Philosophy at Trinity Saint David

0300 500 1822 www.tsd.ac.uk

Philosophy

U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T DAV I D - L A M P E T E R

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PHILOSOPHYWhat isPhilosophy?Philosophy is different fromother academic disciplines inthat it teaches you not whatto think, but how to think.Philosophy explores the bigquestions – Who are we?What is our place in theworld? How should we live?What is reality? Philosophyapproaches such questionsthrough argument, but alsothrough vision andimagination.

Philosophy concerns every aspect ofour lives, practical as well astheoretical. Through its grounding inreal social relations and humanactivities, it seeks to understand andaddress the whole spectrum of social,ethical, environmental and politicalissues of today. Through Philosophywe are able not only to understandlife, but to shape it.

If your interests extend to life, theuniverse and everything, if you wantto develop a rich set of life-enhancingskills and the power to influencepositive change, then Philosophy is foryou. The rewards of a Philosophydegree are not just intellectual, butfinancial as well – Philosophygraduates are highly sought after byemployers and have a very highemployability rate.

What kind of jobs doPhilosophy graduates get? All kinds! Philosophy graduatesare highly sought after byemployers because of their skills,their adaptability, and versatility,and consequently they findemployment in a wide variety ofindustries, such as IT,accountancy, journalism,publishing, the law,communication, managementetc. According to The HigherEducation Academy, forPhilosophy graduates ‘theemployability possibilities arealmost limitless.’

Not surprisingly, Philosophygraduates have a very highemployability rate of 98.9% - oneof the highest of any discipline.

How much do Philosophygraduates earn? According to a recent article inThe Independent (30 April 2009),Philosophy graduates earn, onaverage, £21,466 followinggraduation. This is higher thangraduates of Business Studies,Politics, Accounting, Education,Law, Chemistry, Anthropology,Classics, History, ReligiousStudies, Pharmacology, English,Sociology, Psychology, MediaStudies, Art & Design,Archaeology and many otherpopular degree subjects!

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PHILOSOPHYPhilosophy and Your CareerPhilosophy, more than any other discipline, instills a set of skillsthat will have direct application in virtually any area ofemployment that you might enter. According to a recenteditorial in The Times:

In this age of uncertainty, when today’s vocational training may beto-morrow’s passport to redundancy, “dare to think” should be themotto pinned on the wall of every undergraduate room andrecruitment agency. The great virtue of philosophy is that itteaches not what to think, but how to think. Philosophy is, incommercial jargon, the ultimate “transferable work skill.”

The main transferable skills that will be developed through your study ofPhilosophy are:

• The ability to analyse problems in a multi-dimensional way

• The ability to think creatively, self critically and independently

• Self motivation

• The ability to work autonomously

• Time and priority management skills

• A flexible mind adaptable to managing change

Philosophy encourages the development of core skills highly prized byemployers. These include the ability to think clearly, logically, and creatively, tocommunicate articulately and accurately (both verbally and in writing), and toanalyse critically and rigorously. Philosophy graduates are all-rounders –thoughtful, insightful, and versatile.

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PHILOSOPHYWhy study at Trinity Saint David? The University has a long and distinguished tradition ofPhilosophy provision dating back to 1827, when St David’sCollege offered its first students courses in logic andmetaphysics.

Philosophy is now delivered by a dedicated team working inthe new School of Cultural Studies, following the creation ofUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David in 2010. The currentPhilosophy team provides a rich balance between the differenttraditions, styles and subjects of Philosophy.

The small class sizes allows for the development of personal and informalrelationships between staff and students: such relationships are fundamental tophilosophical dialogue and conducive to student satisfaction, but unfortunatelyare all too rare in academic life today.

A variety of teaching methods contributes to the breadth of scope of theundergraduate degree in Philosophy at Trinity Saint David, with seminars,tutorials, workshop sessions, and the more traditional lectures, as well as moremodern methods utilising the internet and other e-learning facilities.

The Philosophy team is friendly and supportive, and is renowned for providing awelcoming, stimulating, and socially enriching environment for the new student.

Our students are from a wide range of academic backgrounds. The University isnoted for the support it offers to students from non-traditional backgrounds, andthose who are returning to study after a long break from formal education. Thereis a high proportion of mature students, who bring their life-experiences todiscussions and debates.

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PHILOSOPHYThe Lampeter CampusPhilosophy is taught on the Lampeter campus. Lampeter islocated in one of the most beautiful parts of the country,surrounded by rolling green hills and home to the rare red kite.At the same time, it is only 13 miles from the sea where sealsand dolphins are a regular sight.

Due to our location, the costs of living in Lampeter are lower than in many otherparts of the country. This means that your student loan goes further in Lampeter.

Even though Lampeter is not a large city, there is plenty of student-centredentertainment and activities, both on campus and in town. The MSN websiteplaces Lampeter in the top ten university towns in the UK.

The local police force, Dyfed-Powys, regularly report the lowest crime rates in thecountry with both personal and household crime levels half the average forEngland and Wales. The sense of personal safety that this brings means that youhave more time and energy to concentrate on enjoying life.

“My experience at Trinity Saint David has been enriched by the tireless efforts of the members of the Philosophy Department. They continue to encourage, support, and further my ability to work towards my potential by offering me sound advice, motivation, and access to resources. The real strength of the Philosophy Department is its willingness to match your efforts in working towards your personal success.”

Sawsan Bastawy, BA Philosophy

Who’s Who in the DepartmentProfessor David Cockburn David Cockburn has also taught at University of WalesSwansea, the Open University, and Abo Akademi inFinland. He held a British Academy Research Readership1994-96. His research areas include Hume, Wittgenstein,Philosophy of Mind, Time, Causation and Ethics.

Dr David Morgans (Lecturer) Before joining TSD, David was Senior Lecturer andAssociate Dean (Research) in the School of Social Sciences,University of Wales, Newport. His research interests includeModern European Philosophy, Cultural studies,Wittgenstein, and the interface between Analytic andContinental Philosophy.

Dr James Luchte (Lecturer) James has written a number of books, including Pythagorasand the Doctrine of Transmigration: Wandering Souls (2009),Heidegger’s Early Philosophy (2008), and Kant’s Critique ofPure Reason: A Reader’s Guide (2007). He has also publishedarticles on various topics in European and Continentalphilosophy.

Dr Tristan Nash (Lecturer) Tristan’s research interests include metaethics and appliedethics. He is also the Undergraduate Admissions Tutor forPhilosophy.

Dr Rebekah Humphreys (Lecturer)Rebekah completed a BA (1999), an MA (2001), and a PhD(2010) at Cardiff University. Before working at TSD, she workedas a Tutor of Philosophy at Cardiff University and as a VisitingLecturer at University of Wales, Newport. Her researchinterests include applied ethics (especially animal ethics andenvironmental ethics) and moral philosophy in general.

PHILOSOPHY

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BA Philosophy

The majority of our students opt totake the Single Honours BA Philosophyprogramme. Single Honours studentstake almost all of their modules in oneparticular area of study, so SingleHonours Philosophy students takealmost all of their modules inPhilosophy.

Also popular is a Joint Honoursprogramme, where students takearound half of their modules inPhilosophy and the other half inanother discipline (for exampleEnglish, or Theology, or Classics etc).

Typical modules• Ancient Philosophy • Ethics • Scepticism and Knowledge • Aesthetics• Modern European Philosophy• Moral Philosophy• Philosophy of Religion• Philosophy of Social Science• Early Modern Philosophy• Contemporary Political Philosophy• Metaphysics • Phenomenology and Existentialism• Philosophy of Mind• Wittgenstein

Note that the modules listed areindicative; not every module will beavailable in any given year.

UCAS codeBA Philosophy - V502

Joint HonoursBA Philosophy & Anthropology - VL56BA Philosophy & Chinese St - TV1MBA Philosophy & Classical St - VQ58BA Philosophy & Creative Writing -

WV85BA Philosophy & English - VQ53BA Philosophy & History - V V5CBA Philosophy & Islamic St - V VMPBA Philosophy & Medieval St - V V5DBA Philosophy & Religious St - V V6M BA Philosophy & Theology - V VP5

LocationLampeter Campus

Course length3 years full-time; part-time studyavailable

Entry requirementsEntry is based on individual merit

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BA Applied Philosophy

About the courseA new degree that offers anopportunity to explore philosophicalapproaches and questions as aprelude to their systematic applicationto contemporary issues and debates.

Applied philosophical studies involvesquestioning much that is taken forgranted by common sense or popularbelief, in morals, politics, religion, art,history and science. Consequently, itsmethod is necessarily bothimaginative and analytic, the aimbeing to elucidate concepts andunderstand varieties of explanationand description in various fields, ratherthan to rival their proper practitionersin the discovery of facts, theconstruction of theories or theimplementation of ideals. Thesedebates include the values of freedomand equality, human rights and socialjustice, and environmental ethics,asking important questions such aswhether punishment can be justifiedor whether animals have rights?

You will consider the significance ofissues in metaphysics, philosophy ofmind, ethical theory and politicalphilosophy to questions of practicalconcern such as abortion, euthanasia,suicide, freedom of speech, sexual andracial discrimination, debatessurrounding reproductivetechnologies, genetic enhancement,criminal punishment, theenvironment, world hunger, and thewelfare of future people.

Typical modules• Self and Society• Political Philosophy• Ethics and Social Dilemmas• Theories of Society• Contemporary Political Philosophy• Contemporary Social Theory

Key features• Small seminar-based classes• Broad range of options• Opportunity for independent

research project• Annual undergraduate conference

Career Opportunities• Law• Politics and Civil Service• Social Organisations• Media

UCAS codeBA Applied Philosophy - V503

LocationLampeter Campus

Course length3 years full-time; part-time studyavailable

Entry requirementsEntry is based on individual merit

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PHILOSOPHY

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PHILOSOPHY

Some Philosophical ProblemsAnnabel killed her husband with a shotgun when she learned about hisinfidelity.

Betty fired at her husband, trying to kill him, but missed.

Claire went to get a gun to kill her husband, but he scuttled out of thehouse before she found one.

Debra would have shot her husband had she ever learned of his infidelity,but she never did.

a) These four cases would be treated quite differently by the law, and ourattitude to the women would be very different: is this irrational?

b) If not, how would you distinguish the cases? c) If you think the four women deserve to be blamed equally, what would

you say about Emma? Emma would have killed her unfaithful husbandif it hadn’t been for the fact that she inherited, genetically and throughher upbringing, an entirely non-violent nature.

“I believe that the world came into existence in 1882. I am not suggestingthat historical documents or scientific evidence point towards thisconclusion. My view is rather that the world sprang into existence then,complete with all those things which make it look much older - fossils,documents, memories - looking just as it would look if it were true. But inthat respect I am no worse off than you are. You do not, and from thenature of the case could not possibly, have any reason for preferring yourview of the matter to mine.”

a) Is what is said in the last sentence correct? If not, why not? b) Could the discovery of a very old man with a very good memory make

any difference to the case? c) It might be said that our normal view of the matter is simpler than the

rival offered. Does that give grounds for thinking that our normal viewis more likely to be correct? Or just for thinking that it will be moreconvenient to hold on to it?

d) If what is said in the last sentence of the quotation is correct, should weconclude that a really rational person should simply hold no views at allabout the age of the world?

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PHILOSOPHY

It would be possible in principle to split your brain down the middle, andtransfer each half into a new body. The result (let us suppose) would be twolopsided but functioning persons, each with some of your characteristics -call them Brown and Robinson. Suppose that this was done. What wouldbecome of you?

a) Would you be both Brown and Robinson? If your answer is ‘Yes’, howwould you reply to the objection that this implies that Brown is thesame person as Robinson (namely you), which is absurd since there areclearly two people here?

b) Would you be just one of the resulting people? If so, would there be anyway of telling which one was you?

c) Would you be neither? If your answer is ‘Yes’, how would you reply tothe objection that this implies that the operation is as bad as death, andthat this is absurd since it is quite clear that if you remove and destroyone half of my brain I survive?

d) Is there some other answer which is more acceptable than any of these?

On Monday Punch severely beat Judy. On Tuesday Punch is knocked downand killed by a bus. On Wednesday Judy dies as a result of her injuries. SoPunch killed Judy - but when?

a) On Monday? If so, how would you reply to the objection that he can’thave killed her before she was dead?

b) On Wednesday? If so, how would you reply to the objection that hecan’t have killed her after he was dead?

c) Is there a better answer than either of those?

A child conceived by your mother a few seconds earlier or later than youwere would have grown from the same ovum from which you grew, butalmost certainly from a different sperm. So it would have had some but notall of your genes. A child conceived a month earlier or later would havegrown from a different ovum as well.

a) Could you have been conceived a few seconds earlier or later? b) If you answered ‘Yes’ to (a), then could you have been conceived a

month earlier or later? Or have been of the opposite sex? Or have beenconceived by a different woman?

Further informationFor further information, please visit our webpageswww.tsd.ac.uk/en/schoolofculturalstudies/philosophyor call 0300 500 1822