David Rose, Philosophical Studies, Newcastle University

Stage 3 Project Page

I need a way to keep your progress up to date with your projects. By now, you ought to have identified an object and if you were at today's meeting, you should be thinkign about concepts, contexts/territories, thinkers, contrast and emthodologies. Here's an example:

Object: the family unit Context: the family as a historically changing object (culture) Concepts: autonomy, property, rights Thinkers/texts: Locke, Kant, Hegel, Deleuze Change/contrast: historical contrast between the extended pastoral family (pre-1700s) and the industrial nuclear family unit (post-industrial revolution) in relation to the idea of the family in postmodern society Method: interpretation of representations of the family in historical documents and dissertation.

Main objective:

The project is driven by the intuition that our normal understanding of the family as a small, nuclear unit is an historical phenomenon that rests upon the metaphysical commitment to private property and the free market and that such a commitment results in undesirable obligations and omissions that are dependent on this worldview.

Intended knowledge outcomes: By engaging in this project, I intend to: 1. learn about the historical origins of the nuclear family unit; 2. be acquainted with the standard descriptions of the family unit and the justifications of the family bond; 3. be able to define the central concepts of autonomy and property; 4. demonstrate the connection between metaphysical theories and everyday understandings of a phenomenon (here, the family).

Intended skill outcomes: Through the project work, I intend to: 1. Develop the ability to marshal large amounts of data, to process it and to decide what is relevant to the matter at hand. 2. Develop critical and analytical skills in the interpretation of a wide variety of material. 3. Acquire the ability to independently orientate myself in alien and extra-curricular sources of information. 4. Learn to apply theoretical concepts and considerations to empirical phenomena in order to generate significant knowledge.

Title

The above considerations should enable you to formulate a provisional title (although you will still be able to change it if you wish). So, for the above example, we would probably offer:

Title: Exchanging vows: family relationships and possessions

Remember that your title is designed with two criteria in mind: (1) to describe what your project dissertation discusses in a succinct way; and (2) to draw attention to your project dissertation and entry in the Book of Change.

Look again at your original handouts and use the questionnaires there to help you. What I need is for you to freely edit this page and add in your own breakdown of your ideas. I do not expect you to be as comprehensive as this yet.

Just add what information you can next to your name. Click on the edit this page box at the bottom and start typing. One rule: don't be childish.

Names:

Claire

Antonia

Shelley

Leanne

Daniel

Andrew

Freddie

Emma

David

Please also refer to:

• Editing guidelines, if you want to add effects to your style: http://www.netskills.ac.uk/PDPOnline/help.php?module=wiki&file=howtowiki.html

• Editing guidelines custom essay topics.