180125 KU Central Topics in Theoretical Philosophy (2025S)

This course is part of the MA in philosophy. It comprises 10 ECTS. The course offers an in-depth survey of at least five core topics of theoretical philosophy within metaphysics, philosophy of language, and epistemology. The format of the course combines lectures with interactive discussions, along with opportunities to develop, present, and refine written philosophical work through constructive feedback.

Each topic will be explored over two weeks. In the first week, sessions will follow a postgraduate seminar format, combining lectures with interactive discussions on the assigned readings. Students are expected to complete the readings in advance and actively contribute to discussions. In the second week, students will prepare short written assignments in one of two formats: some will create a handout of a selected reading, while others will write a concise argumentative piece based on a reading, which will be presented and debated during the session. Students will alternate the type of assignment every two weeks; for instance, if a student wrote a handout for a certain topic, that student will write an argumentative piece for the next topic. The handouts and argumentative pieces will be submitted online before class.

The final sessions of the course will be dedicated to discussing and refining ideas for the final paper. Students may choose any topic covered in class for their paper. To prepare, they will submit a set of "final paper notes" outlining their chosen topic, key arguments, and overall structure. These notes will be shared online before class, presented by each student, and discussed in collaborative feedback sessions involving students and the instructor. The final paper will then be based on the notes and the feedback received.