Entry requirements

60 credits in Practical philosophy or 60 credits in Theoretical philosophy

Learning outcomes

After completing this course the students are expected to:

• Have developed a grasp of concepts of rationality, reasoning, and reasons and the connections amongst them.
• Be familiar with central debates in recent literature about the nature of rationality, reasoning, and reasons.
• Have reflected on the connection between these concepts and the broader fields of practical philosophy and epistemology.
• Have developed relevant argumentative skills that can be transferred to other debates within practical philosophy and epistemology.

Content

In ordinary life, we often talk about 'reasons', 'reasoning' and 'rationality' in overlapping ways. But as philosophers have begun to consider how reasons, reasoning, and rationality relate to each other, differing views about the degree and nature of their overlap and connections to each other have developed. In this course we look at one of the more systematic attempts to understand how reasons, reasoning, and rationality relate to each other, John Broome's Rationality through Reasoning. To enhance our understanding of both the topics and the book itself, we will also be looking at selected critical work.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars, and paper-writing. The lectures will be interactive, inviting participation by the students.

Assessment

This course will be assessed by a take-home exam.

​If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.