Epistemology and Metaphysics (V7095)
30 credits, Level 5
Autumn teaching
What is there, and how can we know? These are the fundamental questions that lie at the heart of all philosophical inquiry. On this module, you’ll explore epistemological issues relating to knowledge, belief and justification, including:
- how to respond to sceptical challenges
- who to trust when the experts disagree
- whether it’s reasonable to give more weight to your own views than to those of others
- what the epistemological status is of biased beliefs (for example beliefs based on racial bias).
You’ll also explore core metaphysical topics such as:
- the nature of existence
- the identity and persistence of objects through time
- the nature of absences
- properties
- substances and events
- accounts of causation, time, personal identity and free will.
Throughout the module you’ll develop your ability to analyse complex philosophical arguments in order to arrive at rational, evidence-based beliefs. Familiarity with these fundamental concepts and ideas will give you the tools to tackle future modules with confidence, and to help you navigate uncertainty effectively in your personal and (future) professional life.
Contact hours and workload
This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 50 hours of contact time and about 250 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.
We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
Courses
This module is offered on the following courses: