Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LH Fantastic Beasts and How to Understand them: Topics in Philosophy of Biology
School	Phil, Theology and Religion
Department	Philosophy
Module Code	09 30840
Module Lead	Henry Taylor and Ema Sullivan-Bissett
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-20 hours Seminar-8 hours Guided independent study-172 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	Biology is the single most important discipline for understanding the nature of humanity, and our place within the universe. This module will examine various major theories and debates in the philosophy of biology and will also apply these ideas to several philosophically puzzling phenomena. No prior knowledge of biology is required. Topics covered may be selected from the following list, though the provision may change year on year: understanding evolutionary biology; teleosemanics, race, species and biological classification, biological functions; natural kinds in biology; evolution and aesthetics, evolution and ethics, evolution and religion, biology and society, dreaming, self-deception, altruism, units of selection, archaeobiology, and other topics in the philosophy of biology.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: demonstrate a good grasp of relevant portions of evolutionary biology. This may include but need not be limited to: epigenetics, genetic drift, spandrels, sexual and asexual organisms, microbiology and cladistics. identify biologists’ conceptual assumptions about life. This may include but need not be limited to: biologists’ assumptions about species and species membership, biologists’ views on functions, adaptationist thinking, the status of evolutionary psychology and the power of evolutionary explanation in other areas of human activity. avoid misguided ways of thinking about evolution. Such errors may include (but are not limited to) anthropocentrism, the tendency to think of evolution as ‘animal-centric’ (rather than organism-centric), the tendency to privilege natural selection over other evolutionary forces, the use of ‘just-so’ stories, teleological views of evolution, and the tendency to think of species in terms of ‘paradigm’ members. demonstrate thorough and sensitive awareness of the impact of biology for traditionally philosophical problems and challenging issues. This may include but need not be limited to: natural kinds, aesthetics, the status of science as opposed to non-scientific modes of enquiry, ethics, scientific realism, the epistemology of science, the interface between philosophy of science and philosophy of language, etc. integrate philosophical and scientific ideas in written work. bring together all of the above skills and express them clearly and critically in written work.
Assessment	30840-02 : Assessment 1 - 2000 word Assessed Exercise : Coursework (50%) 30840-03 : Assessment 2 - 2000 Word Essay : Coursework (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment 2 x 2,000 word essays (50% each) Method of Reassessment .Students would retake the failed component if this resulted in failing the module overall.
Other
Reading List