PHL1080

Philosophy: time, self and freedom

Aubrey Townsend and others

6 points
* 3 hours per week
* Second semester
* Caulfield, Peninsula
* The department proposes to offer PHL1080 in flexible delivery mode to students on any campus in any semester. If you are interested in taking this subject in flexible delivery mode, please contact the department.

Objectives On completing the subject students will have an understanding of some major metaphysical issues that arise from the interplay of commonsense and traditional views with the emerging world view of science. They will perhaps also have an openness to the excitement of argument about ideas. From the logic component they will have gained a knowledge of basic logical doctrine and an increased sensitivity to appropriate standards of rigour in arguments about ideas and doctrine.

Synopsis The subject is made up of two components. (i) `Reason and argument'. This part of the subject will extend the treatment of topics dealt with in the reason and argument component of PHL1070 and introduce some central ideas of modern formal logic. (ii) `Metaphysical issues'. This part of the subject will examine some major topics in metaphysics, concerned with time and freedom, the nature of the self, and the possibility of artificial intelligence. The content will be similar to that for the metaphysics component of PHL1020. Students may not take PHL1080 with PHL1020 or PHL1060 without special permission.

Assessment One essay: 20%
* Four exercises (covering both parts of the course): 40%
* One 1-hour examination: 40%
* Full details of the assessment, which conform to the Keller Plan, will be provided at the commencement of the course.

Prescribed texts

A collection of readings available from the Monash Bookshop and on reserve in the Sir Louis Matheson Library

Recommended texts

Glover J I: The philosophy and psychology of personal identity Penguin

PHL1080

Philosophy: time, self and freedom

Dr Aubrey Townsend and others

6 points
* 3 hours per week
* Second semester
* Berwick

Objectives On completing the subject students will have an understanding of some major metaphysical issues that arise from the interplay of commonsense and traditional views with the emerging world view of science. They will perhaps also have an openness to the excitement of argument about ideas. From the logic component they will have gained a knowledge of basic logical doctrine and an increased sensitivity to appropriate standards of rigour in arguments about ideas and doctrine.

Synopsis The subject is made up of two components. (i) `Reason and argument'. This part of the subject will extend the treatment of topics dealt with in the reason and argument component of PHL1070 and introduce some central ideas of modern formal logic, (ii) `Metaphysical issues'. This part of the subject will examine some major topics in metaphysics, concerned with time and freedom, the nature of the self, and the possibility of artificial intelligence. The content will be similar to that for the metaphysics component of PHL1020. Students may not take PHL1080 with PHL1020 or PHL1060 without special permission.

Assessment Essay: 20%
* 4 exercises covering both parts of the course: 40%
* Examination (1 hour): 40%

Prescribed texts

A collection of readings available from the Monash bookshop

Recommended texts

Glover J I: The philosophy and psychology of personal identity Penguin