An introduction to reasoning, argument, and explanation that emphasises the development of practical skills and their use in everyday life. The course introduces different forms of reasoning and explains techniques to evaluate them. It will enable students to distinguish good arguments and explanations from bad ones, to explain the difference, and thereby to improve critical thinking abilities.
Despite ancient roots, the term ‘mindfulness’ shows up in surprisingly contemporary contexts. Corporations use it to increase worker productivity; law enforcement uses it to reduce incidents of police violence; couples’ therapy uses it as a way to improve couples’ communication. In this course, we will explore the historical roots of mindfulness and meditation in ancient philosophy and religion, contrasting the technique of mindfulness meditation in the past with its more contemporary versions. We will grapple with the issue of whether mindfulness can be effective, and to what extent, in a culture characterized by a deep commitment to the idea of ‘self’ and the narcissism that tends to go with it.
PREREQUISITES: None
Course syllabi are provided as a guide only. Class timetables are released closer to program start date.
This course examines the ethics of medical practices and issues in contemporary society. Coursework will pose questions regarding areas that affect human life and death. Topics include practices such as euthanasia, birth control and abortion, cloning, genetic engineering, and biomedical research. Students will analyze the ethical nature of covered practices, how they affect humans on individual and social scales, and the relationship between patients and physicians and medical structures in terms of information, consent, and responsibility. Case studies from local European as well as non-European countries will be closely considered for discussion and study.
This course provides students with an introduction to the art of yoga and meditation to gain an understanding of the philosophical and spiritual contexts that the discipline is rooted in. The course investigation begins with the notion of awareness, and the acquisition of the term through an overview of the principal asanas and their correct practice. The spiritual aspects of yoga are experienced in the form of various meditation techniques from different philosophies as well as the study of pranayama breathing exercises. Topics also include an examination of yoga props as well as dietary and nutritional guidelines, studied through the lens of yoga philosophy gleaned from sacred texts. The course will cover yoga traditions from ancient times to more contemporary interpretations.
Recommended for students who plan to pursue more advanced studies in logic. Elements of symbolic logic, sentential and quantificational; forms of reasoning and structure of language.
Develop a critical understanding of the Celtic world in this interdisciplinary program drawing on archaeological, historical, literary and mythological sources. A unique course that will enable you to develop critical thinking skills in relation to the concept of religion whilst exploring more recent trends within the study of religion such as material religion and implicit religion to develop an in-depth knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Celtic religion, folklore and mythology from Ireland, Scotland and Wales (the Celtic fringe). This course is taught exclusively by a scholar from Ireland who speaks the indigenous language and has training in older forms of the Irish language, although no prior knowledge of the Celtic languages is required or necessary to take and succeed in this course.
From the Classical age to the 21st century, Celts have fascinated and frightened people. This course explores the evolving way Celtic people lived and died, what they believed and why, different ways in which Celtic peoples have been perceived by outsiders, the ways in which Celts have presented themselves to the world and considers why there has been a revival in 21st century of Celtic faiths. In answering these questions you be introduced to the pre-Christian beliefs of the Celtic and Indo-European worlds, to the historical narratives in which such beliefs are embedded, and to the methodology of investigating ancient and medieval belief systems. You will also explore the impact of Christianity in different eras upon the Celtic religions, folklore and mythology through the recurring themes of freedom and independence, especially in relation to the warrior and druid types, signs and symbols and the materiality of the land.
Following an educational field trip to the Scottish Crannog Centre and an ancient stone circle in Aberfeldy you will have the opportunity to consider and respond creatively to the notion of a “sacred landscape” and develop a more in-depth understanding of how legends and mythology become attached to and rooted within sacred sites.
Excursion(s): Course includes one excursion. Details to come.
In this module you will engage in critical, philosophical reflection on morality by examining a number of difficult moral issues, including questions about abortion, our treatment of animals, environmental values, punishment, and world hunger. This module will introduce you to some of the central issues in moral philosophy – both normative issues about how we should live, and more theoretical issues about the nature of right and wrong.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the sociological and analytic study of religion, identity, conflict and violence within a local, national and global context. It will examine issues such as nationalism, colonialism, international affairs and the role of those charged with reporting such conflicts. Extensive attention will be paid to the representation of religious conflict in the arts, such as literature and films, alongside a detailed examination in of the violent groups that have arisen as an apparent reaction to religious fundamentalism as a rising narrative of a new cultural war.
Excursion(s): Students will attend a guided visit to Stirling Castle.
