| Unit name | Ethics and Literature |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL30094 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Everett |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit brings together philosophy and literature to explore some of the things that matter most for human lives. This year we will explore the concept and tradition of tragedy, focusing on its philosophical and existential implications. We will explore the notion of tragedy in the work of Plato, Aristotle, Freud, Hegel, and Nietzsche. We will draw on a variety of sources, including philosophy, literature, ancient classical texts, theatre, and film to explore tragedy's role in the past and what lessons it might offer us today. We will ask: why is tragedy so powerful? What philosophical insights does it convey? Why did Plato want to banish the poets from his Republic? Is hubris necessary for a tragic hero? What are the cathartic effects of watching a tragedy, according to Aristotle ? Was Oedipus culpable of the crimes he committed? And why was Nietzsche mesmerised by what he called ‘the Dionysian’?
We will also watch screen adaptations of tragedies, including Oedipus Rex, Antigone, and Romeo and Juliet.
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
1. articulate, compare and critique alternative theoretical accounts of tragedy, moral responsibility, retribution, and forgiveness
2. articulate competing approaches to thinking about tragedy, as proposed in several classic works of literature and philosophy
3. present complex philosophical ideas to an audience (in both verbal and written form) in a clear and concise manner as appropriate to level H/6;
4. analyse both literary and philosophical pieces through close attention to text, compositional structure and rhetoric.
11 x 2-hour lectures and 11 x 1-hour seminars
1 x 4500 word summative essay (100%) (ILOs 1-4)
1 x formative presentation (0% to be completed for the award of credit) (ILO 3)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHIL30094).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
