Universität Wien

180203 SE Central texts and topics in practical philosophy (2021W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie
Continuous assessment of course work
REMOTE
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

The seminar will take place entirely online. The online sessions will reproduce the in-person seminar setup with plenary and small group discussions. If there are issues you would like to discuss outside of the seminar, you are encouraged to contact the lecturer to arrange a meeting (there will not be regular office hours).

  • Tuesday 12.10. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 19.10. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 09.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 16.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 23.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 30.11. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 07.12. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 14.12. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 11.01. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 18.01. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital
  • Tuesday 25.01. 09:45 - 11:15 Digital

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This seminar is a fast-track introduction for Masters students with no or only little background in practical philosophy. The aim of the seminar is to introduce you to the major sub-disciplines of practical philosophy, such as:
• applied ethics
• moral theory
• applied political theory
• political theory
• metaethics
• social ontology
• feminist and other critical approaches, e.g. postcolonial or race theory

At the end of the seminar, you will be able to
• explain which topics and questions the sub-disciplines of practical philosophy are about
• locate new questions within these sub-disciplines
• focus your investigations on the sub-disciplines most suitable for your questions, and set aside related sub-questions from other sub-disciplines
• independently find further study material related to each sub-discipline as the need arises

The seminar is designed specifically for the MA in Philosophy and Economics but is open to other MA students who find that they need additional foundations in practical philosophy. The seminar is not intended for students who have completed substantial study in several of the above sub-disciplines – it is an MA-level foundational seminar, not a seminar that builds on existing foundations. In large part, the seminar operates in the so-called “Analytic” tradition of philosophy. If your training in practical philosophy has been mostly in the “Continental” tradition, you may also find this seminar helpful.

Due to the role of the seminar in the MA Philosophy and Economics, topics focus on economics, where possible.

The seminar is taught and assessed in English. It will take place entirely online. The online sessions will reproduce the in-person seminar setup with extensive plenary and small group discussions. In preparation for each seminar, you will read the assigned core text(s) and complete some short preparatory reading tasks and other research exercises listed on Moodle.

Assessment and permitted materials

The seminar is assessed through one written assignment and the weekly preparation tasks:

1. Written assignment: An essay of 1500-1700 words (including bibliography) on any topic from the seminar. Weight: 80%. Deadline tbc.

2. Weekly preparation tasks. These are marked for completeness, not for correctness: what matters here is that you have seriously thought about the tasks and prepared for the seminar. Weight: 20%. Deadline: Each teaching week at 12 noon on the day before the seminar. Tasks that are late without authorization can at most score a grade of 4 (mere pass).

The essay is to be submitted on Moodle, preferably as a pdf file, with all identifying information (name, student ID) removed from the text, the file name, and the file metadata. This is to facilitate anonymous marking. Delayed submissions get a marking penalty of +0.2 for each day (24h) of lateness, although this penalty does not lead to a failing grade. If your submission is delayed for reasons outside of your control, e.g. illness, you should inform the lecturer as early as possible.

Assessments will be marked after the deadlines, irrespective of how early you submit, and will then be marked within four weeks. If you need your mark earlier, e.g. if you are on an exchange semester, you should explicitly request this from the lecturer.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

A positive evaluation requires that you achieve a pass grade (4) in both assessment components, and that you actively attend the seminar. Two unauthorized absences will be excused.

A pass grade in the weekly tasks requires that the tasks have been completed on time for at least 60% of the seminars. Delayed completion due to certified circumstances beyond your control, e.g. illness, are exempt.

A pass grade in the essay assignment requires a weighted average of grade 4 or above, based on the following criteria: Selection, understanding and explanation of course material (40%); Argumentative engagement (20%); Structure and signposting (20%); Language and presentation (10%); Referencing (10%). Marking penalties are applied for exceeding the word limit. Further information about the assessment criteria is available to students on Moodle.

Examination topics

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

Reading list

The reading list is posted on Moodle and contains selected historical and contemporary texts in practical philosophy.

Sample readings:
-Singer, P. (1972). Famine, Affluence, and Morality. Philosophy and Public Affairs, 1(3), 229-243.
- Langton, R. (1992). Duty and Desolation. Philosophy 67(262), 481–505.
-Rawls, J. A Theory of Justice (Revised Edition). (1971/ 1999). Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. (Selected sections only)
-Müller, M. (2019). Emotional Labour: A Case of Gender-Specific Exploitation. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 22(7), 841–62.
-Appiah, K. A. Racisms. (1990). In Anatomy of Racism, edited by David Theo Goldberg. Minneapolis/London: University of Minnesota Press.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Sa 08.07.2023 00:17