Philosophy: The Great Thinkers

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

"This subject introduces some of the central themes of pre 20th-century Western philosophy. Topics to be covered include some or all of the following: Plato on moral ideas and knowledge; Machiavelli and Hobbes on the nature of the State, the rights of individuals, and maintaining political power; Descartes on knowledge, the self, God, freedom, and the relation between mind and body; critical responses to Descartes’s theory of the mind by Princess Elisabeth, Locke and Leibniz."

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• appreciate aspects of what it means to be a human being through the study of central works in the philosophical traditions;
• identify and define key philosophical concepts;
• read historical texts with particular focus on the philosophical arguments that are presented in these texts;
• interpret texts that were written in the history of philosophy;
• write well-structured and well-argued short essays that accurately explain and critically assess philosophical views;
• articulate their own responses to philosophical views, support them by reasons and defend them in light of criticism.

• A 800 word essays, due during the semester (20%)
• A 1,200 word essay, due during the semester (30%)
• A 2,000 take-home examination, due during the end of semester examination period (50%)

Hurdle requirement:

• Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject.
• All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. After five days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.

Subject readings will be available on line

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.