Course content

The course offers an introduction to philosophy (as a discipline) and its study at NTNU. It focuses on one or two contemporary debates in philosophy (which may vary from term to term). These debates are used to show how philosophical approaches are essential for understanding fundamental problems of different sorts that may arise in common human experience, daily-life, or modern societies. Examples include questions of happiness, of the meaning and value of live, of love, of what we may know, and what is real. These debates can both concern theoretical philosophy, such as metaphysics or epistemology, and practical philosophy, such as ethics or political philosophy. The students are expected to write one academic text on one selected contemporary debate. In this connection, the course offers a basic introduction to academic writing (and use of scholarly sources) that focuses on the writing process.

Learning outcome

According to the course curriculum, a candidate who passes this course is expected to have the following learning outcome (defined as knowledge and skills):

Knowledge

• basic knowledge about academic writing and thinking in philosophy
• overview over main features of contemporary academic philosophy
• basic knowledge of one or two contemporary debates in philosophy

Skills

• the ability to write academic texts in philosophy
• the ability to reference scholarly texts by providing necessary bibliographical information
• the ability to read, assess and comment on academic texts in an independent manner
• the ability to discern weaknesses and strengths in arguments
• the ability to argue for and against a view in a contemporary debate
• the ability to orient oneself in academic philosophy and its study

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, writing seminar and self-study.

Obligatory activity can only be approved the semester the course is taught, but is valid for this and the subsequent semester.

Compulsory assignments

• Approved 2 obligatory activity
• 80 % attendance writing seminar

Required previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

The required reading list will be available at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions