Students

PHL 246 – Philosophy of Religion

2019 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Nicholas Smith
Contact via nicholas.smith@mq.edu.au
AHH level 2
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(12cp at 100 level or above) or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Religion has been an important feature of human life throughout history and it continues to shape human affairs across the planet today. All religions posit the existence of some divine force, and the major monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - take this divinity to be a single all-powerful God. But what kind of justification can be given for belief in the existence of God, so conceived? Does science support or undermine belief in God? Or have science and religion got nothing to do with each other? Can religious belief be justified on practical grounds? Might religion provide a basis for morality and spiritual fulfilment that secular or non-religious people lack? Or are there secular sources of meaning available in the modern world that could make religion redundant? Is there a link between religion and violence? Should religion be viewed as an antidote to violent conflict or a cause of it? What place should there be for religion in the political sphere? The unit does not presuppose any religious commitment or particular religious perspective, just a willingness to explore these questions, and others like them, in an open-minded and rigorous way.

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 an understanding of basic religious concepts at an intermediate level.
  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the philosophy of religion at an intermediate level.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments
  • Manage study projects effectively

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
On-line Quizzes 30% No Weekly
Participation and Engagement 20% No Weekly
Project Management 15% No Weekly, Week 7 for essay plan
Essay 35% No 10/05/19

On-line Quizzes

Due: Weekly
Weighting: 30%

Multiple choice questions to test knowledge of material covered in the unit each week


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire an understanding of basic religious concepts at an intermediate level.
  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the philosophy of religion at an intermediate level.

Participation and Engagement

Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%

Attendance and active participation in lectures and tutorials (for Day students); regular, active contribution to discussion boards (Online students).


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments

Project Management

Due: Weekly, Week 7 for essay plan
Weighting: 15%

Responsibility taken for unit assignments; familiarity with course requirements as set out in unit guide and ilearn site; quality of essay plan.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Manage study projects effectively

Essay

Due: 10/05/19
Weighting: 35%

1 x 2000 word essay on a specified topic. This task will be assessed for clarity of expression, level of understanding, and quality of argumentation. A detailed rubric is available from the unit iLearn site.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Acquire an understanding of basic religious concepts at an intermediate level.
  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the philosophy of religion at an intermediate level.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments

Delivery and Resources

The unit will be delivered by way of weekly lectures and tutorials.

Recorded lectures, lecture slides, essential reading and other information can be accessed from the PHL246 i-learn site.

Unit Schedule

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/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 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

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.

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 outcomes

  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments

Assessment task

  • Essay

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments
  • Manage study projects effectively

Assessment tasks

  • Project Management
  • Essay

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

  • Acquire an understanding of basic religious concepts at an intermediate level.
  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the philosophy of religion at an intermediate level.

Assessment tasks

  • On-line Quizzes
  • Essay

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

  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments

Assessment tasks

  • On-line Quizzes
  • Participation and Engagement
  • Essay

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 outcomes

  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments
  • Manage study projects effectively

Assessment tasks

  • Project Management
  • Essay

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

  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the philosophy of religion at an intermediate level.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments
  • Manage study projects effectively

Assessment tasks

  • Participation and Engagement
  • Essay

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the philosophy of religion at an intermediate level.
  • Articulate clearly and coherently philosophical arguments about the meaning of religion and religious concepts in written and oral form
  • Analyse and critically evaluate philosophical arguments

Assessment task

  • Participation and Engagement