Learning outcome

After successfully completing the course, the candidate will have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The candidate has knowledge of:

• Principal concepts, epochs and the major figures in the history of philosophy
• The main features of the modern history of science
• The main philosophical positions, the differences between them and critical analyses of them
• The key concepts and principles of ethics (moral philosophy)
• Ethical positions and critical analyses of them, as well as the differences between them

Skills:

The candidate has the ability to:

• Carry out a basic analysis of the arguments for a particular philosophical or ethical position
• Give a basic account of the major topics in the history of philosophy, the history of science and ethics
• Present the opposition between different philosophical and ethical positions

General competence:

The candidate is able to:

• Identify and discuss philosophical questions relevant to other disciplines

Course Description

Through the study of the history of philosophy and science and of ethical-theoretical subjects and problems, Examen philosophicum will address the general problems of reality, knowledge and humanity that have characterized our traditions, and which have therefore been crucial to Western thinking in general. The students will be provided with an introduction to central philosophical problems from ancient Greece until the present. There will be an emphasis on demonstrating how philosophical thinking consists of a systematic reflection on fundamental questions that do not necessarily have any clear answers or solutions, and how philosophy therefore has the character of a continuous debate in which it is the questions, not the answers, along with reasoning that make the debate philosophical. Provided with an insight into this debate, students will be able to develop their ability to reflect on themes that play a fundamental role in different areas of reality – such as science, religion, ethics and politics. At the same time, they will acquire a more reflected perspective on the conceptual premises that form the basis for the dominant ideas in Western culture. Fundamental problems in metaphysics/ontology, epistemology, ethics, natural philosophy and philosophy of religion will be examined.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Lectures (3 - 4 hours per week)

Assessment Methods

Written midterm examination which counts for 40% of the final mark. The final written examination counts for 60%. Students must receive passing marks in both examinations in order to achieve a final passing mark for the course. Graded marks from A to F.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean