Philosophy
Society, State and Humanity
Module code: V7064E
Level 4
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Essay
On this module, you'll:
- focus on the relationships between people, society and the state
- explore what makes a ‘good’ society rather than a ‘bad’ one
- explore social theory and criticism to understand the problems within society.
Famous figures you'll look at include:
- Aristotle
- Hobbes
- Rousseau
- Hegel
- Marx
- Durkheim
- Freud
- Marcuse
- Adorno.
You'll also develop your ability to engage with and evaluate the work of important social and political philosophers, and critically evaluate their ideas.
Module learning outcomes
- Show a basic understanding of the range of ways in which society has been conceptualised in Western thought, and the associated conceptions of the state and of humanity.
- Think more clearly about the taken-for-granted ways in which they themselves conceptualise society, the state and humanity.
- Discern underlying conceptions of society, the state and humanity in historical and contemporary texts.
- Demonstrate skills in conceptual analysis, reasoning and argument.