Universität Wien

180003 SE Introduction to Topics and Methods in Philosophy and Economics (2024W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 30 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

Contact:
For administrative queries, finding materials, or technical problems with Moodle, please first always contact my student assistant (contact details on Moodle).

  • Dienstag 01.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 08.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 15.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 22.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 29.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 05.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 12.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 26.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 03.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 10.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 17.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 07.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 14.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 21.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Dienstag 28.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 2G, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/2.Stock, 1010 Wien

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

This seminar is to be taken in conjunction with Justin Leduc's complementary class in the same module.

This seminar introduces students to topics and writing skills central to the Philosophy and Economics MA Programme. We will study exemplary texts from the sub-fields
- Rationality and Decision-Making, and
- Ethics, Welfare, and Justice.
(Philosophy, History, and Methodology of Economics is being covered by the complementary class)

and will practice writing skills such as
- systematically and efficiently reading and summarizing academic literature in P&E,
- explaining technical economics concepts and philosophical arguments in your own words,
- searching, managing, and referencing literature,
- formulating your own arguments,
- formulating research questions and plans,
- writing a research paper.

At the end of the seminar, you will be able to explain central themes in the above two sub-fields of philosophy and economics, and will have developed your abilities in the above research skills, thereby preparing your for advanced work in philosophy and economics. You will be able to write your own MA-level research articles in P&E.

The seminar is taught and assessed in English, and will feature extensive small group discussions. In preparation of each seminar, you will read the assigned core text/material and complete some short preparatory reading tasks, and/or will do research exercises on Moodle.

This class is offered exclusively for students of the MA Philosophy and Economics at the University of Vienna. Visiting MA students may be admitted with the approval of the lecturer, provided that they have a background in economics and philosophy comparable to P&E MA students. If you think you might qualify, please email me your CV and transcript of records / university courses taken so far.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

The seminar is assessed through weekly preparation tasks that build up to writing a final essay, and the final essay itself.

1) Weekly tasks: These tasks guide you from reading a research paper in philosophy and economics, all the way to writing an essay based on this reading. They aim to build your reading, writing, argumentation, and other research skills. Each task is marked by criteria indicated in the respective task. *Weight of all tasks combined: 50%.* *Deadline: 09:00* on the day of the seminar to which the task belongs. Tasks that are late without authorisation can at most score a grade of 4 (mere pass).

2) A short essay of 1500-1700 words (including bibliography), based on any reading from the seminar. The goal of the essay is to combine all the different research skills we have practiced throughout the semester. *Weight: 50%*. *Deadline: February 28, 2024, 23:59*. An early submission deadline of January 26, 23:59, is provided for students who need their mark early, e.g. if they are on an ERASMUS exchange semester.

The term paper is to be submitted on Moodle, as pdf file, with all identifying information (name, student ID) in the text, file name, and file metadata removed to facilitate anonymous marking.

Delayed term paper submissions get a marking penalty of +0.2 for each day (24h) of lateness, although this penalty does not itself lead to a failing grade. Beyond 15 days delay, any essay will receive a fail grade. If your submission is delayed for reasons outside of your control, e.g. illness, please contact me via email as soon as possible to request a deadline extension.

By registering for this course/seminar, you tacitly agree to having all your electronic submissions checked by the plagiarism detection software Turnitin.

Permitted tools:
For the final essay, you are permitted to use generative AI such as chatGPT as a supplementary tool to aid you in your writing. If you use such a tool in any step of the writing process, then you must append to your essay a brief explanation of how the technology was used. You are not permitted to use generative AI in any of the weekly tasks, unless this is explicitly stated otherwise.

Undeclared use of the technology is not permitted and is considered academic misconduct. Use of such technology can and must not replace your understanding and well thought-through argumentative engagement. If I am in doubt about the authorship and tools used in an essay, then I may request of any student that they come to an oral examination on their final essay, in which they need to explain and defend individual sections of their text.

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

Each of the assessments is evaluated on a scale from 1 (“Very Good”) to 5 (“Unsatisfactory”). A positive evaluation requires that you achieve a pass grade (4) in both assessment categories, and that you actively attend the seminar. Conditional on fulfilling the necessary requirements just mentioned, the final grade, comprised between 1 (“Very good”) and 4 (“Adequate”), is a rounded weighted average of the separate assessment grades, according to the weights outlined above. A failure to achieve a pass grade in one of the necessary requirements automatically yields a 5 ("Insufficient").

Detailed marking criteria for each of the assignments and assignment options are posted on Moodle, and are available beforehand upon request.

Active attendance: Two unauthorized absences will be excused. You do not need to inform me about absences. You should, however, keep a record of any doctor's notices or other good reasons for missing seminars (e.g. job or scholarship interviews), in case you exceed the two absences limit.

Prüfungsstoff

You can write your term paper on any topics closely linked to the seminar themes and texts. You are encouraged to develop your own research topics, and to consult with the lecturer on your writing plans.

Literatur

The reading list and all materials and weekly tasks are posted on Moodle. MA P&E students will receive the reader ahead of time during the summer break. Any visiting MA P&E students can request the reader as well.

Sample readings from previous years (subject to change):
Amartya Sen, "Rational Fools: A Critique of the Behavioral Foundations of Economic Theory", in: Philosophy & Public Affairs Vol. 6, No. 4 (Summer, 1977), pp. 317-344.
Chrisoula Andreou (2015) The real puzzle of the self-torturer: uncovering a new dimension of instrumental rationality, in: Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 45:5-6, pp. 562-575.
Johanna Thoma. "On the Hidden Thought Experiments of Economic Theory", in: Philosophy of the Social Sciences 46 (2):129-146 (2016).
John Broome. ‘Discounting the Future’. Philosophy and Public Affairs 23, no. 2 (1994): 128–156.
Joseph Schumpeter. "Science and Ideology," The American Economic Review, Vol. 39, No. 2 (1949), pp. 346-359.
Martha Nussbaum. "Adaptive Preferences and Women’s Options". Economics & Philosophy 17, no. 1 (April 2001): 67–88.
Ruth Chang (2017), "Hard Choices", in Journal of the American Philosophical Association (2017) 1-21.


Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Di 03.09.2024 16:06