PHIL3605: Semester 2, 2021

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Units PHIL3605 Semester 2 2021 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

PHIL3605: Early Modern Theories of Perception

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit examines theories of perception from Descartes to Reid. It comprises four main themes. First, early modern accounts of sense perception are discussed in tandem with developments in the science of optics and the understanding of visual perception. Second, perception as a faculty of the understanding, that is, mental perception, is studied in the writings of Locke and Condillac. Third, sense perception and mental perception are treated together in a detailed assessment of the Molyneux Problem from Leibniz and Berkeley to Diderot. And fourthly, the course examines the notions of a moral sense and an aesthetic sense in the writings of Hutcheson.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Philosophy
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level from the Philosophy major
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	PHIL2605
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Peter Anstey, peter.anstey@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Peter Anstey, peter.anstey@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Take-home short release)	Final exam	50%	Formal exam period	3 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay	40%	Week 08	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Tutorial Assignment Assignment based on in-class tutorial presentation.	10%	Week 13	500 words or 5–10 minute podcast
Outcomes assessed:
= Type D final exam ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction: the legacy of ancient theories of perception	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	New theories of light and vision: Kepler, Descartes and Newton	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	1. Mancosu: acoustics and optics; 2. Shapiro 2008	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Descartes' theory of perception	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	1. Descartes, Optics; 2. Treatise on Man; 3. Replies to Sixth Objections to the Meditations	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Perception and the theory of qualities	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Locke, Essay II. viii; 2. Leibniz, 'Letter to Queen Sophie Charlotte'	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	The Molyneux Problem: Locke and Leibniz	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Locke, Essay II. ix; 2. Leibniz, New Essays on Human Understanding	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Malebranche: seeing all things in God	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Mariotte, A new discovery; 2. Malebranche, The Search after Truth; 3. Locke, Examination of Malebranche	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Berkeley's theory of perception and the Molyneux Problem	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Berkeley: An Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Condillac on the Molyneux problem	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	1. Cheselden, An account; 2. Condillac, Essay; 3. Condillac, Treatise on the Sensations	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Francis Hutcheson: the seventh sense	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	1. Hutcheson, Inquiry into the Original of our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue; 2. Haidt, The emotional dog and its rational tail	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Denis Diderot: Blindness and the Molyneux Problem	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	1. Diderot, Letter on the Blind; 2. Gallagher, How the Body Shapes the Mind; 3. Maurer et al. 1999 4. Held 2011	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	David Hume: perception and scepticism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	1. Hume, Treatise on Human Nature; 2. Hume, Enquiry Concerning Understanding	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Thomas Reid and direct realism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Reid: Essays on Intellectual Powers of Man	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	1. Recap; 2. Visit to Rare Book library	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Exam preparation	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. gain detailed knowledge of leading early modern theories of perception
LO2. understand the scope and range of early modern theories of perception
LO3. demonstrate skills in argument analysis and conceptual analysis
LO4. understand interdisciplinary research methods through drawing connections between philosophy, lierature, science and history
LO5. understand historical perspectives on the origins of contemporary notions of disability and enhancement.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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