Truth, Knowledge, and Objectivity

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• interpret, synthesise and criticise philosophically complex texts and positions
• present and debate philosophical ideas in an open minded and rigorous way.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• take notes from talks and written materials.
• work effectively to deadlines.
• work on the analysis and evaluation of texts.
• undertake, with adequate supervision, independent work, including identifying and using appropriate resources.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• some central issues about the idea of objective truth
• some central issues about our capacity to know about the world

The syllabus for this module may vary from year to year. It may include topics such as:

• Possible distinctions between facts, values, and opinions
• Versions of realism and relativism, and their plausibility
• Ways of distinguishing between objective and subjective issues
• The rational significance of disagreement with others
• Scepticism, and sceptical arguments about our capacity to understand the world

Teaching methods include

• Lectures
• In-class discussion
• Tutorials

Learning activities include

• Attending lectures
• Contributing to discussion in lectures and tutorials
• Doing research for and writing assessed essays
• Applying techniques and skills learnt to your reading and writing inside and outside the module

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Essay proposal

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback:
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No
• Percentage contribution: 100%

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.