
In Philosophy, academic honesty is taken very seriously, and a range of methods, including but not restricted to the use of Turnitin, are used to detect plagiarism. Misrepresenting someone else's work as your own may be grounds for referral to the Faculty Disciplinary Committee. If you have questions about how to properly cite work or how to credit sources, please ask the convenor for help and see also the Academic Integrity Policy https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/academic-integrity
Please note that the policy also prohibits resubmitting work you have already submitted in another unit. This counts as self-plagiarism.
Note: All assignments in this unit are individual assignments. Collusion (unauthorised collaboration on individual assignments) is a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy. This includes sharing or making use of shared assignments, in person or online. If in doubt, contact a member of teaching staff.
A helpful resource if you would like to know more about referencing and avoiding plagiarism is Macquarie's Academic Integrity Module, available here: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills-development. You will need to complete this Module before accessing the unit content, if you have not already done so. More information is available in iLearn.
Academic Writing and Study Support
Macquarie University offers a number of services to help with academic writing, referencing and study skills. For details, see: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/skills/assignments
For information about policies related to Assessment, see Policies and Procedures section below.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective tasks | 20% | No | Pt 1: 11.55pm Sun 7/8 (Wk2). Pt 2: 11.55pm Sun 11/9 (Wk7) |
| Tutorial/online discussion | 20% | No | Ongoing |
| Essay | 35% | No | 11.55pm Sunday 6/11 (Wk 13) |
| Online quizzes | 25% | No | 11.55pm Sundays, Wks 2-12 |
Reflective tasks
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Pt 1: 11.55pm Sun 7/8 (Wk2). Pt 2: 11.55pm Sun 11/9 (Wk7)
Weighting: 20%
Reflective tasks
On successful completion you will be able to:
- apply understanding developed through course material and readings to explain key theoretical and applied problems in Epistemology and responses to them.
- apply skills in critical analysis and reflection to respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
- clearly communicate your own perspective on the views and arguments presented in the unit.
Tutorial/online discussion
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%
Students should be well prepared for tutorial discussion (in class or online). Students should make a constructive contribution to classroom/online discussion and associated activities.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- clearly communicate your own perspective on the views and arguments presented in the unit.
- contribute to the learning of the group by engaging constructively in philosophical discussion and activities.
Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 11.55pm Sunday 6/11 (Wk 13)
Weighting: 35%
An argumentative Essay about themes from the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- apply understanding developed through course material and readings to explain key theoretical and applied problems in Epistemology and responses to them.
- apply skills in critical analysis and reflection to respond to the problems and theories introduced in the unit.
- clearly communicate your own perspective on the views and arguments presented in the unit.
Online quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 11.55pm Sundays, Wks 2-12
Weighting: 25%
Online quizzes
On successful completion you will be able to:
- apply understanding developed through course material and readings to explain key theoretical and applied problems in Epistemology and responses to them.
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
Lectures
Lectures will be delivered live on campus from 9-11 on Mondays, in 4 Western Rd, Room 220. Video lectures will be available shortly afterwards through Echo 360 in iLearn for online students.
Tutorials/ discussion
Students enrolled in "scheduled" offerings of this unit will attend one tutorial each week (Weeks 2-8, 10-12), either on-campus (for "In person scheduled" students) or on Zoom (for "online scheduled" students). Check the timetable for details (http://timetables.mq.edu.au)
- Important note:You must attend or watch the lectures before attending tutorials or engaging in tutorial discussions, since each week's tutorial will be based on that week's lecture. This means you should only register for the tutorial that immediately follows the lecture if are planning to attend the lecture live each week. Internal students who will not always be able to attend the lecture live should register for a Wednesday tutorial.
"Online flexible" students will engage in tutorial discussions through the discussion forums in iLearn (Weeks 2-8, 10-12).
Reading
All the essential readings and some supplementary readings for the course will be available electronically through the library, with links from the 'Leganto' block iLearn. You should do the essential weekly reading before your tutorial/discussion.
Website
The unit website is available through iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au). It contains essential resources for the unit, and you are expected to log in on a regular basis.
Student Email
Communications about the unit may be sent to your MQ student email address. Please make sure you check it regularly. For more information about accessing your MQ email, and how to redirect it to a personal email account if you wish to do so, can be found here: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk/student-email
Unit Schedule
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PART 1: Traditional Epistemology: What can I know? (Dr Jenny Duke-Yonge) In the first part of the unit, we will explore some traditional approaches to knowledge and belief. What is knowledge? Can we, as individuals, really have knowledge about the world? And if so, how do we get it? |
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Week 1 (week beginning 25/7) |
Introduction to Epistemology; The problem of scepticism We will begin with the traditional analysis of Knowledge as Justified True Belief, and consider the challenge of the sceptic, who questions whether such knowledge is possible. No tutorials or assessed discussion this week |
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Week 2 (w/b 1/8) |
Foundations for Knowledge: Rationalism and Empiricism This week we will look at some traditional answers to the question of how we come to know about the world, and what justifies our claims to know. Does our knowledge come through Reason? Sense experience? |
Reflective Task Part 1 (introductory quiz) due Sunday 7/8. |
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Week 3 (w/b 8/8) |
Justification: Internalism and Externalism We’ll begin this week to a challenge to the traditional analysis of knowledge, and the conception of justification that underlies it. How should we understand ‘justification’? |
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Week 4 (w/b 15/8) |
Epistemic Fallibility, Luck and Responsibility The preceding weeks may have given us reason to think that our knowledge is not as secure as we might have supposed. Is it just a matter of luck whether we know anything at all? This week we’ll consider how we should respond to our own epistemic fallibility. |
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PART 2: Social Epistemology (A/Prof Mark Alfano) In the second part of the unit, we will explore Social Epistemology, which is based on the idea that to understand knowledge we need to go beyond the individual and consider the social role of the concept of knowledge and our epistemic practices, and how our knowledge is a function of our relations with others.
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Week 5 (w/b 22/8) |
Social Epistemology This week introduces social epistemology and Goldman's question about how to trust which experts.
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Week 6 (w/b 29/8) |
Social networks This week continues the exploration of social epistemology and asks under what conditions it makes sense to trust scientists.
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Week 7 (w/b 5/9) |
Misinformation This week continues the exploration social epistemology through the ways in which misinformation spreads in social networks.
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Reflective Task Part 2 due Sunday 11/9 |
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Mid-semester break |
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Week 8 (w/b 26/9) |
Social Epistemology and Virtue Epistemology This week explores the relationship between social epistemology and virtue epistemology
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PART 3: Epistemic Pathologies (A/Prof Mark Alfano - Weeks 9 and 10; Dr Jenny Duke-Yonge - Weeks 11 and 12) What happens when our epistemic practices go wrong? In the final section we will explore how social and political inequalities and power relations are connected with distinctively epistemic forms of injustice, and consider what we might do about it. |
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Week 9 (w/b 3/10) |
Conspiracy theories This week we will examine the epistemology of conspiracy theories This week the lecture will be delivered as a recorded lecture, and there will be no tutorials or assessed discussion, due to the public holiday on Monday 3/10 |
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Week 10 (w/b 10/10) |
Epistemic Injustice This week we will introduce the concept of Epistemic Injustice: a distinctive form of injustice that may undermine a person’s ability to engage in society as an epistemic agent. |
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Week 11 (w/b 17/10) |
Language and Power This week, we’ll consider how both the use of language and the suppression of language may lead to injustice. |
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Week 12 (w/b 24/10) |
Trust and abuses of trust In the final week we will consider abuses of trust such as gaslighting, and end with some consideration of when, given the issues we've considered through the unit, we can trust our own epistemic abilities.
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Week 13 (w/b 31/10) |
No lectures: essay writing week No tutorials or assessed discussion this week |
Essay due Sunday 6/11 |
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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
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution 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
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
The Writing Centre
The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.
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 2022.03 of the Handbook