Philosophy

obligatory courses

Classroom

The lectures are intended for graduate students of English Studies. During the lectures the most important issues in Western philosophy, with a particular emphasis on topics especially relevant to cultural studies and philology, such as philosophical problems concerning language, culture, their impact on knowledge, and some topics in the philosophy of literature.

The lectures are intended for graduate students of English Studies. During the lectures the most important issues in Western philosophy, with a particular emphasis on topics especially relevant to cultural studies and philology, such as philosophical problems concerning language, culture, their impact on knowledge, and some topics in the philosophy of literature.

Among others, the following issues and philosophical stances will be discussed: the debate on nativism and the role of culture in cognition and acquiring language, the relation between culture on the progress in science, cultural relativism, the relationship between language and the world (the debate on the fundamental function of language), theory of interpretation, normativity of meaning, phenomenology of literature, some basic issues from the philosophy of fiction.

These topics will be presented in reference to both historical philosophical positions and contemporary philosophy. The aim of the lectures is to enable a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary philosophy and especially these parts of it which are most important for students of English Studies and Philology.

Level of English: B2+.

Copleston, Frederick. History of Philosophy. Garvey, James & Jeremy Stangroom. The Story of Philosophy

Przewodnik po filozofii języka, red. J. Odrowąż-Sypniewska, Wydawnictwo WAM

Przewodnik po epistemologii, red. R. Ziemińska, Wydawnictwo WAM

Tatarkiewicz, Władysław. Historia filozofii.

+ Selected articles from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (among others: Innateness and Language, Relativism, Fiction, Theories of Meaning, Rationalism vs Empiricism, Phenomenology, Metaepistemology).

Knowledge acquired:

Student

- possesses knowledge that enables a deeper understanding of contemporary philosophy and topics in theory of literature and cultural studies.

- has knowledge about the main schools, thinkers, and concepts in Western philosophy.

- understands terminology specific to philosophy and can explain it through examples.

- understands philosophical issues in a the context of history.

Skills acquired:

Student

- correctly applies learned philosophical terminology.

- uses basic argumentative strategies and justifies and critiques generalizations in light of available evidence.

- detects relationships between the development of philosophical ideas and social and cultural processes.

- independently formulates and presents philosophical theses and articulates personal views.

- constructs and reconstructs various types of arguments, drawing from the fundamental premises of a given position.

Social competencies acquired:

Student

- is open to new ideas and willing to change opinions in light of available data and arguments.

- formulates proposals for solving new situations and problems based on creative analysis.

- recognizes the importance of the philosophical heritage for understanding issues in theory of literature and cultural studies.

A written test in a multiple-choice format. The test will cover the topics presented during the lectures and will take place during the last class of the semester.