Basics of Philosophy

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:11.00

Study Course Accepted:29.08.2024 11:14:09

Study Course Information
Course Code:		LUSDK_037		LQF level:		Level 6
Credit Points:		2.00		ECTS:		3.00
Branch of Science:		Philosophy; History of Philosophy		Target Audience:		Medical Services; Psychology
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Reinis Vilciņš
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Department of Rehabilitation
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:		Riga, 26a Anninmuizas boulevard, socdkrsu[pnkts]lv, +371 67061575
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		8	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		16
Classes (count)		8	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		16
Total Contact Hours								32
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		4	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		8
Classes (count)		4	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		8
Total Contact Hours								16
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Not required.
Objective:
The aim of this course is to provide students with a general overview of the main problems of philosophy and to promote independent and critical approach to those issues. During the course students develop understanding of what philosophy is and how it relates to other disciplines, for example, various sciences. Students are introduced to the main problems in philosophy of science. Students develop the basic skills for analysing philosophical and other texts. Students develop critical and independent stance regarding problems such as the mind/body problem, the problem of self, the problem of free will, as well as the most influential theories in ethics.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	What is philosophy? Specificity of philosophy as a field. Philosophy and science. Philosophy and method.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Philosophy of science. The scientific method. A simplified understanding of the scientific method and its critique. The problem of induction and the search for its solution in philosophy. Falsificationism and its criticism.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
3	Critical thinking and reasoning. Conclusion, judgment, premise, conclusion. Types of conclusions, deductive and non-deductive conclusions. Types of non-deductive inferences. Evaluating inferences, typical fallacies of reasoning, and dishonest techniques.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
				Classes		2.00	auditorium
4	The problem of mind-body relations in philosophy. A mind/body problem. Dualism and its critique. Physicalism. Type identity theory and its critique. Concrete identity theory and its critique. Behaviorism and its critique. Functionalism and its critique. The problem of other consciousnesses in philosophy.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
5	Self. The problem of personal identity in philosophy.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
6	Freedom and necessity. Determinism and indeterminism. The problem of determinism and free will in philosophy. Compatibilism and incompatibilism. Interventionism.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
7	Ethics. Metaethics, normative ethics. Duty ethics, consequence ethics, virtue ethics.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		2.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	What is philosophy? Specificity of philosophy as a field. Philosophy and science. Philosophy and method.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
2	Philosophy of science. The scientific method. A simplified understanding of the scientific method and its critique. The problem of induction and the search for its solution in philosophy. Falsificationism and its criticism.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
				Classes		0.50	auditorium
3	Critical thinking and reasoning. Conclusion, judgment, premise, conclusion. Types of conclusions, deductive and non-deductive conclusions. Types of non-deductive inferences. Evaluating inferences, typical fallacies of reasoning, and dishonest techniques.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	The problem of mind-body relations in philosophy. A mind/body problem. Dualism and its critique. Physicalism. Type identity theory and its critique. Concrete identity theory and its critique. Behaviorism and its critique. Functionalism and its critique. The problem of other consciousnesses in philosophy.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
				Classes		0.50	auditorium
5	Self. The problem of personal identity in philosophy.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
				Classes		0.50	auditorium
6	Freedom and necessity. Determinism and indeterminism. The problem of determinism and free will in philosophy. Compatibilism and incompatibilism. Interventionism.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
				Classes		0.50	auditorium
7	Ethics. Metaethics, normative ethics. Duty ethics, consequence ethics, virtue ethics.			Lectures		0.50	auditorium
				Classes		1.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
For successful completion of the course, besides attending of lectures and classes, students are required to structure their learning independently, analyse their level of knowledge and rationally expand it, select and evaluate sources of literature given in the course description and work at obtaining the necessary reference materials in libraries and internet resources. Students should independently complete their homework and prepare for seminars in the specified time. Students must independently prepare for the final test. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
Grading: 1) homework (must be submitted in the specified time) - 30%; 2) participation and activity in seminars* - 30%; 3) final test - 40%. *unattended seminars can be compensated with 3-4 page synopsis of the issues discussed in the seminar.
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):		Exam (Written)
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		After successful completion of the course the student: knows what philosophy is and how it is related to other disciplines; knows the central problems and proposed solutions in the philosophy of science; knows the basic concepts and methods of critical thinking as text analysis; knows what the mind/body problem, the problem of self, and the free will problem are in philosophy, and also knows the most influential theories on these issues; knows the most influential ethical theories of Western philosophy.
Skills:		After successful completion of the course the student: possesses skills to distinguish a philosophical question from other types of questions; possesses skills to argue his or her position on philosophical issues; possesses skills to independently and critically evaluate reasoning; possesses skills to independently and critically evaluate possible actions from the perspective of various ethical theories.
Competencies:		After successful completion of the course the student: has developed academic communication competence by participating in seminars; has developed the competence of critical self-reflection, reflecting on his position on various philosophical issues.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Vorbertons, N. Filosofijas pamati. Rīga: Raka, 2001 [1999]. 88.-115. lpp.
2	Blekbērns, S. Domā. Neatvairāms ievads filozofijā. Tulk. V. Sīlis, I. Neiders. Rīga: 1/4 satori, 2007 [1999]. 84.-148. lpp.
3	Klīve, V. V. Rīcības ceļos. Rīga: Zinātne, 1998. 20.-44. lpp.
Additional Reading
1	Honderich, T. „The Oxford Companion to Philosophy”. Oxford University Press, 2005.
Other Information Sources
1	Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy /ed. by J. Fieser, B. Dowden
2	The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy [database] /ed. by E. N. Zalta