Admission requirements
Non applicable.
Description
The course offers an overview of the key philosophical answers to the question: “What is a human being?”, with special focus on the concepts of self, individuation, freedom and history. The course is organized chronologically, around an exploration of the ambiguity of human existence.
Course objectives
This course aims to introduce the students to a general understanding of the major philosophical problems and arguments put forward in response to the question “what is a human being”?
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
the main theories of human nature;
the problems attached to the quest for a unified definition of the human;
the interaction between the individual and the socio-historical dimensions of the human condition.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
critically understand and interconnect the major texts and theories relative to human nature;
present a consistent view of the core concepts of the field.
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA Wijsbegeerte website
BA Wijsbegeerte 2016-2017 (BA Plus-traject or Standaardtraject), eerste jaar.
Mode of instruction
- Lectures
Class attendance is required.
Course Load
Total course load: 5 EC x 28 hrs = 140 hours
Attending lectures: (14 weeks x 3 hrs): 42 hours
Time for studying the compulsory literature: 40 hours
Preparation lectures: 18 hours
Preparation assignments: 34 hours
Time for completing take home exams: 6 hours
Assessment method
Mid-term take-home exam made of a series of short questions (40%)
Final take-home essay focusing on one issue that pervades the entirety of the course (chosen from three) (60%)
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determination of the weighted average of the subtests (midterm, final). A subtest can be graded as unsatisfactory.
Resit
The resit will be a very demanding take-home paper including one extensive text commentary and one essay on an imposed question covering the entire course. It may include a quick oral examination too.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for posting texts, general information documents (syllabus etc.), assignments and updates.
Reading list
- All texts will be made available on Blackboard at the beginning of the semester, alongside the reading schedule.
Registration
Enrolment for courses and exams through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Students are strongly advised to register in uSis through the activity number which can be found in the timetables for and exams in the column under the heading “uSis-Actnbr”.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Registration Studeren à la carte
Registration Contractonderwijs
Contact
Remarks
Not applicable.