Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LI Aesthetics through History
School	Phil, Theology and Religion
Department	Philosophy
Module Code	09 30872
Module Lead	Iain Law
Level	Intermediate 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	The first half of the module will introduce philosophical aesthetics through the lens of a number of key historical thinkers. The topics of this part of the module may include topics such as Plato's account and evaluation of art focused on the notion of imitation, Aristotle's description of the craft of poetry and his theory the role which tragedy can play in good human life, Hume's pragmatic account of judgments of taste, and Kant's aesthetics focusing on the beautiful and the sublime. The second half of the module will focus recent developments in aesthetics. The topics investigated at this part of the module may include questions such as whether art can be defined, what is the nature of aesthetic qualities and experiences, do the moral qualities of works of art affect their value as works of art, what is the ontological status of works of art, how do they acquire meaning, and so on.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: identify and explain key historical positions about the nature of aesthetic value; apply their understanding of this historical context to contemporary debates; articulate and evaluate relevant philosophical arguments; demonstrate the ability to think critically about the subject;
Assessment	30872-05 : Essay 1 - 1750 Word Essay : Coursework (50%) 30872-06 : Essay 2 - 1750 Word Essay : Coursework (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: 2x 1750 word essays (50% each) Reassessment:2 x 1750 word essays. If a student fails the module as a consequence of failing one component and passing the other, the student re-sits the failed component only.
Other
Reading List