What you will study
This module consists of four blocks, each lasting five weeks, and five further weeks in which you'll have the opportunity to think about and discuss the nature of philosophical study. The four blocks are as follows:
Block 1: The aesthetics of nature
What do we mean when we call a piece of nature ‘beautiful’? Do we only mean that we like it? Or is it being beautiful an objective fact about it? Is all of nature beautiful? When we ruin a piece of nature, do we make everything alright again if we make it look like how it looked before? This block asks all these questions – plus more – and guides you towards the arguments that will enable you to answer them.
Block 2: Plato’s Meno
Plato’s dialogue, The Meno, is a classic text by one of the founders of Western Philosophy. You will learn how to read and interpret the text by looking at some contemporary interpretations. Such interpretations make vivid the claims and arguments that, even today, underpin important philosophical controversies surrounding the nature of knowledge, the nature of virtue, and whether virtue is teachable.
Block 3: Consciousness
There is perhaps no greater mystery than the nature of consciousness. What is it that we have that sticks and stones do not? What is it to be aware of the world, to experience colours and sounds? Is consciousness a physical phenomenon? If so, what is the relation between a sensation (a feeling of pain, say) and a state of our brain? Drawing on dramatic recent work in the philosophy of mind, this block attempts to throw light on these issues.
Block 4: Global justice
It is a fact that some people in the world have plenty, and other people in the world do not have enough, or barely enough, on which to live. Global justice has always been important in Political Philosophy, but it is emerging as a central issue of debate. This block will go into the history of the debate (since the 1970s) and consider the key current points of contention: who is responsible for how things are? What should we do about it?
Throughout the module, you will engage with key contemporary and classic material. The module will be of interest to those who wish to extend their knowledge and understanding of philosophy and the research methods and perspectives of those working in this field of study.
Although you can gain the Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities from studying this module, it is the first module in the two-part MA in Philosophy. As such, it is preparation for the MA Philosophy part 2 (A854), which culminates in a dissertation. You'll choose the topic for your dissertation, provided it is appropriate to the subjects in these taught modules. This includes all the topics in this module, together with Nietzsche, Foucault and Arendt, the philosophy of mind, and political philosophy, which you would study on A854.
Vocational relevance
Employers greatly value the skills taught in philosophy courses: the capacity to think well about important issues, to assess and formulate arguments, to communicate clearly and succinctly, and to be an independent and flexible thinker. In addition, this module also pays attention to presentation skills and the skills underlying peer interaction and review.
Entry
You must hold a UK honours degree (or equivalent) in philosophy or a related subject. If you have a degree conferred without honours, or that does not contain at least 20% of philosophy-related subjects, or with relevant experience in this field, you may still be eligible to study this qualification, subject to adjudication by the qualification team.
Although the foundation module, MA Philosophy part 1, will bring you up to date with the latest ideas and approaches, it assumes you'll have the knowledge and skills usually acquired by pursuing the subject at undergraduate level. If you are in any doubt about whether you possess these skills or knowledge, you could study one of our undergraduate philosophy modules first, Investigating philosophy (DA223) or Key questions in philosophy (A333), which are designed to introduce you to standard techniques of analysis and argument. You could also refer to the 'Preparatory work' reading indicated below.
To study successfully for this MA, you need to be able to:
- write clear, concise, accurate prose
- read large quantities of text quickly, accurately and critically
- classify evidence precisely and assess its value and reliability
- argue logically, consistently and sceptically
- marshal various sorts of evidence to support a logical argument.
If you’re in any doubt about the suitability of your qualifications or previous experience, please contact us before you enrol.
Preparatory work
Reading the following will be useful preparation for the MA:
- Glenn Parsons, Aesthetics and Nature, Bloomsbury, 2023.
- Plato, The Meno. Many editions are available.
- David Chalmers, The Conscious Mind, Oxford University Press, 1997.
- Thom Brooks (ed.), The Global Justice Reader, Wiley-Blackwell. If you have the 2008 edition, sections IV-VII are particularly relevant. If you have the 2023 edition, focus on parts 4, 5, and 7.