Contemporary Philosophy - 2nd semester
Code
711031062
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Filosofia
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
João Sàágua
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To identify the core problems in contemporary philosophical thought.
b) To contextualize these problems both diachronically and synchronically.
c) To develop analytical and critical skills through the reading of significant contemporary texts.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
What is philosophy? on intentionality.
1) Is there a World without a self or is the world self-constituted? Where does the Truth lie? Intention, meaning and reference, truth and falsity, reality and fiction in both traditions. Through the philosophical projects of Frege, Wittgenstein, Husserl and Heidegger we get two apparently incompatible approaches to our first question. 2) The two philosophical perspectives on the same issues (truth, self and world) generate different problems, programs and solutions. They are an antagonistic interpretation (historical/ahistorical, intuitive/non intuitive, analytical/synthetical, etc., etc.. 3) We focus on the concept of the self in order to get different takes on intentionality: a) Husserlsselfs intentional rationality b) Wittgensteinsself conversation and language games,c) Anscombeson Intentions, d) Davidsons approach to practical intentions of the self and e) Heideggers concept of (self)care.
Bibliography
Anscombe, G.E.M. (1957). Intention. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Davidson, D. (1980). Intending, reprinted in Essays on Actions and Events, New York: Oxford, pp. 83102.
Frege, G. (2008). Funktion, Begriff, Bedeutung, Fünf logische Studien. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprech.
Heidegger, M. (1986). Sein und Zeit, Tübingen: Max Niemeyer.
Wittgenstein, L. (1984). Philosophische Untersuchungen in Werkausgabe, Band 1 (pp. 225-580). Frankfurt am Main: Surkamp Verlag.
Teaching method
The syllabus resorts two main activities. In the first hour we will read, expose and explain the fundamental key concepts and the theoretical frameworks of the texts at stake. In the second hour we will be interpreting and analysing the texts with the students in order to promote a debate about alternative views, possible objections, argumentation and expression.
Evaluation method
The evaluation is individual, through one written test (70%) in the end of the semester and one written paper (30%) discussed and supervised in tutorial monitoring.