| CODE | FDT3050 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Principles of Philosophical Anthropology | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| EQF/MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Fundamental and Dogmatic Theology, including Ecumenism | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This branch of philosophy studies closely the notions of human nature, personhood, personal identity as well as a variety of related topics. An important balance needs to be developed between the historical articulation of these concepts as well as the themes supported by various theories of personhood. Moreover classical arguments from metaphysics need to be confronted with arguments from the philosophy of science and from the natural and social sciences themselves. This engagement will focus on a critical assessment of the philosophical commitments that even though unclaimed are in fact fundamental to assertions about the human person in philosophy, ethics and law. Study-Unit Aims: - To introduce students to the main problems pertaining to the philosophy of personhood; - To situate such problems within a conceptual framework; - To identify the philosophical commitments behind such a framework; - To study arguments that offer a critical evaluation of all the perspectives on the nature of persons. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Have an informed outlook on the more salient discussions on the notion of personhood across the history of philosophy; - Appreciate the philosophical meaning of such arguments. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Engage with the technical vocabulary pertaining to the relevant debates; - Distinguish between technical and non-technical language about human persons; - Be aware of the philosophical assumptions and commitments supporting the various themes and theories; - Argue critically in such a way as to evaluate the various positions being discussed; - Develop their own views and arguments in support of their own views. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Aquinas, St. Thomas, Summa Theologiae, First Part, qq. 75-89. - Aristotle, De Anima, Translation J. Barnes. - Van Inwagen, P. & Zimmermann, D. (ed.), Persons: Human and Divine, Oxford University, Clarendon Press 2011. Supplementary Readings: - Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, translation by Jonathan Barnes. - Frankfurt, H., ‘Freedom of the Will and the Concept of a Person’, Journal of Philosophy 68, 1971, 5-20. - Haldane, J., ‘Intuitions and the Value of a Person’, Journal of Applied Philosophy, Vol. 14, 1997. - Haldane, J., ‘Recognising Humanity’, Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2008. - Haldane, J. ‘Political Theory and the Nature of Persons: An ineliminable Metaphysical Presupposition’, Philosophical Papers, Vol. 20, 1991. - Kant, I., Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, transl. H. Paton. - Kerr, F., Working on Oneself: Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Psychology, Institute for the Psychological Sciences, 2008. - Searle, J., Minds, Brains and Science, 1986. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-units: FDT1100, PHI1001, PHI2121 | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | John Berry |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2026/7. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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