Key words
Philosophy
Objectives
In ‘Philosophy’, students distance themselves from the tangible reality of the course they’re on and their profession-to-be. It provides them with a set of powerful tools for enquiring about the course (and the profession), both as regards course content and basic principles. Creating & maintaining a "philosophical mindset" is a priority in that respect: an attitude which allows the student to systematically study fixed standpoints and opinions. (S)he must question their validity, justification, rationale and fundamentals. In the context of this course, it’s also essential to instil a capacity for objective thought about people and society; we need to get the students to see the need for that.
The purpose of this training module is to give an introduction to philosophy. In view of this introductory character, it was decided to place ‘Philosophy’ on standard educational route 1. In this way this module serves as a pointer to general frames of reference and paradigms which the students (those on other courses too) can fall back on.
The purpose of this training module is to shape these objectives by fostering and developing the following core skills from the training profile:
- General core skills:
- Reasoning power and a capacity for logical thought;
- The acquisition and assimilation of relevant information;
- The ability to reflect critically on oneself and to work thematically;
- Creativity;
- The ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions effectively, both to specialists and to laypersons;
- A disposition toward lifelong learning.
Topics
The course consists of two parts: theoretical and applied.
The theoretical part is a historical overview course with links, in places, to thematic viewpoints and/or areas of deeper study. We begin our journey through the annals of philosophy with the Greeks and end by dealing with a few 20th-century schools of philosophy. The main themes of a certain philosopher are explained, set in a certain era and then brought up to date. We focus on the difference between myth, religion, philosophy and science; the distinction between idealism and materialism, between rationalism and empiricism; the conditions that conduce to well-being and happiness, the topics of freedom and responsibility, etc.
The following subjects, among others, are covered in this module:
- Characterization of philosophy:
* Definition
* Philosophy and science
* Acquisition of philosophical knowledge
* The world as a complex entity
* A specific approach
- Historical overview of philosophy (incl. an interpretation, historical background and making topical of the various authors/schools of philosophy):
* Greek philosophy (Pre-Socratic philosophy, the Golden Age of Greek philosophy, Greek and Roman philosophy after Aristotle)
* The Renaissance, Baroque and Enlightenment (The Age of Reason)
* Kantianism
* Philosophy in the 19th century (romanticism and idealism, positivism, Schopenhauer and Kierkegaard)
* Philosophy in the 20th century (Sartre and Foucault)
Entry-level skills
Exit qualifications in secondary education
Exit-level skills
The core skills from the training profile listed in the ‘objectives’ section are fully underpinned by the following exit-level skills of the training module:
At the level of knowledge and comprehension:
The students can:
- clearly explain how various schools of philosophical thought redound to the emancipatory development of every individual
- link individual and societal problem areas to philosophical and ethical paradigms
- correctly define and describe various world views, views of society and/or beliefs
At the application level (skills):
The students can:
- employ useful and objectively chosen information to address social issues
- relate their own world view and view of society to the social-philosophical context
Prerequisites
Final Objectives
Materials used
::Click here for additional information::
Supportive courseware (course materials & classroom equipment) and a syllabus (obtainable from the coursewear department), course notes that result from work done in smaller groups, course notes taken during lectures and classroom debates, online course readers, PowerPoint (PTT) slides,…
Study costs
The cost price is estimated at 15 euros.
Study guidance
Individual consultation (tutoring/monitoring) by appointment
Contact details: Christian.vankerckhove@hogent.be
Teaching Methods
- Theory
- Interactive tutorials: an audiovisual lecture, a seminar debate,...
- Exercises
- Teaching based on a thematic approach in small groups, plus a group discussion: analyze philosophical texts (extracts) and then discuss them in class.
- The debate is moderated by the lecturer as a practical exercise on ‘discourse analysis’: to flesh out a subject and the ability to adduce arguments in support of one’s standpoint.
Assessment
An examination for this training module is scheduled in the exam period at the end of the 6-month term in which you took this course.
A written examination consisting of:
open questions: 3 questions, worth 60% of the marks
multiple choice questions: 2 sets of 10; these are worth 40% of the marks
The examination is on any part of the entire course content.
The total number of questions is limited to what can be got through comfortably within the allotted time for the exam.
Resits:
Provision is made for an analogous written exam.
Lecturer(s)
Christian Van Kerckhove
|
|
