Twentieth Century Theoretical Philosophy (2025/2026: Semester 2 – Spring)

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Cursusdoel

The course is designed to allow the students to come to an independent, critical but well informed understanding of original philosophical texts. The larger theoretical goal is to introduce students to themes, motifs and debates that shaped philosophy in the twentieth century. The course aims at expanding the students’ reading in order to prepare them for further study at in senior seminars and at the postgraduate level.

Learning goals:
After completing this course students are able to
  1. are able to contextualize philosophical texts and debates from the early to the late twentieth century. (Assessment: class discussions, essays).
  2. are able to identify tenets and evaluate arguments on the basis of key texts from this period (Assessments: class discussions, essays).
  3. are able to critically interact with tenets and arguments from various philosophical traditions from this period. (Assessment: essays).
  4. express their general understanding of the main themes and developments in 20th Century philosophy. (Assessment: class discussions and essays).
Main Goal: After completing this course students are able to write essays on complex issues in 20th Century philosophy on the basis of assigned reading and further research outside of the course readings. (Assessment: essays).


Relationship between tests and course goals
● Two essays worth 40% each. LG 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
● Participation and preparedness worth 20%. LG 1, 2, 4

Vakinhoudelijk

This course investigates themes, motifs and debates that shaped the development of philosophy in the twentieth century. Starting on the European continent and gradually moving toward America, the program will invite students to engage with the reaction against scientism, to assess the impact of psychoanalysis, and to familiarize themselves subsequently with phenomenology, the linguistic turn, existentialism, the archeology of knowledge, and deconstruction. The course will introduce students to texts written by Henri Bergson, Sigmund Freud, Edmund Husserl, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Michel Foucault, Stanley Cavell and Jacques Derrida. Readings from these authors’ works, supported by Leonard Lawlor's contextualizing book, will be used to illuminate contemporary responses to the key philosophical questions; in-class discussions are centred on the various perspectives offered in the course material. One of the primary objectives of the course is to awaken a sense for the critical value of philosophical discourse.

Format
  • Readings from a series of primary texts and the course book will be discussed and debated twice weekly.
  • Students are responsible for the preparation of two essays, each chosen from a variety of topics discussed in class.
  • Continuous assessment will be based on class preparation and active participation.

Werkvormen

UCU HUM 2 course

Toetsing

Participation and preparedness

Verplicht | Weging 20% | ECTS 1,5

Essay 1

Verplicht | Weging 40% | ECTS 3

Essay 2

Verplicht | Weging 40% | ECTS 3

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er moet voldaan zijn aan de cursus:

Voorkennis

UCHUMPHI12 as prerequisite will be accepted but requires additional reading.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de verplichte literatuur bekend


Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Coördinator

dr. F.G. van der Burg F.G.vanderBurg@uu.nl

Docenten

dr. F.G. van der Burg F.G.vanderBurg@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

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