Teacher(s)
Language
English
Prerequisites
The course assumes a basic formation in moral philosophy and a good knowledge (at least passive) of English.
Main themes
In order to reach the goals that have been set the course will focus each year on a different theme that will allow the relationships beteween different orientations in philosophical ethics to be seen concrete issues of applied ethics and methodological reflection.
The conceptual analysis will be accompanied by case studies.
The conceptual analysis will be accompanied by case studies.
Content
This year (2024/25) the course will address the theme of the meaning of human life. The chief preoccupation will be to establish whether "meaning of life" is a philosophically fundamental and useful category, or whether it is derivative or confused. What are the different meanings of the questions about the meaning of life? Does the "meaning of life" constitute a value irreducibly different, and possibly independent, of the moral value (what is morally right) and the prudential values (what is good for me)? Can an individual human life have a meaning even though the human life in general has none? At the end of the course, we shall also examine how the problem of the meaning of life has been approached in experimental psychology, and we will ask whether - or how - this approach differs from that of the philosophical discourse.
The emphasis will be put on the discussions of this theme in the contemporary analytic philosophy (Nagel, Wolf, Metz, Landau), but we also also take into account how the analytic approaches have been informed by - or have departed from - the ancient conceptions of the good life (Aristotle, the Stoics) and the existentialist theories of the human condition (Camus, Sartre).
The emphasis will be put on the discussions of this theme in the contemporary analytic philosophy (Nagel, Wolf, Metz, Landau), but we also also take into account how the analytic approaches have been informed by - or have departed from - the ancient conceptions of the good life (Aristotle, the Stoics) and the existentialist theories of the human condition (Camus, Sartre).
Teaching methods
The text will chiefly consist of group discussions. The discussions will be based on the readings of texts (between 10 and 30 pages to prepare every week), as well as on the oral presentations of short thinkpieces prepared beforehand by the participants.
The majority of the texts will be read in the English original.
The majority of the texts will be read in the English original.
Evaluation methods
Continuous evaluation (to conclude in January 2015). Please note: you'll only be able to validate the course once per academic year.
The evaluation will be based on
The evaluation will be based on
- three short thinkpieces (1-2 page), submitted in course of the semester, including their oral presentation in class (3 x 25%)
- Preparation (readings) and participation mark (25%)
Online resources
The syllabus and all readings will be available on Moodle.
Faculty or entity
