| Unit name | Philosophical Texts 1: Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL10003 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Pyle |
| Open unit status | Open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The unit concerns a classic text, Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, which it treats in an introductory fashion. The focus is on the traditional argument from the adaptations of structure to function manifest in animals and plants to the existence of an intelligent designer. This argument, set out by Carneades in the dialogue, is subjected to a searching critique by the more sceptical Philo.
On completion of this course, students will:
(1) have a thorough knowledge of Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion.
(2) be familiar with some key secondary literature on this text, and be able to engage critically with it.
(3) be able to engage critically with the author's positions and arguments.
(4) be in a position to relate some key ideas in this text to modern philosophical debates.
11 one-hour lectures.
Summative: one 2,000-3,000 word essay from a list of questions designed to test intended learning outcomes (1), (2), (3) and (4).
David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Hackett, Cambridge, 1998.
