F 0012: Fundamental Topics in Philosophy: an Intercultural Approach

This course focuses on some of the fundamental issues in philosophy, both

theoretical and practical. Taking a problem-based approach, a number of
problems will be considered: what is the right thing to do? What do we know? Is
multiculturalism good for all? Is there a connection between the political and
the ethical? Taking a multicultural-based approach, the idea of the course is to
facilitate students the tools and the space to discuss philosophical issues and
evaluate ideas and arguments in English. This is the task of philosophy: to
enhance ones ability to understand and defend ones view points, to see the
world from the perspective of other individuals and cultures.

Course aims:
To enable students to understand, critically analyze, and evaluate
contemporary debates about fundamental topics in philosophy. On this course
students will need, use and improve some key skills: critical thinking, problem
communication, working with others.
By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
a) Interpret important texts in philosophy.
b) Articulate and discuss central problems surrounding the fundamental
topics in philosophy.
c) Display a general knowledge of the problems in philosophy and some
compelling solutions to such problems.
d) Interact with others and show some capacity to develop team work.

Areas, themes, texts:

--Ontology, the problem of being.
Texts: Laozi. Daodejing Chapter 1.
Feng Youlan: Brief history of Chinese Philosophy. Chapters 1 and 9. ONE WEEK
--Problems of culture:
A) Multiculturalism and feminism (Is Multiculturalism bad for
women?, Susan Moller Okin Liberal Complacencies (Response
by Will kymlicka) [Alisson Wolfs talk] ONE WEEK

B) Intercultural Philosophy (Indian and Latin American

perspectives)
Intercultural Philosophy /by Ram Adhar Mall, Chapters 1 and 2 ONE
WEEK
Transformacin intercultural de la filosofa. Introduccin y captulo 1
ONE WEEK
C) Encounter of East and West
1. Creative Bridge between the East and the West (Sunghae
Kim about Tasan)
2. West and Anti-West and Cultural Captivity ONE WEEK
--The problem of the political
A. The national politics of the Yasukuni Shrine (the question of
memory)
Societies in transition (Ruth Teitel) ONE WEEK
B. The hobbesian Spirt (political realism) Raymond Geuss. And
Ideology (B. Williams/ Terry Eagleton). ONE WEEK
--Problems of Moral Philosophy
A. Utilitarianism (Williams)
B. Deontology (Rachels) ONE WEEK
--Problems of Applied Ethics:
Abortion and Euthanasia (J. J. Thomson)
Poverty and Human Rights (Pogge How should Human rights be conceived?)
ONE WEEK
--Problem of justice:
Comparative Justice (Sen)
Justice as Fairness (Rawls) ONE WEEK
--The problem of knowledge:
A. Dualism and the mind/body problem (Descartes Metaphysical
Meditations. Introduction/first and second chapters) ONE WEEK
B. Rationality and normativity. ONE WEEK