Introduction to Philosophy I (PH111) | GSÜ

Content

Objective

By the end of this course, the student should have developed an understanding of basic philosophical disciplines and problems.

Course Content

Themes included by introduction to philosophy.

Course Learning Outcomes

1.Learning characteristics of philosophical thought.
2.Information concerning essential conceptions in philosophy: «Knowledge», «science», «technics», «religion», «language», «aesthetics», «logic», «fact», «concept», «value», «ethics», «reasonning», «hermeneutics».
3.Knowledge on principals conceptions of philosophy: «scepticism», «agnosticism», «nihilism», «rationalism», «empiricism», «eclecticism», «positivism», «falsification», «structuralism», «deconstruction».

Teaching and Learning Methods

Face-to-face

References

Denis Huisman: Nouveau Court Traité de Philosophie

Weekly Contents

Theory Topics
Week	Weekly Contents
1	Idea of philosophy – I: Etymology and definition of word “philosophy”. The function of “reflection” in philosophy.
2	Idea of philosophy – II: Technics and sagacity. Philosophical reflection and life.
3	Forms of human culture – I: Magic and science.
4	Forms of human culture – II: Technics, art, religion.
5	Principles of reason: Principe of identity, Principe of non-contradiction, Principe of excluded middle, Principe of sufficient reason.
6	Critics of universalist conception of principes of reason.
7	Mid-term
8	Logical reasonning: Deduction, induction, analogy.
9	Idea of truth - I: Definition of «reality» and «truth».
10	Different conceptions of truth: Theory of evidence-truth, theory of correspondance-truth, theory of coherence-truth, criterion of the pragmatism.
11	Idea of truth – II: Rationalism and hermeneutics: From the category of truth to category of meaning.
12	Criterion of falsifiability according to Popper.
13	Hermeneutic disciplines: Psychanalyse, exegesis, Marxism.
14	Final reflections

Assessment System

Contribution to Overall Grade
Activities	Number	Contribution
Contribution of in-term studies to overall grade	1	50
Contribution of final exam to overall grade	1	50
Total	2	100

In-Term Studies
Activities	Number	Contribution
Assignments	0	0
Presentation	0	0
Midterm Examinations (including preparation)	1	50
Project	0	0
Laboratory	0	0
Other Applications	0	0
Quiz	0	0
Term Paper/ Project	0	0
Portfolio Study	0	0
Reports	0	0
Learning Diary	0	0
Thesis/ Project	0	0
Seminar	0	0
Other	0	0
Total	1	50

Relation of Proficiency

No	Program Learning Outcomes	Contribution
No	Program Learning Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	Analyze philosophical texts with analytical and critical rigor;			X
2	Get an exhaustive knowledge on the history of philosophy; from antiquity to 20th century;				X
3	Provide access to information and expertise in the fields of systematic philosophy, such as ethic, esthetic, history of science, philosophy of society;					X
4	Establish the relation between philosophy and other fields of knowledge, such as, history, psychology, anthropology, sociology and other positive sciences;					X
5	Learn the theories of political science and the philosophical evaluation of historical and actual events;	X
6	Have a sufficient level of French and English in order to follow philosophical debates;			X
7	Have a sufficient level of the ancient Greek, Latin and Ottoman languages for reading philosophical texts written in these;	X
8	Develop a creative thinking and a knowledge of aesthetic theories which will allow the analysis of artworks and the history of art;	X
9	Acquire academic research methods and writing ability as well as to develop analytical skills, interpretation and criticism.			X

ECTS

Activities	Number	Period	Total Workload
Class Hours	14	3	42
Working Hours out of Class	14	2	28
Midterm Examinations (including preparation)	1	13	13
Other Applications	2	2	4
Final Examinations (including preparation)	1	23	23
Other	10	3	30
Total Workload			140
Total Workload / 25			5.60
Credits ECTS			6