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PHI-20038 - Module Specification
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 17 March 2026

PHI-20038 - Enlightenment Philosophy
Coordinator: Jonathan Head Room: CBA2.032 Tel: +44 1782 7 33515
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

It is impossible to properly understand the rise of modern science and decline in the cultural influence of religion in Europe without understanding the rise of modern philosophy, and thus the great metaphysical and epistemological theories of thinkers such as Descartes, Locke and Berkeley. This module will give you the opportunity to further your understanding of this vital period in intellectual history by engaging in close reading of relevant texts, extensive discussion of these key arguments and theories with your peers, and reflection upon their continuing importance for us today, including shaping our understanding of the proper aims and working-methods of philosophy, and its relationship to the sciences.

Aims
The module aims to enhance students' interpretative and analytic skills in examining the works of pivotal figures of Enlightenment Philosophy and in evaluating how such thinkers responded to the rise of modern science, experimented with different philosophical methods, and grappled with the potential conflict between philosophical theories and religious orthodoxy.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Interpret the works of key Enlightenment philosophers: 1,2
Develop critical awareness of the importance of the history of philosophy to the understanding of contemporary philosophical questions and how debates in the early modern period shaped contemporary philosophical concerns
: 1,2
Analyse the relationship between epistemological and metaphysical claims in the texts studied
: 1
Evaluate how philosophers in the early modern period responded to the rise of modern science and potential conflicts with religious orthodoxy by adjusting their conception of the role and character of philosophy: 2
Critically assess how different conceptions of proper philosophical methodology inform the arguments advanced by the philosophers studied
: 2

Study hours

24 one-hour interactive lectures
24 one-hour seminars
52 hours preparation for the 1,500 words individual text report
80 hours preparation for the 2,500 word essay
120 hours preparation for seminars

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 40%
Individual report - 1500 words
Students will select a short passage from a primary text (from a selection provided by the module co-ordinator) and then submit an individual report of 1,500 words on that passage, considering the context of the passage, some of the main claims made in the passage, and offering an evaluation of the argument(s) contained within, with reference to the secondary literature. In this manner, students will be able to show an ability to interpret a key work, show how the theories involved related to contemporary philosophical concerns, and demonstrate an understanding of how epistemological and metaphysical claims are intertwined in the passages concerned.

2: Essay weighted 60%
2,500 word essay
2,500 word essay from a list of questions provided by the module co-ordinator. Students will be asked questions that encourage them to reflect broadly on the interpretation of some of the key figures involved and to discuss the relevance of their arguments for contemporary philosophical concerns.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 17 March 2026