JK09002Foundations I-Seminar (KBR)
| Numbering Code | G-LET36 6JK09 LE36 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ First semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | special lecture | |
| Target Year | Target Student | |||
| Language | English | Day/Period | Thu.2 | |
| Instructor name | Campbell, Michael (Graduate School of Letters Assistant Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course | In this course we will consider issues around the understanding and evaluation of other cultures. How far can moral judgements cross cultural contexts? What is necessary for cross-cultural judgements to be both true and appropriate? Under what conditions can we responsibly judge the behaviour of others? Is belief in a universal human nature either necessary or sufficient for justifying a stock of common moral commitments? We will consider these questions through examining how moral philosophers have dealt with issues around relativism and the representation of individual and cultural difference. Along the way we will consider the plausibility of cultural relativism, and will examine what function evaluative judgements might serve when they cross cultural or temporal contexts. As well as introducing students to a central issue in moral philosophy, participants in this course will have the opportunity to engage with important contemporary thinkers working at the forefront of issues around the nature and limits of moral judgement, including Cora Diamond and David Wong. | |||
| Course Goals |
- To introduce students to philosophical controversies surrounding relativism, objectivity and the understanding of other cultures. - To familiarise students with some of the aims, methods and problems of contemporary moral philosophy. - To develop students' ability to reason critically, to construct and critique arguments and to write philosophical essays in English. |
|||
| Schedule and Contents |
This schedule is indicative only and is liable to change as the lectures progress. Weeks 1 - 3 Understanding a ‘Primitive’ Society Weeks 4 - 7 Conceptualizing Individual and Social Change Weeks 8 - 11 The Relativism of Distance Week 12 - 14 Understanding Others: Understanding Ourselves Week 15 Feedback class |
|||
| Evaluation Methods and Policy | Evaluation will be conducted via quiz (40%) and final essay (60%). Students will be awarded a raw score grade (0-100). | |||
| Course Requirements | None | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | Students will be provided with texts in English to read in preparation for the class. Periodically there will be optional short quizzes to test students comprehension of the material. During the semester students will be expected to prepare for their final essay. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | Students will be provided with copies of the relevant primary texts ahead of time. | ||
