PHIL 743 : Philosophy of Religion 2

Arts

2023 Semester One (1233) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Discussion of selected topics in philosophy of religion.

Course Overview

Course Description: Life After Death
This course will cover a range of topics in metaphysics and ethics, relating to life after death, immortality, rebirth, and the relationship between the living and the dead. We will ask how philosophers operating in very different religious and social contexts have thought about what would happen to them when they died, and what the living now owe to the dead. We will explore particular philosophical challenges confronting particular religious traditions, as well as general questions about the desirability of immortality. We will ask questions such as the following: Does rebirth or reincarnation provide a satisfactory explanation of suffering and inequality? How do Buddhists (who deny we have selves) make sense of rebirth? If we believe that souls survive death, should we also believe that our souls existed before we were born? What does Western philosophical thinking about personal identity owe to Christian doctrines of the Last Judgement? How should philosophers take account of animist beliefs that the dead are still with us? Is personal immortality necessary for a meaningful life? Or would an immortal human life be meaningless? Can you survive death just by caring about future people? If we care about equality between generations, should we seek to redistribute in favour of those who are no longer living? How can a liberal society accommodate reasonable pluralism about the present fate and interests of the dead?

Preliminary Reading: For an introduction to the kinds of issues we will be considering in the course, see Nagasawa, Y., and Matheson, B. (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of the Afterlife, which is available as an e-book via the University of Auckland library.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Graduate Profile: Master of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and critically evaluate recently published work on the philosophy of the afterlife. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 4.1 and 4.2)
  2. Develop an appreciation of different approaches to the afterlife in different religious and philosophical traditions. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1 and 4.2)
  3. Be critically reflective about one's own religious or non-religious faith-commitments or lack of such commitments (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3)
  4. Further develop an understanding of philosophical, ethical, and political responses to disagreement and differing beliefs in relation to life after death. (Capability 1.1 and 1.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essays 100% Individual Coursework

Assessment for the course will consist of two 3,000 words essays, each worth 50% of the final grade.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect, per week, 2 hours of seminar discussions, an average of 5 hours of reading and thinking about the content in preparation for seminars and 3 hours of work towards the preparation of an essay draft and its completion for final assessment .

Delivery Mode

The course will be delivered on campus.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Readings: All readings will be available electronically via the University of Auckland library, or free on the web.
Delivery: This is a seminar-based course, which will take place on campus. Seminars will not be recorded, as recording inhibits discussion.
Preliminary Reading: For an introduction to the kinds of issues we will be considering in the course, see Nagasawa, Y., and Matheson, B. (eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of the Afterlife, which is available as an e-book via the University of Auckland library.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This is the first time this course has been taught.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 15/10/2022 02:21 p.m.