Wittgenstein PHIL4043

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Humanities
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course introduces students to Wittgenstein's later reflections on how it is that the world may find representation in our language and thought.

Timetable

16x1hr lectures; 4x1hr seminars over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in Philosophy and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Requirements of Entry

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Philosophy, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Exam ( 2 hour duration) - 60%

2 short written pieces (2x1000 words) - 40%

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

This course aims to:

 

■ Reflect on Wittgenstein's later reflections on how it is that the world may find representation in our language and thought.

■ Provide an overview of the philosophical method that the Philosophical Investigations espouses.

■ Analyse and assess Wittgenstein's later views on language, meaning, and the nature of philosophy as expounded in the Philosophical Investigations.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

 

■ Analyse and assess Wittgenstein's later views on language, meaning, and the nature of philosophy as expounded in the Philosophical Investigations.

■ Give an exposition and account for the significance of Wittgenstein's concern with 'the Augustinian Theory of Language'.

■ Give an account of the concern with 'ostensive definition' in the Philosophical Investigations.

■ Give an account of Wittgenstein's discussions of how images and pictures are capable of representing and his criticisms of certain philosophical conceptions of how this might be achieved.

■ Explain his concern with meaning and understanding in the Philosophical Investigations, in particular his concern to deny that we might understand these notions in terms of processes or events in the mind or brain.

■ Give an overview of the philosophical method that the Philosophical Investigations espouses.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.