History of Philosophy

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/W_MA_HOP

Course Objective

The student: 1
- Has acquired a broad knowledge about the history of philosophy, including both traditional and less commonly taught figures and subjects. 2
- Has acquired conceptual knowledge about some of the main theories, schools, and movements, i.a. Aristotelianism, Scholasticism, Skepticism, Rationalism, Empiricism, Kantianism, Idealism, Realism, Materialism, etc. as well as a critical understanding of periodizations such as modernity, enlightenment, renaissance, antiquity, etc. 3
- Has acquired metacognitive knowledge about studying the history of philosophy and how it relates to their present as well as (the history of) other philosophical, humanistic, and scientific disciplines.

Course Content

The course will provide a general introduction to the history of philosophy through a survey of selected authors and texts. The course will use the Reverse Engineering approach, which will be explained in detail in the first lecture. The focus is on the history of philosophy, the historiography of philosophy, and our relationship to the past.

Teaching Methods

Lectures

Method of Assessment

- Assignments (20%, objectives 1-3)
- Essay (80%, objectives 1-3)

Literature

A selection of primary texts and other materials will be made available through Canvas.

Explanation Canvas

Canvas will be used to disseminate the slides, texts, and announcements. A detailed overview of the course (texts, assignments, lectures) is available on Canvas.