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Unit of study_

PHIL3683: Core Issues in Theoretical Philosophy

2024 unit information

This unit tackles some of the core methods and assumptions in theoretical philosophy via three closely connected modules. The first examines the idea that philosophy involves the analysis of concepts and generates a priori knowledge. The second examines how philosophy relates to empirical knowledge - both scientific knowledge in general, and empirical discoveries made by philosophers. The third module examines philosophical naturalism or related ideas: the question of whether the physical world is all that exists, and the extent to which philosophy is ultimately about the scientific image of the world.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Arts and Social Sciences

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Philosophy
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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12 credit points at 2000 level in Philosophy
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

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

  • LO1. Gain a broad and detailed knowledge of the main methodologies employed in theoretical philosophy
  • LO2. Acquire a historical perspective on how theoretical philosophy has developed in the modern and post-modern eras
  • LO3. Develop skills in argument analysis and conceptual analysis
  • LO4. Gain a detailed knowledge of intersection points between theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.