Great Minds II

Course Objective

The student acquires the ability:
1. To recognize and interpret the fundamental questions within modern and contemporary philosophy;
2. To identify and explain the basic ideas and concepts of some important philosophers from the 17th-20th century;
3. to make connections, and to differentiate between these concepts and ideas.
4. to read, analyze, and interpret primary philosophical texts;
5. to further develop argumentative skills, orally and in writing.

Course Content

In this course the most important thinkers from the philosophical history of the 17th until the 20th century will be discussed, who have had an ineffaceable influence on philosophical thinking in general and thinking about science and culture in particular. The following philosophers are discussed in Modern philosophy: Descartes, Hume, Kant, Hegel; in Contemporary Philosophy: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Arendt, Deleuze.

Teaching Methods

Lectures to introduce the philosophical movement and philosopher's work; text reading seminars in which a passage or text (fragment) of the philosopher is discussed. Attendance of 80% of the text reading seminars in the classes on Modern Philosophy and in the classes on Contemporary Philosophy is mandatory.

Method of Assessment

- Assignments about the primary texts (complete/incomplete) (assessment of learning objectives 2, 3, 4, 5);
- Midterm test on Modern Philosophy with essay questions (50%) (assessment of learning objectives 1, 2, 4, 5);
- Final test on Contemporary Philosophy with essay questions (50%)(assessment of learning objectives 1, 2, 4, 5).
- There is a mandatory attendance of 80% in the lectures in part I and 80% in the lectures in part II in order to achieve learning objectives 4 and 5.

Recommended background knowledge

Great Minds I