Admission requirements
No special admission requirements.
Description
This course is part of the faculty’s core curriculum. We will discuss general themes from the philosophy of science, the unique nature of the humanities, as well as several philosophical positions and currents of thought that have had a large impact on the humanities, such as structuralism, hermeneutics and postmodernism.
We study in detail the methods of modern science: what are they, where do they come from, and what can we expect from them? We try to answer these questions by looking at thinkers such as Popper, Kuhn and Foucault. We will also study several philosophical movements that are important for the unique questions that come up in the humanities. For instance, we look at hermeneutics (Dilthey, Gadamer), structuralism (De Saussure) and postmodernism (Derrida, Rorty). Other thinkers we will discuss are, for example, Hegel, Marx, Collingwood, Hempel, White and Nietzsche. At all times we will reflect on the nature of science in general, and our special position as researchers in the humanities.
The course thus offers both a reflection on the practice of science, especially in the humanities, and an introduction to central concepts and ideas from 20th and 21st century thought that nobody working in our fields should be ignorant of.
Course objectives
At the end of this course, students should:
be able to reflect on and discuss questions about the nature of the humanities in a group of fellow students;
be able to present the results of this to their fellow students in a clear way using a suitable medium (writing or otherwise);
have gained insight into the nature of science in general and the humanities specifically;
know the most important currents of thought that have shaped and are still shaping the sciences and the humanities.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
- Lecture
Assessment method
Written examination with multiple choice questions
Practical group exercise
Weighting
Written examination: 100%.
The practical group exercise must have been adequately performed in order to gain access to the exam.
Resit
Written examination
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Literature: teacher’s course book , and a reader.
Registration
General information about registering for courses and exams can be found [here] (https://www.student.universiteitleiden.nl/en/your-study-programme/courses-and-exams/enrolment/humanities/dutch-studies-ba?cf=humanities&cd=dutch-studies-ba#tab-1)
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact Education Administration Office: Reuvensplaats
Remarks
Disclaimer: Please note that the course descriptions, in particular the assessment method, might be adjusted (timely) depending on the measures taken regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.