Self and Agency in the History of Philosophy

Module overview

As modern science developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, philosophers asked what place there is for individual, human agency in a law-governed, mechanistic world. And, as traditional social structures were overturned in this period, philosophers asked questions about how we should behave, as individuals and as collectives. More generally, they asked: How, if at all, do we fit into the scheme of things? Through careful attention to the writings of major thinkers from this period, this module will explore issues of perennial importance, such as: What is freedom and are we free? What is the self? What is virtue? How might reflection on these issues—and philosophical inquiry more generally—contribute to tackling real world problems? The module will introduce you to the views of a wide range of early modern philosophers on these topics from René Descartes to Anne Conway, from Thomas Hobbes to Gabrielle Suchon, and from Nicholas Malebranche to Madeleine de Scudéry.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

undertake, with adequate supervision, independent work, including identifying and using appropriate resources.
work effectively to deadlines.
take notes from talks and written materials.

Knowledge and Understanding

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

practical philosophical issues arising specifically in the context of the early modern period
some of the central issues in the history of practical philosophy
the enduring practical relevance of the issues that animate the history of philosophy

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

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

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

Lectures
In-class discussion

Learning activities include

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

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	117
Lecture	33
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Daniel Star and Roger Crisp (eds) (2019). History of Ethics. Wiley Blackwell.

Terence Irwin (2020). Ethics Through History: An Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Assessment

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.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Timed Assignment	50%
Essay	50%

Referral

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

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Timed Assignment	100%

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.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Timed Assignment	50%
Essay	50%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External