Departments of Philosophy, Sociology, Economics STUDENT HANDBOOK THIRD YEAR PPE 2016-2017 IMPORTANT: It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the contents of the Handbook and to ensure that they comply with all the rules, deadlines etc. which it contains. It is further the responsibility of the student to consult the websites and relevant handbooks of the different Departments to ensure that they are aware of differences in assessment, policies, requirements for essay writing, deadlines, penalties etc.
Transcript
Departments of Philosophy, Sociology, Economics
STUDENT HANDBOOK
THIRD YEAR PPE
2016-2017 IMPORTANT: It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the contents of the Handbook and to ensure that they comply with all the rules, deadlines etc. which it contains. It is further the responsibility of the student to consult the websites and relevant handbooks of the different Departments to ensure that they are aware of differences in assessment, policies, requirements for essay writing, deadlines, penalties etc.
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Contents
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 CONTACT DETAILS ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 CONTACT DETAILS DEPARTMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 1 FIRST SEMESTER .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 SECOND SEMESTER .................................................................................................................................................... 11
EXAMINATIONS MARKING SYSTEM ............................................................................................................................ 21 STUDYING ABROAD ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 NOTE ON PLAGIARISM ................................................................................................................................................... 22
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INTRODUCTION Welcome back to the PPE programme. PPE brings together some of the most important approaches to gain the necessary abilities and the necessary understanding to deal with the challenge of globalisation, a globalised economy, democracy and becoming a responsible citizen by addressing the intrinsic relationships between these subjects. It will be taught in cooperation between the Departments of Philosophy, Sociology, and Economics. This Handbook is designed to explain to you how your second year in PPE works, so please read it carefully. If there is information you need but which is not covered in this Handbook, then please consult the relevant individual Handbooks of the Departments or do not hesitate to ask a member of staff or the subject coordinators for guidance. The second and third year of the PPE will allow students to tailor their degree according to their interests and abilities by choosing a minimum of 10 credits (2 modules) in each subject, and then to choose freely the remaining modules from all three disciplines according to their own personal preferences, thus allowing maximum flexibility.
CONTACT DETAILS
CONTACT DETAILS DEPARTMENTS Department of Philosophy Arts Building, room 10/11 Maynooth University, Tel: +353 1 7083661 Maynooth, Fax: +353 1 7084525 Co. Kildare. Email: [email protected] Website: http://philosophy.nuim.ie Administrative Officer: Ms Ann Gleeson
Department of Sociology Room 1.5 Auxilia Building National University of Ireland, Maynooth Tel: +353 1 708 3659 Maynooth Fax: +353 1 708 3528 Co. Kildare Email: [email protected] Website: http://sociology.nuim.ie/ Administrators: Ms Trish Connerty Ms Áine Edmonds
Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting Room 54, Website: http://economics.nuim.ie/ Rhetoric House National University of Ireland, Maynooth Maynooth Co. Kildare Administrative Officer: Máire Adderley
Dr Tuvana Pastine [email protected] 33 6421 Dr Olive Sweetman [email protected] 26 3556 Notice Boards, Moodle, Websites and Regulations: For some Departments like Philosophy and Sociology the notice boards are an important method of communicating with students. Important information (e.g. tutorial times and lists, changes in the timetable or in lecture times) will be posted there from time to time. Students are required to consult the notice boards of the individual Departments regularly. In the Economics Department, tutorial registration is organised through Moodle; you should follow the instructions on tutorial registration that will be provided at class on the first day. Economics students should automatically be registered for EC100, which shows up as a module on Moodle, and announcements that are relevant to the whole class there will be posted there. In the Philosophy Department you must register for tutorials with the Administrative Officer of the Department (Room No. 10/11 Arts Building), by completing a Tutorial Registration form and returning this to the Department in the first week of term. Students should also note, that Departments have different policies regarding tutorials and continuous assessments, and penalties. Students are, therefore, required to inform themselves on the different policies of the Departments. Student Emails: Students should consult their university email account regularly, as this is an important means of communication with the university. The personal student email account is received at registration. PPE Programme Director: Dr Michael Dunne PPE Programme Co-‐ordinator: Dr Susan Gottlöber Subject Co-‐ordinators: Philosophy: Dr Susan Gottlöber Politics: Dr Barry Cannon Economics: Dr Simon Broome
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FIRST SEMESTER
PHILOSOPHY
PH315A POST-‐KANTIAN GERMAN IDEALISM AND ITS CRITICS (Compulsory) (Dr
Cyril McDonnell) (5 ECTS credits) This module examines the development of Post-‐Kantian German Idealism which straddled the 18th and 19th centuries, from about the 1780s into the 1840s, paying particular attention to central ideas elaborated by three of its most well-‐known thinkers: Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-‐1814), Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling (1775-‐1854) and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-‐1831), the latter achieving greatest prominence among the idealists. Hegel, however, has had and still has many interpreters, supporters, whether Left-‐wing Hegelians or Right-‐wing Hegelians, and many detractors; so, some attention, towards the end of the module, will be given to what has come to be known as the materialist critique of Hegel’s “Absolute Idealism”, critiques famously elaborated by Feuerbach and Marx, and to the existentialist critique of Kierkegaard. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to: 1. Identify some of the main issues and philosophical questions addressed in the
development of post-‐Kantian German Idealism. 2. Elaborate on the central tenets of Fichte’s account of moral consciousness as a
development of post-‐Kantian transcendental philosophy. 3. Elaborate on the central tenets of Schelling’s account of aesthetic consciousness as a
development of post-‐Kantian transcendental philosophy. 4. Elaborate on the central tenets of Hegel’s account of rational consciousness as a
development of post-‐Kantian transcendental philosophy. 5. Assess the different ways in which the problem of the relation of the finite to the infinite
was addressed in post-‐Kantian German Idealism. 6. Evaluate some of the main philosophical objections to post-‐Kantian German Idealism, in
particular the materialist objections (Feurerbach, Marx) to Hegel’s Speculative Idealism and the existentialist critique (Kierkegaard).
7. Demonstrate ability to select and think-‐through a response that is of relevance to the set essay-‐assignment task in addressing issues of concern in German Idealism in particular and in philosophy in general.
Assessment: 100% Continuous Assessment, broken down as follows: 5% = Attendance at Tutorials. 15% = Tutorial Presentation 20% = Tutorial Essay-‐Assignment (c. 1,000 words) 60% = Final Essay-‐Assignment (c. 2,000 words).
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PH334A: TOPICS IN ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY (Dr Simon Nolan) (5 ECTS credits) This module traces the development of twentieth-‐century analytic philosophy through studying the work of some of its major exponents. The focus will be on philosophy of language, thought and world. An emphasis of the module will be the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-‐1951) as found both in his early Tractatus Logico-‐Philosophicus and in his later Philosophical Investigations (a work Wittgenstein was in the process of revising and editing during his time in Ireland). Other key thinkers to be studied will be Gottlob Frege, Bertrand Russell, Rudolf Carnap, A. J. Ayer, Wilfrid Sellars, W. V. O. Quine, Donald Davidson, Saul Kripke and John McDowell. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Discuss the definition of ‘analytic philosophy’ and identify its chief characteristics. 2. Identify and critically assess the major philosophical tenets in the thought of Ludwig
Wittgenstein. 3. Describe and evaluate the philosophical approach to language, thought and world
proposed by a number of key exponents of analytic philosophy. 4. Explain the emergence and centrality of the problem of meaning and truth in
twentieth century philosophy from an analytic-‐philosophical point of view. 5. Articulate and demonstrate, through critical written communication skills and
argument style in philosophy, an ability to address pivotal philosophical questions regarding some of the central concepts of analytic philosophy.
Assessment: Continuous Assessment (40%), Final Written Examination (60%): 5% = Attendance at Tutorials. 15% = Tutorial Presentation 20% = Tutorial Essay-‐Assignment (c. 1,000 words) 60% = Final Written examination (90 minutes) PH329A: ELECTIVE: SPINOZA (Dr Amos Edelheit) ( 5 ECTS credits) This module examines one of the most original, daring, influential, and complex philosophical systems: the philosophy of the 17th century Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677). It begins with an outline of some biographical facts, moving on in particular to the philosophical context which is at the background of Spinoza’s philosophy, mainly Descartes’s metaphysics and ontological analysis. It concentrates attention both on Spinoza’s critique of Descartes’ conception of three substances and on the starting points of Spinoza’s philosophical account of concepts, such as, ‘substance’, ‘God or nature’, ‘matter’, ‘freedom’, and ‘human happiness’, which can, to some extent, be traced back to the Stoics. Spinoza’s main writings from his early tractates to the Ethics will be closely examined. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Contextualize Spinoza’s philosophical system, while pointing out some main differences between him and Descartes, thus being able to appreciate the originality and consistency found in Spinoza.
2. Identify the importance of some Stoic philosophical doctrines and theories to Spinoza’s philosophical system, thus pointing out the differences between this ancient philosophical school and the 17th century philosopher.
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3. Critically discuss some of the main concepts in Spinoza’s philosophy such as ‘attributes’ and ‘modes’ (e.g. what are the two attributes of God? what are the epistemological implications of this?)
4. Appreciate Spinoza’s solution to the soul/ body problem, while dealing with the questions: what is the importance of the fact that Spinoza’s philosophical system begins from God? what kind of God do we have in Spinoza’s philosophy?
5. Appreciate the geometrical method used by Spinoza in his Ethics while dealing with the questions: what are the advantages and disadvantages of the geometrical method? how the geometrical method is related to Spinoza’s determinist approach?
credits) This module will examine the thought of some women philosophers from classical times to today, for example Diotima of Mantinea (c. 450 BC), Hildegard von Bingen (1098-‐1179), Heloise (1100?-‐1164), Anna Maria van Shurman (1607-‐1678), Elisabeth of Bohemia (1617-‐1680), Anne Conway (1631-‐1679), Damaris Cudworth Mashham (1658-‐1708), Émilie du Châtelet (1706-‐1749), Catharine Macaulay (1731-‐1791), Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-‐1797), Harriet Taylor Mill (1807-‐1858), Jane Addams (1860-‐1935), Hannah Arendt (1906-‐1975), Simone de Beauvoir (1908-‐1986), and Elizabeth Anscombe (1919-‐2001). Their philosophy will be examined in the light of that of their male contemporaries and the historical context, and an attempt will be made to assess their contribution as women and as philosophers to the development of philosophical thought. Reflection on women’s roles and the significance of these for cultural development will accompany the reading of the texts. Karen Warren (ed.): An Unconventional History of Western Philosophy: Conversations Between Men and Women Philosophers (Plymouth: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2008) will be used as a textbook. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Account for the central positions of the philosophers studied and for the shape of their literary production.
2. Discuss the philosophical thought of each of the thinkers studied in relation to their male contemporaries and in relation to the historical context.
3. Reflect on and assess the contribution of women thinkers (and to those studied in particular) to the development of philosophical thought.
4. Discuss and assess the relevance of characterizing a particular philosopher as a woman philosopher.
5. Discuss and assess the reasons there might be for editing women thinkers out of the history of philosophy.
PH344: ELECTIVE: HISTORY OF AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY, FROM PURITANISM TO PRAGMATISM (Professor Kenneth Stickers) (5 ECTS credits)
This course will provide a broad historical overview of the history of American philosophy, starting with Puritanism and culminating in classical Pragmatism. It will identify dominant continuities and themes in that history, such as “experience,” “community,” and “renewal,” as well as major shifts and changes. It will examine both the main social and political conditions to which American philosophy responded and how it in turn has contributed to the shaping of American history. Its principle aim is to provide a solid foundation upon which students might conduct further, more specialized study into various aspects of American philosophy, both historical and contemporary. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Learn some of the major figures and themes in the history of American philosophy 2. Trace the historical development of American philosophy from its origins in
Puritanism through the classical Pragmatists 3. Discuss the historical forces that shaped the development of American philosophy as
well as how that philosophy influenced the development of American history and contemporary American life, politics, and thinking,
4. Articulate American philosophy’s relationship to main currents in Eureapean philosophy, how it both appropriated certain ideas and reacted against others
5. Be well prepared to conduct more specialized studies of American philosophy 6. Discuss contemporary Neo-‐Pragmatism and debates regarding it 7. Better discuss how and why Americans think and act the way that they do as a result of
knowing their philosophy
Assessment: 100% Continuous Assessment: 100% = Final Essay-‐Assignment (c. 3,000 words). PH345: ELECTIVE: PHILOSOPHY OF ECONOMICS (Stronlgy recommended)
(Professor Kenneth Stickers) (5 ECTS credits) This seminar will survey economic theory from antiquity through the origins of market capitalism in order to identify the peculiar philosophical assumptions underlying the latter—metaphysical assumptions, epistemological assumptions, assumptions about human nature, and ethical assumptions. The seminar will a) begin with examinations of anthropological studies of what Karl Polanyi termed “archaic economies” and of ancient and medieval economic thought; b) it will then examine some of the historical, religious, and philosophical sources of classical and neo-‐classical economic thought; and c) it will examine classical and neo-‐classical economic theories as efforts to establish ethics as a natural science—even a mathematical science—economics’ severance, as a discipline, from moral philosophy, and how that severance has “veiled,” as Robert Heilbroner described it, mainstream economics’ philosophical assumptions. Central questions guiding the course will be: What does it mean to make a “science” of the study of human society, especially economy? What is the proper measure of economy? What is the relationship between material wealth and human well-‐being and flourishing?
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Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to: 1. Identify and critically assess the central philosophical assumptions—metaphysical,
anthropological, ethical, and epistemological—underlying economic theories 2. Discuss the peculiar assumptions underlying classical liberal economic theory and how
it developed historically out of moral philosophy 3. Be familiar with key thinkers and texts in the history of Western economic theory 4. Articulate a coherent and informed view regarding how economies ought to be
GY327: ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS (Adrian Kavanagh) (5 ECTS credits) The module provides an introduction to theoretical thinking relating to the areas of environmental politics and policy-‐making, as well as studying the history of the environmental movement and the emergence of ''green parties'' in western democracies. Trans-‐boundary environmental issues will also be focussed upon, while the manner in which environmental regulation has been shaped by political concerns will be a key theme in this module, illustrating the degree to which such legislation is often the result of a political balancing act between environmental concerns and economic pressures in which the latter tend to hold the greater influence. (5 ECTS credits) (compulsory) Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Describe the history of the environmental movement and the emergence of ‘green parties’
2. Explain the different processes impacting on environmental policy making 3. Discuss the relationship between environment and economy in the process of
environmental regulation 4. Analyze the impacts of political concerns on environmental regulation at national and
transnational scales Assessment: 50% Continuous Assessment 50% Written Exam (1 hour) PO301: INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC POLICY (TBA) (5 ECTS credits) This module will examine public policy in a comparative, international and global perspective. A key theme will be the challenges that globalization poses to politics and policy in the contemporary context. Gender, race, class and colonization will inform our comparison of policies and policy systems. This module also explores the increasing internationalization of public policy and the advent of global public policy, whereby international organizations play a powerful role in shaping public policy development in the developing world and in post-‐
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communist states. Topics covered may include comparative methodology and international variation in formulation and response to issues, such as climate change, poverty, health, immigration and welfare. This module will include staff inputs and guest speakers. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Detail and evaluate the major theories and key concepts used by social scientists to analyse comparatively the development of modern public policy systems and public policies.
2. Critically assess the contribution of social scientific analyses to an understanding of public policy in a comparative and international perspective including the role of gender, race, class and colonization in shaping the development of policies and policy systems.
3. Evaluate the empirical trends and patterns identified by social scientists exploring issues such as: the increasing internationalization of public policy and the advent of global public policy and the international variation in formulation and response to issues, such as employment, housing, domestic violence, poverty, health, and child welfare.
4. Develop an independent and critical perspective on the social scientific analysis of modern public policy systems and public policies.
Assessment: 50% Continuous Assessment 50% Written Exam (1 hour) PO301: THREATS, RISKS, CONFLICTS & HUMAN SECURITY (TBA) (5 ECTS credits) In the ‘new world order’ traditional threats -‐ such as nuclear annihilation -‐ fade while new threats -‐ such as ‘global warming’ -‐ gain currency. The focus on military threats emanating from other states is being contested – despite criticisms from the realists – by a far broader interpretation of security as any factor that conspired against human or individual security. The new conceptualising of security entailed in the term human security– albeit contested by the realist school and the dominant states – is both based on, and leads to, a new understanding of world politics. Human security, its focus on protecting people from threat, risk and negative impact of conflict in the context of globalisation processes, is the main subject of this course. Students will be presented with some social, cultural, economic, and political aspects or facets of contemporary globalisation and in this context security issues will be critically examined from a human security perspective, in its broader and deeper sense. In this way, students will be introduced to the re-‐conceptualisation of the globalisation debates and the re-‐visioning of what security means in the 21st Century. The areas of intersection between global human security and development, environment, health, war, migration, and gender policy feature specifically on this course. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Be familiar with definitions of security and human security, and a range of different academic approaches to the study of global security;
2. Have an understanding of how the concept of gender operates as both a constitutive
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and disruptive element within the mainstream security paradigm; 3. Have explored the sociological, political science and international development
literature wherein contestations of the mainstream security paradigm and alternative approaches have been debated;
4. Have conceptualised a socio-‐political approach to securitisation; 5. Be able to identify securitization processes and elements of their practice as they
emerge in substantive contexts; 6. Have developed a reflexive critical approach to the construction and practice of
ECONOMICS EC217: ECONOMICS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (Dr Aedin Doris) (5 ECTS credits) This course examines the economics of the European Union. Topics covered may include the structure of the European Union; basic trade theory; the single market; the theory of optimal currency areas and monetary union; European labour markets; the Common Agricultural Policy; competition policy; EU trade policy. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Discuss why traditional trade theory is ambiguous about the benefits of customs unions.
2. Explain the importance of competition policy in a customs union. 3. Describe the evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy and its drawbacks. 4. Debate the extent to which the Eurozone is an optimal currency area and the
consequences if it is not. 5. Apply theory to analysis of current Eurozone crisis.
Assessment: 10% Continuous Assessment 90% Written Examination (2 hours) EC301: ADVANCED MICROECONOMICS (Dr Paul O’Sullivan) (5 ECTS credits) This module analyses strategic economic behavior. The module will cover game theory and imperfect information as well as selected topics in information economics. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Present a game in normal and/or extensive form. 2. Determine pure-‐strategy and mixed-‐strategyNash equilibrium solutions to a game. 3. Discuss the relative strengths of various solution concepts. 4. Apply game theory concepts to imperfect competition 5. Determine the strategies and conditions under which players can maintain a collusive
agreement as a Nash equilibrium solution.
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6. Apply game theory concepts to problems in information economics. Assessment: 20% Continuous Assessment 80% Written Examination (1.5 hours) EC311: ECONOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (Paul
O’Sullivan) (5 ECTS Credits) The first part of this module will look at how government intervention can affect environmental pollution through the use of emission taxes, emission standards and tradable pollution permits. The module will then analyse various techniques used to value environmental resources. Finally, the optimal extraction path of renewable and depletable natural resources will be determined. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Discuss the economic issues relevant to environmental and natural resource matters. 2. Determine how different environmental policies affect the incentive of polluters to
undertake pollution reduction measures. 3. Illustrate the relative merits of various environmental policies. 4. Critique the operation and effectiveness of emission reduction schemes. 5. Discuss the objectives and weaknesses of environmental valuation methodologies. 6. Determine the conditions required to ensure the optimal extraction of natural
resources. 7. Outline how the optimal extraction and price path of a natural resource is affected by
market structure, the availability of substitute resources and changes in other relevant factors.
Assessment: 20% Continuous Assessment 80% Written Exam (1.5 hours)
SECOND SEMESTER
PH327A: PLURALISM: ITS VALUES, CRITICS, AND CHALLENGES (Compulsory) (Dr Susan Gottlöber) (5 ECTS credits)
In many Western democracies, pluralism has become the dominating political belief and is seen as intrinsically valuable. This module consists of an examination of issues and values central to pluralism such as: freedom, justice, tolerance, and communication. We will analyse arguments for pluralism and against totalitarianism, and also limitations and challenges, as well as critical counter-‐arguments of both pluralism and its values. Key texts from important thinkers (e.g. Berlin, Rawls, Arendt, Habermas, and Derrida) will be used as a basis for discussion.
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Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to: 1. Compare the different concepts of tolerance discussed in the module. 2. Develop a critical analysis of tolerance as both a moral and a political concept. 3. Analyse critically Berlin’s conceptions of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ freedom and apply
philosophical approaches to pertinent questions in society and politics today. 4. Identify parameters and arguments for a pluralist democracy, by using, for instance,
Berlin’s, Arendt’s and Habermas’s approaches. 5. Identify in Arendt’s conceptions possible counter-‐arguments against ideologies and
totalitarian systems. 6. Evaluate Rawls’s theory of justice as fairness in the light of his critics. 7. Discuss Habermas’s and Derrida’s positions on terrorism. 8. Demonstrate the ability to communicate the ideas discussed in the module in both oral
and written form. Assessment: Continuous Assessment (40%), Final Written Examination (60%): 5% = Attendance at Tutorials. 15% = Tutorial Presentation 20% = Tutorial Essay-‐Assignment (c. 1,000 words) 60% = Final Written Examination (90 minutes) PH330: RENAISSANCE PHILOSOPHY: METHODS AND PRACTICES (Dr Amos
Edelheit) (5 ECTS credits) This module examines different methods and practices in Renaissance Philosophy. It begins with a discussion of the methods and practices found in the late medieval philosophical schools in the 14th century as the immediate background of Renaissance Philosophy and then addresses some theories, methods, and practices of prominent thinkers between the mid-‐fourteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth century, mainly in Italy (Francesco Petrarca, Coluccio Salutati, Leonardo Bruni, Lorenzo Valla, Giovanni Dominici, Georgios Gemistos Plethon, Antoninus of Florence, Marsilio Ficino, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Giorgio Benigno Salviati, Bernardo Torni, Desiderius Erasmus, Niccolò Machiavelli, Francesco Patrizi.) It also deals with the significance of the relations between philosophy and theology, pagan antiquity and Christian teaching, man and God, various themes in moral psychology and political philosophy, as well as in the philosophy of language, science, and in metaphysics, and specific terms like Aristotelianism and Platonism during this period. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Identify what a philosophical canon is and its limitations in relation to the place of Renaissance Philosophy in the contemporary philosophical canon.
2. Distinguish between Renaissance Philosophy and medieval philosophy on the one hand, and early modern philosophy on the other, with particular reference to the contribution of Renaissance Philosophy to the development of the concepts of modernity, individuality, and secularization.
3. Elaborate on the issue of reception in the history of Western philosophy as a philosophical and scholarly problem and the methodological problems involved in the reception of classical philosophy in the Renaissance and the philosophical significance of the reception of the Fathers of the Church.
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4. Address questions such as can we speak of the reception of the medieval Doctors in the early modern era? is the concept ‘scholasticism’ a historical one? do we have only one scholastic philosophy?, appreciateing the philosophical achievements of the late scholastic schools of thought: Thomists, Scotists, Augustinians, Mertonists.
5. Distinguish between the via antiqua and the via moderna, realists and nominalists, while dealing with the questions: what is the scholastic concept of language and style? is it only one concept? how logic is related to theology? what is the scholastic conception of science? what is the philosophical foundation for the critique of humanist thinkers by scholastic philosophers? is it really a war?
6. Appreciate the philosophical achievements of the humanist thinkers and their critique of the scholastic thinkers, focusing on the notions of sources, origin, truth, language, interpretation, translation, eloquence and philosophy.
7. Discuss the new image of Aristotle in the Renaissance leading to a better philosophical understanding of Aristotelian philosophy, the significance of the return to Plato, Platonism, and Neoplatonic thinkers, and how this legacy is used by humanist thinkers.
8. Analyse the dialectic relations between humanist and scholastic thinkers and the contribution of these two groups to early modern philosophical discourse. The question here is: can we really understand early modern philosophy without taking into account the humanists and the scholastics?
Assessment: 100% Continuous Assessment, broken down as follows: 5% = Attendance at Tutorials. 15% = Tutorial Presentation 20% = Tutorial Essay-‐Assignment (c. 1,000 words) 60% = Final Essay-‐Assignment (c. 2,000 words).
PH313A: ELECTIVE: PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL SCIENCE (Dr Haydn Gurmin) (5
ECTS credits) The aim of this module is to present a historical and a systematic account of the philosophy of science. Historically, we shall be moving from antiquity (Aristotelian worldview) to the early modern period (Newtonian worldview), to Contemporary world-‐view in physics (Einstein, quantum theory etc.) and biology (evolution), and systematically we shall discuss modern theories of scientific method and practice, where notions such as progress, experiment, theory, observation, discoveries, continuities, breaks, paradigms, and revolutions play a key role. The conceptual shift from a scientific approach with is base on essentialism and teleology, and to a scientific account of causes and effects to natural phenomena by means of universal and mathematical laws, will be outlined historically by recourse to the ideas of thinkers from Aristotle to Galileo. Problems with causality (and induction) will be raised in terms of Hume’s reflections on inferences. Reponses to these problems will be considered in terms of John Stuart Mill, and Karl Popper. As such our systematic discussion will include some classical theories in the philosophy of science by Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, Imre Lakatos, and others. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Distinguish ‘philosophy of science’ from ‘science’ in matters of methods and practices, while dealing with the questions: what is the role of the philosopher of science? what should be the relations between philosophy of science and hard-‐core science?
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2. Elaborate on the process of transition of worldviews in ancient, medieval, and early modern scientific contexts. The question here is: what can an awareness of the process of transition in scientific worldviews indicate to us?
3. Appreciate the Aristotelian science in terms of teleology, essentialism, causes and causality, elements, movements, while looking at the questions, in what sense Aristotelian science can be regarded as ‘modern’ and in what sense it is not ‘modern’.
4. Discuss the transition to the Newtonian worldview, its achievements and limitations. 5. Analyse the scientific revolution of the 17th century by using Popper’s theory of
conjectures and refutations addressing question such as what is a scientific progress, what is the connection between scientific activity and education, what is the role of history in science, what is the connection between history of science and philosophy of science and how Popper criticized the analytic philosophy of science.
6. Discuss the theory of evolution and its developments, from 1859 to the present day in relation to the science and religion debate which emerged in response to the theory of evolution.
7. Discuss Husserl's phenomenological critique of scientism and the mathematization of nature and appreciate the analytic approach to the philosophy of science, and philosophy's role as second order description.
8. Appreciate Hume’s contribution to the philosophy of science (the problem of induction) and John Stuart Mill and Karl Popper’s proposed solution to this ‘scandal of science’.
Assessment: Final Written Examination (90 mins)
PH320A: ELECTIVE: BIOETHICS (Dr Mette Lebech) (5 ECTS Credits) Bioethics, as the term suggests, is the ethics that concern the biosphere. We shall propose that ethics is what we consider it appropriate to do and that the biosphere is the part of material reality that is alive. Considering the many questions which have been designated as bioethical in the context they provide for each other we shall endeavour to explain the challenge they represent to the ‘we’ in terms of different evaluations of different aspects of the biosphere. The life sphere concerns us directly in our body and indirectly in all living beings, sustained by ecological and political systems. The first part of the module therefore concerns the body and our ability to influence it by training, custom and technology. The second part of the module concerns the life sphere outside our bodies and our ability to cultivate and destroy it. Since biological life is the defining characteristic of the life sphere, central to all the bioethical concerns is the question of its meaning and value. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Discuss what is meant by the biosphere and by bioethics. 2. Discuss the place of the human being in the biosphere. 3. Discuss the nature of habit, virtue and vice, as means of addressing bioethical problems.
4. Discuss how individual bioethical problems are related and can be addressed different ways.
5. Discuss the meaning of biological life. Assessment: 100% Continuous Assessment:
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100% = Final Essay-‐Assignment (c. 3,000 words).
PH346: ELECTIVE: READING PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS (5 ECTS credits) This team-‐taught module will provide students with the possibility to study 2 major philosophical texts in great detail. Guided by the lecturers, the students will engage with one text from the Ancient or Medieval tradition and with one text from the Modern/Contemporary tradition. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Situate a philosophical text in the greater philosophical tradition. 2. Identify the main philosophical influences on a particular text. 3. Describe the main concepts of a philosophical text. 4. Analyze the ideas presented in the text. 5. Discuss the impact of these ideas in the wider philosophical context. 6. Apply the skills acquired in the module to reading and analyzing other philosophical
texts.
Assessment: Final Written Examination (120 minutes)
POLITICS
PO312: GENDER AND POLITICS (TBA) (5 ECTS credits) This module will provide an assessment of the key debates about the relation between gender and politics in the Western political tradition. It will explore how gender has shaped and been shaped by key political ideas (including the public-‐private distinction, the idea of contract, political representation, rights, justice, identity and equality), connections between conceptual debates institutional politics and, more specifically, gender inequality and political representation. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Understand the major theories and key concepts used by social scientists to analyse the relation between gender and politics
2. Critically assess how gender has shaped and has been shaped by key political ideas (including the public-‐private distinction, the idea of contract, political representation, rights, justice, identity and equality).
3. Evaluate the empirical trends and patterns identified by social scientists exploring the participation and representation of women in politics.
4. Develop an independent and critical perspective on the social scientific analyses of gender inequality and political representation.
Assessment: 50% Continuous Assessment
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50% Written Examination (1 hour) SO311: SOCIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT (TBA) (5 ECTS credits) The Sociology of Development seeks to describe and explain the dramatic and growing inequalities in power and wealth. What it means to be a ''developed'' society, the ways in which the west has conventionally constructed what is often described as the ''third world'' and the recent radical transformations at work in the global economy, politics and culture as well as a number of contemporary issues in the field of development studies. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Detail the major theories and key concepts in the sociological analyses of socioeconomic development.
2. Appraise sociological evidence and argument that describes and explains changing patterns of development.
3. Evaluate the empirical trends and patterns identified by sociologists exploring issues such as : dramatic and growing inequalities in power and wealth, what it means to be a ''developed'' society, the ways in which the west has conventionally constructed what is often described as the ''third world'', the recent radical transformations at work in the global economy, politics and culture and other contemporary issues in the field of development studies.
4. Develop an independent and critical perspective on the sociological analyses of development.
Assessment: 100% Written Examination: (2 hours) SO319: REVOLUTIONS (TBA) (5 ECTS credits) Theories and explanations of the forms, causes and consequences of social and political revolutions will be introduced. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Detail the major theories and key concepts in the sociological study of revolutions. 2. Critically assess the sociological evidence and research examining the forms, causes
and consequences of social and political revolutions. 3. Evaluate the empirical trends and patterns identified in the sociological study of
revolutions. 4. Develop an independent and critical perspective on the sociological analyses of
revolutions. Assessment: 100% Written Examination: (2 hours)
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ECONOMICS EC302: ADVANCED MACROECONOMICS (Dr Simon Broome) (5 ECTS credits) This course covers selected topics in monetary and fiscal policy. This course has 3 blocks. The first block revises earlier material and introduces students to the IS/MP model of the economy. The second block examines monetary policy and the third block discusses fiscal policy with special regard to the recent great recession. A recurrent theme is that the preferences of governments and interest groups affect macroeconomics outcomes. This approach is often called modern political economy and it is distinguished by its subject matter and by the use of game theoretic mathematical models. The mathematical demands for this course are that you know basic algebra and basic calculus. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Discuss the IS – MP model and how it can be used for policy analysis. 2. Discuss how the preferences of governments and interest groups affect
macroeconomic outcomes. 3. Discuss the links between financial crises and the real economy. 4. Discuss optimal monetary policy and how this relates to the policies of the major
central banks. 5. Discuss fiscal policy and the causes of fiscal crises.
Assessment: 20% Continuous Assessment. 80% Written Examination (1.5 hours) EC307: IRISH ECONOMY (Margaret Hurley) (5 ECTS Credits) To what extent can a small open economy such as Ireland control its own economic destiny? Was the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger due to good followed by bad luck, or was it due to good and bad decisions? Can standard textbook Macroeconomics help understand the remarkable economic fluctuations of the Irish economy? We review basic macroeconomic theory from principles textbooks, examine Irish economic history, assess past policy decision and future policy options in this time of economic turmoil. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Use growth theory to identify the principal factors responsible for output and employment growth in the Irish economy with particular reference to the Celtic Tiger period.
2. Appraise the conduct of fiscal policy in Ireland, drawing on the historical record and international experience.
3. Explain the role of the exchange rate and exchange rate policy in an open economy with reference to the Irish experience from the sterling link to adoption of the euro.
4. Identify the salient characteristics of the Irish labour market, how these have evolved and their implications for economic policy.
5. Discuss the origins of the current economic slump and the policy options available to ameliorate its effects and shorten its duration.
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6. Demonstrate an understanding of how membership of the EU and of EMU has shaped Ireland’s economic performance.
Assessment: 50% Continuous Assessment 50% Written Examination (2 hours) EC308: COMPETITION AND REGULATION (Dr Gerda Dewitt) (5 ECTS Credits) Part I: Market failure and the foundations of public sector theory; Part II: Public expenditure theory and policy: the social welfare function and distributive justice; externalities; public goods; natural monopolies; Part III: Tax theory and policy: taxes and inefficiency; taxes and equity; tax incidence; Part IV: Cost-‐benefit analysis. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Discuss the “market” concept and its practical relevance. 2. Compare two generic forms of oligopolistic competition: price and quantity
competition. 3. Analyse various forms of predatory conduct. 4. Discuss the feasibility and sustainability of collusive behaviour. 5. Explain how particular contractual relations between firms affect the latter’s profits,
rival firms’ profits, the consumer and overall welfare. 6. Identify the issues specific to industries with a natural monopoly. 7. Critically assess various aspects of competition policy and regulation.
Assessment: 10%: Continuous Assessment 90%: Written Examination (1.5 hours) EC318: INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND GLOBALISATION (Dr Dermot Leahy) (5 ECTS
Credits) The course focuses on four questions: (i) Why do countries trade?, (ii) What do countries trade?, (iii) Who gains from trade? and (iv) How and why do governments intervene in trade? These questions are addressed by examining a few simple trade models. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Critically evaluate the arguments put forward by policymakers to justify their trade policy.
2. Identify the reasons for international trade. 3. Explain the pattern of trade observed between different trading blocks in the real
world. 4. Identify the losers and the winners from international trade. 5. Explain the effects of the different trade policy instruments on various groups in the
economy. 6. Demonstrate when and why trade policy is likely to be influenced by specific vested
interests within an economy.
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Assessment: 10% Continuous Assessment 90% Written Examination (1.5 hours) EC319: ECONOMICS OF WORK AND LIFE DECISIONS (Prof. Donal O’Neill) (5 ECTS
Credits) This course will follow an individual from birth through to death to show how economics can be used to study most of the key issues they face. Topics covered include health & risky behaviour, fertility & marriage, labour supply, education & early childhood development, labour demand & minimum wages, immigration, active labour market policies & unemployment, wage discrimination, unions, inequality and retirement. Where possible topics will reflect current developments in the Irish labour market. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Describe the key components of the economic approach to analyzing behaviour 2. Explain how the economic approach to analyzing behaviour can be applied to the
labour market. 3. Relate differences in the labour market conditions to differences in labour market
outcomes. 4. Discuss how to distinguish between competing models of the labour market. 5. Analyse the consequences of labour market interventions. 6. Identify aspects of the Irish Labour market where interventions may lead to welfare
improvements. 7. Recommend labour market policy measures to improve welfare.
Assessment: 10% Continuous Assessment 90 % Written Examination (1.5 hours) FN309: INTERNATIONAL FINANCE (Margaret Hurley) (5 ECTS Credits) This topics course in international finance starts by briefly reviewing the different types of exchange rate regimes and then discusses the current workings of the foreign exchange market. The connections between international assets markets, the ''parity conditions'' are examined in some detail. The core of this course is the issues surrounding exchange rate hedging; when it is required; how much of a hedge is needed and how it should be achieved. Finally, the impact of economic policy on exchange rates is examined. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the history and possible futures of international financial regimes
2. Explain the different exchange rate quotes and instruments and the differences between them
3. Access, graph, manipulate and analysis exchange rates quotes and other international
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financial information 4. Demonstrate knowledge of how exchange rates are determined and how exchange rate
fluctuations affect the real economy 5. Assess the evolving nature of regulations and policies used to mange international
financial crises 6. Assess the exposure to exchange rate changes of a firm, and discuss how this exposure
should be managed Assessment: 20% Continuous Assessment 80% Written Examination (1.5 hours)
A Undoubtedly first class, flawless answer, demonstrating originality.
80 I
A-‐ Almost flawless answer demonstrating some originality
70 I
B+ Extremely high competence, perhaps displaying limited originality or technical flaws or minor errors
68 II-‐1
B Fundamentally correct and demonstrating overall competence.
65 II-‐1
B-‐ Competent performance, substantially correct answer but possibly containing minor flaws or omissions.
60 II-‐1
C+ Awarded on the basis of the answer being somewhat better than a C but below a B-‐.
58 II-‐2
C Basically correct, answer with minor errors or one major error/omission.
55 II-‐2
C-‐ Awarded on the basis of the answer being somewhat below a C but better than a D+.
50 II-‐2
D+ No more than adequate answer. 48 III D Adequate answer with serious errors
or omissions. 45 P
D-‐ Lowest passing grade, barely deserving to pass.
40 P
E+ The answer is inadequate and does not deserve to pass.
38 F
E The answer fails to address the question properly but displays some knowledge of the material.
35 F
E-‐ Fails to address the question. 30 F F+ Little relevant or correct material but
some evidence of engagement with question.
20 F
F Very little relevant or correct material.
10 F
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F-‐ Totally irrelevant answer.
0 F
The Economics Department uses a slightly modified version of the University Guidelines, which will be made available to students through Moodle.
STUDYING ABROAD
All students at National University of Ireland Maynooth have the opportunity to study abroad as part of their degree. Students travel abroad in their third year of study, returning to complete their final year in Maynooth University before graduating. All students are invited to apply for study abroad opportunities early in their second year. You must study abroad for your entire 3rd year. Your 3-‐year B.A. degree then becomes a 4-‐year B.A. International degree, if you pass the required number of modules. After your year abroad you return to Maynooth University to complete your final year of study. All students wishing to study abroad must successfully pass their first and second year modules, or they will not be allowed to study abroad. As you apply to study abroad early in second year, it is important that you do well in your first year modules, as our partner universities will judge your application based on your first year results. Students wishing to study abroad in Non-‐EU destinations must pass all of their modules in the summer. It is not possible to study abroad if you fail your modules in the summer and are required to sit the autumn repeat examinations in August. Students interested in studying abroad should contact one of the international co-‐ordinators of the Departments.
NOTE ON PLAGIARISM
The following definition has been taken from the Policy on Plagiarism of the Examinations Office, NUI Maynooth:
Plagiarism involves an attempt to use an element of another person’s work, without appropriate acknowledgement in order to gain academic credit. It may include the unacknowledged verbatim reproduction of material, unsanctioned collusion, but is not limited to these matters; it may also include the unacknowledged adoption of an argumentative structure, or the unacknowledged use of a source or of research materials, including computer code or elements of mathematical formulae in an inappropriate manner.
Plagiarism is, however to be distinguished from incorrect citation which is where a student has not acknowledged sources correctly as part of a learning process whereas plagiarism is
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the deliberate attempt to gain academic credit dishonestly. Instances of incorrect citation will be dealt with by markers in the ordinary course of the assessment process on the same basis as would be the case if the work showed problems relating to incorrect expression, factual errors, analytical mistakes, or other features of a similar nature. However, where a marker believes that a case of plagiarism has been identified, the matter shall be referred to the Head of Department who will deal with the matter following the process outlined in the Maynooth University’s Policy on Plagiarism, available at: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/sites/default/files/assets/document/NUIMaynoothPolicyonPlagiarismMay2012_0.pdf
