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What Is Philosophy?

Code 15553
Year 1
Semester S1
ECTS Credits 6
Workload OT(15H)/TP(45H)
Scientific area Philosophy
Entry requirements -
Learning outcomes This course aims to awaken students to the practice of philosophical questioning, equipping them with the tools necessary for radical problematization. At the end of this course, the student should be able to (i) make explicit the inquiring nature of philosophy; (ii) identify philosophical questions; (iii) discuss answers.
Syllabus 1. The (in)usefulness of philosophy
2. Back to the question “What is Philosophy?”
3. Philosophy as a moral practice
4. Philosophy's relationship with “Actuality” and the “Present”
5. Astonishment, Questioning and the Desire to Know
6. What is Philosophy? Plato, Philosophy as the art of dying
7. Philosophy and the meaning of the question: in search of a plural science
8. Philosophy as creation
9. Enthusiasm
10. Philosophizing means being on the way
11. Philosophy as a way of life infused by thought and transformed by it
12. Philosophy as a rigorous science
Main Bibliography Berti, E. (2009), En el principio era la maravilla. La grandes preguntas de la filosofía antigua, Madrid: Editorial Gredos.
Caeiro, A. (2023), O que é a filosofia?, Lisboa: Tinta da China.
Comte-Sponville, A. e Ferry, L. (1998), "Entre sciences et culture: à quoi sert la philosophie contemporaine?" in La sagesse des modernes, Paris: R. Laffont, pp. 505-562.
Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1997), “Introdução – Assim pois a questão…” in O que é a filosofia (pp. 9-21). São Paulo: Editora 34 (or. 1991).
Foucault, M., «O discurso filosófico e o seu “hoje”» e «O filosófico e o quotidiano» in O Discurso filosófico, Edições 70, 2024, cap. 2 e 5, pp. 21-26 e pp. 49-60.
Hadot, P. (2014), “Exercícios espirituais” e “A filosofia como maneira de viver” in Exercícios espirituais e filosofia antiga, São Paulo: É Realizações Editora.
Heidegger, M. (1968), «Que’est-ce que la philosophie?» in Questions II, trad. K. Axelos et autres, Paris: Gallimard, 1968.
And more
Teaching Methodologies and Assessment Criteria Methodologically, the curricular unit is taught under a plural approach to the basic philosophical question - What is philosophy? -, to which end, each participating teacher introduces a previously informed perspective, with an indication of the pertinent bibliography. Each module presupposes the prior reading of the respective bibliographical reference, based on which a dynamic debate on the philosophical question is carried out.
The evaluation is composed of a written test of open answer to the question of the curricular unit followed by an oral defense in a class context, in the presence of a jury constituted from the teaching staff.
Language Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.
Last updated on: 2024-09-30

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