Questions regarding Philosophical Anthropology - 1st semester
Code
722031032
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Filosofia
Credits
10
Teacher in charge
Mário Jorge Carvalho, Nuno Carlos Venturinha
Weekly hours
3 letivas + 1 tutorial
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Acquire a high level of knowledge in the field of Philosophical Anthropology and in particular a detailed knowledge of the fundamental concepts and of the history of Philosophical Anthropology, of its methodological and doctrinal controversies and of its articulation with other branches of philosophy and science.
b) Acquire detailed knowledge of the fundamental texts in the field of Philosophical Anthropology, with a mastering of time-honoured interpretations and of the current state of research.
c) Acquire a high ability to analyse, compare, criticise and use anthropological concepts, and also to independently discuss problems and doctrinal views in the field of Philosophical Anthropology.
d) Acquire the ability to carry out research work under supervision in this field that meets high scientific quality standards.
e) Acquire the ability to carry out independent research in this area.
Prerequisites
Not applicable
Subject matter
Class A
Fichtes Bestimmung des Menschen
What is Fichtes Bestimmung des Menschen all about?
What is a Bestimmungsfrage? Does this question still make sense? What is the connection between Bestimmungsfrage(n) and the Bestimmung des Menschen? And in particular:
1) What is the anthropological relevance of the Bestimmungsfrage and of a Bestimmung des Menschen?
2) What are the distinctive features of Fichtes attempt to answer the Bestimmungsfrage? And does Fichtes Bestimmung des Menschen have any relevance to us?
Our purpose is to study both Fichtes Bestimmung des Menschen (its antecedents, its content, meaning and implications) and the philosophical questions that arise from it.
Class B
Facts and Values
In his first work, the Tractatus, Wittgenstein makes a sharp distinction between the facts of the world, understood as what is the case, and the valuation that man attributes to them, be it of an aesthetical, ethical or religious nature. Objects and states of affairs are then seen within the framework of a fundamental anthropological relation, which culminates in a peculiar solipsistic-transcendental view of a linguistic character. The seminar aims to follow first the philosophical anthropology of the Tractarian period, examining next its maturation in Wittgensteins so-called later philosophy, where the distinction between fact and value gives room to a study of the multiplicity of the language games that characterize man. We shall concentrate on the aesthetical, ethical and religious games, which will allow us to access Wittgensteins idea of a natural history of human beings or of human concepts.
Bibliography
Turma/Class A
Die Bestimmung des Menschen, auf der Grundlage der Ausg. von Fritz Medicus rev. von Horst D. Brandt. Mit einer Einleitung von Hansjürgen Verweyen, Hamburg, Meiner, 2000
J. G. FICHTE, The Vocation of Man, Translated, with Introduction and Notes by Peter Preuss, Indianapolis, Hackett Pub. Co., 1987
The Vocation of Man, Ed., with an Introduction by Roderick M. Chisholm, Indianapolis/New York, Bobbs-Merrill, 1956
La destination de l´homme, trad. inédite, introduction, notes et bibliogr. par Jean-Christophe Goddard, Paris, Flammarion, 1995
La destinazione dell´uomo, traduzione di Remo Cantoni, a cura di Claudio Cesa, Roma, Laterza, 2001
Turma/Class B
Venturinha, Nuno. (2010). Lógica, Ética, Gramática: Wittgenstein e o Método da Filosofia. Lisboa: INCM.
Wittgenstein, L. (1933). Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. London: Routledge; (1987). Tratado Lógico-Filosófico. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Wittgenstein, L. (1993). Bemerkungen über Frazers Golden Bough / Remarks on Frazers Golden Bough. In Philosophical Occasions 1912-1951 (pp. 115-155). Indianapolis: Hackett; (2011). Observações sobre O Ramo Dourado de Frazer. Porto: Deriva.
Wittgenstein, L. (2009). Philosophische Untersuchungen / Philosophical Investigations. Oxford: Blackwell; (1987). Investigações Filosóficas. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Teaching method
This curricular unit has a theoretical-practical character.
Seminar-oriented classes.
Reading and interpretation of and commentary on Platos Symposium. Analysis and discussion both of interpretive (including syntactic and semantic) issues and related philosophical questions and concepts.
The teaching methodology combines: a) a thorough interpretation of Platos Symposium (of its different components, of their connection both with each other and with the rest of the corpus platonicum) b) a theoretical analysis of philosophical problems, and c) a discussion of alternative views, objections, counter-examples, etc.
In class teaching
Evaluation method
Class A
Individual appraisal. Each student will have to present a research paper (of about 20 pages) on a topic individually agreed upon with the Lecturer and then discuss this paper with the latter. This counts for 3/4 of final marks. Class participation (participation in the discussion) counts for 1/4 of final marks.
Class B
The method adopted for the class combines readings and commentaries of texts in seminar along with discussion of student papers.