Philosophy

Teacher(s)

Bernard Diane; Roux Jeanne-Marie;

Language

French

Main themes

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

This course contributes to the development and acquisition of the following skills (as defined in the program’s learning outcomes framework, cited in quotation marks).  It contributes to the acquisition of « general knowledge », particularly through the development of a solid grounding in the humanities and social sciences so that they are able to decode legal phenomena in a comprehensively interdisciplinary perspective ». By drawing on a broad philosophical heritage, the course aims not only to provide students with a robust intellectual education, but also to help them understand that philosophical thinking – however original or innovative – is always shaped by a specific socio-historical context, by events and/or problems to which it responds or within which it was developed. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with a range of philosophical positions, will be able to situate them within the history of ideas, and will be equipped to draw upon them in reflecting on contemporary legal issues.  The course also seeks to foster the development of key « transferable skills », notably the cultivation of « critical analytical skills », which are intrinsic to the philosophical method, as well as the « command of the French language ». Both the lectures and « monitorats », as well as the exams, are designed to refine students’ ability to read and interpret complex texts of varied styles, and to handle a range of concepts with precision. The reading and interpretation of philosophical texts, along with the understanding of the specialised terminology used throughout the course, represent a valuable exercise in the training of future lawyers – who must be capable of grasping the full nuance and complexity of legal language.

Content

This course belongs to the field of general philosophy but is specifically designed for law students: so that these future jurists may distinctly experience the vitality of philosophy, it comprises two parts: a reflection on justice (or, more specifically, on the conditions of judgment) and a reflection on the moral nature of the human being (as subject and as person, particularly in relation to freedom and responsibility).

Teaching methods

The course is delivered ex cathedra, in a large lecture hall.
The course materials (PowerPoint slides) made available via Moodle are not mandatory: students' personal notes may suffice; indeed, such notes will usefully complement the slides, which outline the course structure in a concise but non-exhaustive manner.
Support is offered during the weekly tutorials led by a teaching assistant.
A forum is, moreover, open on Moodle during exam revision periods, where students may ask questions of the professors.
Students are asked to watch two films that will be discussed during the course of the first quadrimester ; in order to allow time for viewing these films, the first class of the year does not take place.
In the second quadrimester, two sessions are organized to encourage philosophical reflection based on a work of cinematic fiction and a radio program. As in the first quadrimester, students are expected to watch this film and listen to this program; class hours are set aside for this purpose.
Classes and assessments take place in person.

Evaluation methods

The assessment takes the form of a written examination.
In line with the learning outcomes targeted by this course, the examination primarily draws on reading skills and command of the concepts taught in class. It comprises two types of questions:

• multiple-choice questions (MCQs) requiring close reading skills and an understanding of the main articulations of the course, of the philosophical texts on which it is based, and of the concepts it draws upon. This may involve, for example, situating an excerpt of philosophical text within the broader framework of its author's thought, comparing several philosophical propositions, clarifying more specific notions on a particular point of content, or applying them to a new context or problem (by confronting them, for instance, with a film).
• an open-ended question on an excerpt of philosophical text written by an author, or on a concept studied in class, aimed at assessing students' ability to read with subtlety and to write clearly, concisely, and rigorously, as well as their understanding and knowledge of the material taught.

On four occasions during the year (twice per quadrimester), a test allows students to assess their understanding of the material and may lead to the award of a bonus point. These bonus tests take exactly the same form as the MCQs used in the January, June, and August examinations. They are optional.

• The first of these tests is "collective": if more than two-thirds of the students enrolled in the course take part and more than a quarter of these participants pass (i.e., obtain a score equal to or higher than 10/20), all students receive a bonus point for the January examination, whether or not they took the test.
• The following three tests, organized during the last class of the first quadrimester and twice during the second quadrimester, are "individual": all students who pass (i.e., obtain a score equal to or higher than 10/20) receive a "personal" bonus point for the following examination.

Bonus points are not carried over from one session to another: the first two apply only to the January examination, and the following two only to the June examination.
The course runs over the full academic year:

• Students who have passed the January examination will be examined only on the second quadrimester's material in June (or September): their final grade will be the average of their January grade and their June grade.
• Students who scored below 10/20 in January retain two opportunities to pass the first part of the course: they will sit, in June (and/or September), an examination covering the entire year's material. Their January grade is "disregarded," and their final grade will be constituted by their June (and/or September) grade.

Other information

Online resources

The films and/or radio broadcasts that students are expected to watch or listen to – in place of the very first lecture and during the second term – are available via moodle as well.

Bibliography

Teaching materials

• Powerpoint

Faculty or entity

> DRTB