Admission requirements
This course is open to MA students in Philosophy.
Description
The focus of this course is to investigate the intricate and often challenging relationship between psychoanalysis and philosophy.
Freud always wished to remain far from philosophy, fearful that it would reduce his ‘discovery’ of the unconscious to the domain of consciousness. Nevertheless, the historical development of psychoanalytic theory cannot be viewed in isolation of the philosophical responses that it invited: many psychoanalytical themes and questions (the unconscious, the relation between self and other, trauma, the body) have also been treated extensively by philosophers.
We will seek to make sense of the discourse between the different approaches to the self, starting with some canonical texts by Freud, and the problems concerning them that have been raised by phenomenologists like Husserl, Merleau-Ponty and Ricoeur (from the standpoint of hermeneutics). We will also read some works by subsequent psychoanalytic theorists, like Winnicott, Lacan and Benjamin.
Course objectives
Students who succesfully complete the course will have a clear understanding of:
the main arguments the authors that we discuss in this module (Researching, Analyzing, Reflection);
the most important philosophical positions concerning psychoanalysis in relation to philosophical themes(Researching, Analyzing, Reflection).
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
construct and present (both oral and in writing) many-sided and balanced philosophical analyses concerning the topic of this course: psychoanalysis and philosophy (Oral Communication, Written Communication, Reflection, Independent Learning);
develop their own research claim and write a final paper on a self-defined problem (Written Communication, Independent Learning);
be aware of the philosophical, social and political problems concerning the main theme of this course (Societal Awareness).
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar;
Research.
Assessment method
Assessment
Presentation (15%);
Final research paper (85%).
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determination of the weighted average of the two subtests (see above). A subtest can be graded as unsatisfactory.
Class preparation and attendance are required and are conditions for submission of the paper.
Resit
The resit will consist of one examination, a research paper. The mark will replace all previously earned marks for subtests.
Class preparation and attendance are required and are conditions for submission of the paper for the resit.
Students who have obtained a satisfactory grade for the first examination(s) cannot take the resit.
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 will be made available on Brightspace or distributed in class. There is no need to study any literature beforehand.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.
Remarks
Not applicable.