LV EN RU DE FR

Philosophy, Ethics, Aesthetics

Course developer

Course abstract

The aim of the course is to develop students’ understanding of philosophy, its problems, methods, and its role of in contemporary society. The course focuses on the issues of ethics, political philosophy, and on philosophy’s interdisciplinary role. The course develops analytical and critical thinking, skills in recognizing and solving the problems of practical ethics. In addition to lectures the course includes studies of philosophical texts, discussions in seminars and students’ presentations.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Knowledge: a student knows and understands philosophical terminology, conceptions and argumentation in their historical development – seminars’ discussions, final written test.
2. Professional skills: a student is able to evaluate and compare philosophical ideas and arguments, to formulate topical philosophical and multidisciplinary problems, to select and critically assess information related to philosophical topics – seminars’ discussions and presentation.
Soft skills: a student is able to plan tasks responsibly, to analyse information, to participate in group activities – seminars’ discussion and presentation.
3. Competence: a student is able to perceive and solve responsibly ethical and multidisciplinary problems, to integrate these skills in further professional activity – seminars’ discussion and presentation.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Philosophy, its role in the development of science and its significance nowadays (lecture 1h, seminar 1h).
2. Ethics as a branch of philosophy. Moral and ethical issues in Latvia (lecture 1h, seminar 1h).
3. Values from a philosophical point of view (lecture 1h, seminar 1h).
4. Principles and theories of ethics (lectures 3h, seminars 3h).
5. The problems of bioethics (lectures 4h, seminars 2h).
6. Ethically justified attitude towards animals (lectures 2h, seminars 2h).
6. The problems of environmental ethics (lectures 4h, seminars 2h).
8. Philosophical problems of life sciences (lectures 2h, seminars 2h).
7. Political philosophy (lectures 4h, seminars 4h).
8. The movements of Ancient ethics, their significance nowadays. (lectures 2h, seminars 2h).
9. Religions in history and nowadays, their relations with ethics (lectures 2h, seminars 2h).
10. Aesthetical values. Introduction to historical periods of Western art (lectures 2h, seminars 2h).
11. Students’ presentations (seminars 4h).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Exam’s accumulating assessment of study results: participation in seminars’ discussions about seminars’ topics and literature chosen by the lecturer (25%), presentation about a topic chosen by the student and accepted by the lecturer (25%), final written test (50%).

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1. The studies of literature chosen by the lecturer for the preparation of seminars’ topics and for the final test.
2. Preparation of presentation.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Seminars – participation in seminars’ discussions, answering lecturer’s questions and explaining student’s point of view. Participation in each seminar is evaluated on a 4-point scale: 0 –not prepared for a seminar, 1 – average, 2 – good, 3 – very good. Results are summed up in the end of the semester.
Student’s presentation – the content of the presentation and presentation skills are evaluated with a single grade on a 10-point grading scale.
Final written test – evaluated in on a 10-point grading scale.

Compulsory reading

1. Stumpf S., Fieser J. Philosophy: a Historical Survey with Essential Readings. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education, 2019. 426 pp.
2. DeWitt R. Worldviews. An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science. Wiley Blackwell, 2018. 362 pp.
3. Talbot M. Bioethics: an introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2012. 464 pp.

Further reading

1. Russell B. (2013) The Problems of Philosophy. Pieejams kā e-grāmata: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5827/5827-h/5827-h.htm
2. Encyclopedia of Bioethics. 3rd edition. Ed. by Post, St. G. MacMillan Reference Books, 2003–2004.
3. The Oxford Handbook of Animal Ethics. Ed. by Tom L. Beauchamp and R.G. Frey. Oxford University Press, 2011. 982 pp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Žurnāls Philosophy now: a magazine of ideas. ISSN 0961-5970. Pieejams: https://philosophynow.org/issues
2. Online encyclopedia Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Pieejams: http://plato.stanford.edu/

Notes

The course is included in academic bachelor study programme “Sustainable Agriculture”.