PY4617 The Philosophy of Saul Kripke

Academic year

2025 to 2026 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable

To be confirmed.

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

Dr J D'Ambrosio

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

The purpose of this module is to explore the work and influence of contemporary philosopher Saul Kripke. Topics may include the semantics and meta-semantics of names, the semantics of attitude attributions, the metaphysics of modality, the use of possible worlds in semantics, epistemic possibility, fiction and non-existence, identity over time, rule-following and private language, and the mind-body problem.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS PY1012

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 2-hour lecture and 1 x 1-hour seminar.

Scheduled learning hours

33

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

267

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • By the end of the module, students will be able to engage critically with the work of Saul Kripke, recognising the place of his work in contemporary philosophy.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to analyse philosophical texts and recognise their significance to ongoing philosophical debates.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to engage philosophically with debates about the metaphysics and semantics of modal expressions such as 'necessarily' and 'might', and to recognise the significance of these debates for other areas of philosophy.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to think critically about the significance of linguistic meaning, including Kripke's Wittgenstein-inspired sceptical view about meaning.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to apply their reasoning about abstract philosophical issues to a range of philosophical and practical problems.