Course Topics
The course follows on directly from "Fundamentals of Philosophy I" and picks up on topics covered there. However, participation in that course is not a prerequisite. Topics: - The development of modern philosophy (Descartes, Kant, Leibniz, Nietzsche, Heidegger); - the structure of a basic metaphysical position; - the question of truth; - the nature of (modern) man; - the structure of scientific knowledge; - "two natures"; - the relationship between philosophy, science and art; - fundamental ethics and original economics; - the end of philosophy and the future task of thinking.

Propaedeutic courses
None.

Teaching format
Partly lecture style, partly seminar style. Lectures 1 to 12 are held by Ralf Lüfter, lectures 13 to 24 by Ivo De Gennaro. Supplementary tutorials serve to explain and deepen the content covered in the lecture (also linguistically).

Educational objectives
ILO (Intended Learning Outcomes) ILO 1 Knowledge and Understanding: ILO 1.1 diachronic textual knowledge and hermeneutic tools for understanding the phenomenon of human existence in the context of the institution of the polis; ILO 1.2 diachronic textual knowledge and tools of epistemological analysis to understand the relationship between philosophical and scientific knowledge, with particular reference to the ethical foundations of economics and the presuppositions and implications of economic modelling; ILO 1.3 Knowledge of selected basic philosophical positions and theoretical tools of analysis to develop the autonomous ability to conceptualise and ethically and philosophically diagnose phenomena; ILO 1.4 Knowledge of selected basic philosophical positions and theoretical tools of analysis for understanding the fundamental institutions of the Western world; ILO 2 Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: ILO 2.1 the ability to disengage from the operational, contingent level and the corresponding forms of knowledge in order to engage with the realm in which meaning and the foundational knowledge related to it are constituted; ILO 2.2 the ability to distinguish between the factual cause of a state of affairs and the origin or principle of a phenomenon; ILO 2.3 the ability to understand the linguistic dimension and the differences between languages as an area of elaboration of philosophical thought; ILO 2.4 the ability to adopt an autonomous cognitive and critical stance supported by an adequate capacity for conceptualisation at methodological, theoretical and ethical levels; ILO 2.5 the ability to read and interpret examples of texts from the philosophical tradition and to understand the rationale of their reasoning; ILO 2.6 the ability to formulate a concept or argument effectively in a multilingual context characterised by translation and dialogue between languages ILO 3 Making judgements: ILO 3.1 Acquire the necessary judgement and associated methodological tools to critically analyse data, sources, assumptions and implications of scientific practice and the political, ethical and legal contexts in which economic phenomena are situated and with which they interact ILO 4 Communication skills ILO 4.1 Proficiency in written and spoken Italian, German and English, including the translation of these languages. Intercultural competence. Conceptual conciseness, ability to capture facts in writing, especially for scientific and science-based texts ILO 5 Learning skills ILO 5.1 Fostering critical thinking and analytical skills to recognise complex problems in their long-term dynamics and in the diversity of their - also ethical - implications

Additional educational objectives and learning outcomes
ILO 3.2 Recognising and applying the difference between formulating a judgement and expressing an opinion. ILO 4.2 Dealing with the specific requirements of oral and written communication of philosophical content. ILO 5.2 Hermeneutic skills applied to philosophical texts; ILO 5.3 Oral and written communication of self-conceived ideas.

Assessment
- Open-book exam with questions on the course content (50% of the overall grade) (ILOs assessed: 1-5 ) + - oral individual or group presentation (50% of the final grade) (ILOs assessed: 4.1, 4.2, 5.3) OR - Open-book exam with questions on the course content (50% of the overall grade) (ILOs assessed: 1-5) + - Essay (term paper) with oral explanation (50% of the overall grade) (ILOs assessed: 4.1, 4.2, 5.3)

Evaluation criteria
Written exam: Proven understanding of the subject matter. Presentation: Willingness to philosophically scrutinise and ability to present conceptual and factual contexts. Essay: Ability to present a philosophical train of thought in a clearly structured manner.

Required readings

-      Lecture slides

-      Readings handed out in class

-       Chapters from: Ivo De Gennaro, Principles of Philosophy. A phenomenological approach. Freiburg: Alber, 2019

 

All readings are made available via the Reserve Collection.

Supplementary readings

Provided upon request.

Further information
The audio recordings of the lectures are made available via the Reserve Collection.