University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable: To be arranged.

This module invites students to philosophically consider the practice, aims, and values of one of humankind's most pre-eminent art forms, literature. We will be asking such questions, and investigating such issues, as: how is literature defined? What is the literary work? Why, and how, should we read literature? Since most literary works are also fictional, we will also focus on the nature of fiction, asking how fiction is defined, and investigating aspects of our engagement with fictional worlds and characters. Students should note this is not a module in literary theory, nor in literary criticism; nor will we be concerned with philosophy as literature, nor philosophy in literature; rather, our enquiry will be a form of philosophical (primarily analytical) aesthetics, carried out in relation to this singular art form.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass PY1012

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1 x 2-hour lecture and 1 x 1-hour seminar.

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: 1 or more essays to a total of 7,000 words

Personnel

Module teaching staff: Dr L Jones