PY407-5-AU-CO:
Philosophy and Religion
2022/23
Philosophy
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 06 October 2022
Friday 16 December 2022
15
13 September 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA VV56 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics,
BA VV57 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (Including Placement Year),
BA VV58 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV59 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA VV5P Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (Including Year Abroad),
BA V5L5 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability,
BA V5L6 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Foundation Year),
BA V5L7 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Placement Year),
BA V5L8 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Year Abroad)
Drawing both on classic texts in the history of philosophy and on contemporary debates in the philosophy of religion, we shall critically examine various formulations of the problem of evil, and the main lines of response put forward.
In the course of this study, we shall also advance our understanding of many of the most central concepts in the philosophy of religion, including the following: God, faith, theodicy, trial, free will, resignation, spiritual trial, sin and redemption.
This module will enable the students to:
1. Acquire detailed knowledge of key texts in the history of the philosophy of religion.
2. Develop an understanding of the philosophical issues that arise from religious thought and belief.
3. Develop competence in the crucial philosophical skill of argument reconstruction.
4. Develop competence in writing an essay in the form of a critical comparison.
5. Present complicated ideas to an audience in a succinct and structured way.
By the end of the module students will:
1. Have developed the analytic and critical skills required for the close reading of philosophical religious texts.
2. Be capable of reconstructing philosophical or religious arguments in their own words and to produce a constructive critique of such arguments.
3. Have improved their knowledge of how to structure a piece of writing and present it in the most perspicuous manner.
4. Have developed the ability to do some research on their own and to think by themselves, and in particular to build upon/revise any initial views they might have held.
5 .Be sensitive to the positions of others, and capable of communicating their own views in ways that are interesting and accessible to most, ideally to all.
Erasmus/IP students must have already taken an introductory module in Philosophy at their home institution.
Three hours per week to cover lecture and seminar sessions. Week 8 will be a reading week.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Quizzes TOTAL |
|
15% |
| Coursework |
Essay Plan |
|
35% |
| Coursework |
Essay (2000 words) |
|
50% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Daniel Watts, email: dpwatts@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Matt Burch
phiquery@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Josiah Saunders
Durham University
Associate Professor
Available via Moodle
Of 27 hours, 27 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Philosophy
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.