2022-2023 / PHIL0010-1

History of contemporary philosophy

Duration

45h Th

Number of credits

 Bachelor in ancient and modern languages and literatures5 crédits 
 Bachelor in ancient languages and literatures : classics5 crédits 
 Bachelor in information and communication5 crédits 
 Bachelor in modern languages and literatures : German, Dutch and English5 crédits 
 Bachelor in history of art and archaeology : general5 crédits 
 Bachelor in history5 crédits 
 Bachelor in modern languages and literatures : general5 crédits 
 Bachelor in history of art and archaeology : musicology5 crédits 
 Bachelor in ancient languages and literatures : Oriental studies (Registrations are closed)5 crédits 
 Bachelor in philosophy5 crédits 
 Bachelor in French and Romance languages and literatures : general5 crédits 

Lecturer

Arnaud Dewalque

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

It is usually believed that the most significant philosophical event of 20th century is the "great divide" between the analytic and "continental" traditions. This course questions the relevance of this standard narrative. Returning to the sources of contemporary philosophy, it proposes an alternative historiography, based on the distinction between three ways of approaching philosophical matters: the positivist, phenomenological (or descriptive) and hermeneutical approaches. The course reconstructs the rise of these three approaches and illustrates their differences by considering their application to a classical philosophical problem, namely: the problem of other minds.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of the course, listeners are supposed to:

  • master a series of historical informations about the nineteen-century Austrian-German philosophy.
  • be able to look in a critical manner to the historiography of this period as it is available in classical manuals of the history of Western philosophy.
  • be aware of a small number of controversial problems which have had a crucial role to play in the birth of contemporary philosophy.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

At least one Philosophy course.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course involve a series of lectures, in most cases with powerpoint presentation. There is no syllabus available. The list of the texts  and the schedule will be made available at the beginning of the course and can be downloaded by following the link below.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

Duration: 45 hours, 1st term. Face-to-face is the default teaching mode but some sessions might be taught online.

Recommended or required readings

A series of suggested readings will be made available at the first sessions (see schedule). The following list of recommended books may be helpful for students wishing to delve more deeply into the topic of the course:
- On the historical background of German-Austrian philosophy during the second half of the nineteen century:

  • L. Freuler, La Crise de la philosophie au XIXe siècle, Paris, Vrin, 1997 (available at the ULg Philosophy library: 43FRE).
  • M. Heidegger, "Genèse et première percée de la recherche phénoménologique", dans Prolégomènes à l'histoire du concept de temps, French translation. A. boutot, Paris, Gallimard, 2006, pp. 33-51 (50HEI.BOU).
- On the Brentano School:
  • D. Fisette and G. Fréchette, "Le Legs de Brentano", from the collection A l'école de Brentano. De Würzbourg à Vienne, Pars, Vrin, 2007, pp. 13-160 (45BRE.FIS).
  • L. Albertazzi, M. Libardi and R. Poli (eds.), The School of Franz Brentano, Dordrecht, Kluwer, 1996 (45BRE.ALB).
- On neo-Kantianism:
  • E. Dufour, Les Néokantiens. Valeur et vérité, Paris, Vrin, 2003.
  • M. Ferrari, Retours à Kant. Introduction au néo-kantisme, French translation, Th. Loisel, Paris, Cerf, 2001 (42KAN.FER).
- On contemporary naturalism:
  • D. Fisette, P. Poirier, Philosophie de l'esprit. Un état des lieux, Paris, Vrin, 2000, chapitre III "Le naturalisme et ses présupposés philosophiques" (cote 78FIS).

Any session :

- In-person

oral exam

- Remote

oral exam

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred remote


Additional information:

The exam will take the form of a short interview during which students should demonstrate their knowledge of the subject matter covered in class and understanding of the course reading material. This involves, for example, situating an author in the philosophical landscape of this period, describing the main features of a philosophical school, explaining a concept, commenting upon an extract of text covered in class or developing a line of argument analyzed during the year.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

All students enrolled in History and Romance Languages and Literature wishing to follow this course as an option are welcome.

Contacts

Prof. Arnaud Dewalque Philosophy Department 7, Place du 20-août, Building A1/2nd floor B-4000 Liège Phone 0032 (4) 366 55 93 E-mail a.dewalque@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs