History of Contemporary Philosophy WF-FI-N11-HF4

Knowledge (LECTURE):
FI1_W01: The student leads a moderated discussion in which he/she argues how selected existential or poststructural concepts influence contemporary understandings of identity and social relations.
FI1_W04: The student interprets the meaning of contemporary philosophical terms in analyzed text fragments and identifies their philosophical sources and functions.
FI1_W05: The student compares two main trends in philosophy (e.g., phenomenology vs. analytic philosophy) in a short essay, reconstructing their key assumptions and historical conditions.
FI1_W06: The student identifies the ideas and arguments of selected contemporary authors and applies methods of interpreting philosophical texts to the source material.
Knowledge (EXERCISES):
FI1_W01: The student leads a moderated discussion in which he/she argues how selected existential or poststructural concepts influence contemporary understandings of identity and social relations. FI1_W04: The student interprets the meaning of contemporary philosophical terms in analyzed text fragments and identifies their philosophical sources and functions.
FI1_W05: In a short essay, the student compares two main currents (e.g., phenomenology vs. analytic philosophy), reconstructing their key assumptions and historical determinants.
FI1_W06: The student identifies the ideas and arguments of selected contemporary authors and applies methods of interpreting philosophical texts to source material.
FI1_W07: The student identifies reflections of cultural changes (e.g., the crisis of rationalism, secularization) in the discussions of selected contemporary philosophers and discusses them using textual examples.

Skills (LECTURE and EXERCISES):
FI1_U04: The student analyzes the argumentative structure of a contemporary text fragment (e.g., from Foucault or Derrida), identifying theses, premises, and their interrelationships. FI1_U10: The student reconstructs and presents the arguments of a selected contemporary author in the form of a mind map or oral presentation, taking into account cultural and epistemological considerations.

Competencies (EXERCISES):
FI1_K02: The student considers new philosophical ideas, analyzes them in the context of contemporary debates, and formulates their own proposed solutions to philosophical problems, taking into account their social, cultural, and historical context.
FI1_K05: The student prepares a short analysis (essay or slides) demonstrating the influence of the ideas of a selected contemporary philosopher (e.g., Habermas, Rorty) on contemporary understanding of social and cultural processes.

To be eligible to take the exam covering the lecture component of the course, students must first obtain a passing grade in the practical classes (tutorials). Students who have not passed the practical classes are not permitted to take the exam.

EXAM – FIRST SITTING: Knowledge and skills acquired during the course are assessed via a written exam covering material presented in lectures and found in the recommended literature. A maximum of 60 points can be earned in the first sitting. Exam format: a written exam featuring both closed-ended and open-ended questions; the latter require the analysis and reconstruction of philosophical concepts, as well as their comparison.

Exam structure:

Part A: Characterization of a philosophical concept (15 points). The student draws two questions from a pool regarding selected schools of thought and answers one of them.

Grading criteria:
- Accurate presentation of the concept (this criterion also evaluates the quality of definitions for key terms) (0–5 points)
- Reconstruction of arguments and key assumptions (0–5 points)
- Historical context and influences (0–5 points)

Part B: Comparative or problem-based analysis (15 points). The student draws two questions from a pool regarding selected comparisons and answers one of them. Assessment criteria:
- Knowledge of the positions discussed (this criterion evaluates the quality of definitions for key terms) (0–5 points)
- Quality of comparative/problem-based analysis (0–5 points)
- Identification of influences and significance (0–5 points)

Part C: Multiple-choice questions (closed-ended) regarding theories, authors, and key terms (30 points). 30 questions with 4 answer choices each, only one of which is correct.

Exam duration: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)

The following grading scale applies to the written exam:
- 55–60 points (91–100%) – Very Good (5.0)
- 49–54 points (81–90%) – Good Plus (4.5)
- 43–48 points (71–80%) – Good (4.0)
- 37–42 points (61–70%) – Satisfactory Plus (3.5)
- 31–36 points (51–60%) – Satisfactory (3.0)
- 0–30 points (0–50%) – Unsatisfactory (2.0)

SECOND EXAM ATTEMPT: For students who received a failing grade on the first attempt, the second attempt takes the form of an oral exam covering the material in the course syllabus (exam questions are drawn from an available pool). Students who did not take the exam on the first attempt will take the second attempt under the same conditions as the first (written exam). Exam structure for the second sitting:

Part A: Characterization of a philosophical concept (10 points) – The student draws one question from a pool concerning a selected philosopher.

Grading criteria:
- Precise presentation of fundamental concepts (0–5 points)
- Reconstruction of arguments and central assumptions (0–3 points)
- Historical context and influences (0–2 points)

Part B: Characterization of a philosophical school of thought (10 points) – The student draws one question from a pool concerning a selected philosophical school of thought.

Grading criteria:
- Precise presentation of the concept (0–5 points)
- Quality of the analysis of the issue (0–3 points)
- Identification of influence and philosophical context (0–2 points)

Part C: Short questions on basic terms / authors / works (5 points)
- 5 questions worth 1 point each – definitions of key terms and identification of authors and their major works. Duration of the second-attempt exam: 40 min

Grading scale for the second-attempt exam:
- 28–30 pts (91–100%) – very good (5.0)
- 25–27 pts (81–90%) – good plus (4.5)
- 22–24 pts (71–80%) – good (4.0)
- 19–21 pts (61–70%) – satisfactory plus (3.5)
- 16–18 pts (51–60%) – satisfactory (3.0)
- 0–15 pts (0–50%) – unsatisfactory (2.0)

For the tutorial classes: work with texts and active learning methods, such as guided discussion and group work. During the course, students will examine texts essential for understanding the transformations in contemporary philosophy. Working with the texts involves identifying key concepts associated with a specific philosophical movement or author, outlining the fundamental characteristics of the methodology employed, and—where appropriate—summarizing selected excerpts from the works under discussion.

To receive credit for the course, students must attend at least 12 classes (out of the 15 scheduled for the semester). Students with 11 or fewer attendances are ineligible to take the final assessment for the tutorials.

The final grade for the tutorials is based on two components:
1) Class participation and preparation (30 pts).
2) Grades from two written tests (40 pts). For criterion no. 1, a student may earn a maximum of 30 points across all substantive classes in the following areas:
(a) Preparation (familiarity with the assigned text) (0–1 point)
- 0 points: lack of familiarity with the text or failure to bring the text,
- 1 point: reading the text and becoming familiar with basic terminology and arguments.

(b) Participation in discussion and text analysis (0–3 points)
- 0 points: no participation or attendance on only one occasion,
- 1 point: expressing an opinion without formulating arguments,
- 2 points: formulating basic arguments with minor errors and without mastering technical terminology,
- 3 points: formulating elaborate and complete arguments while correctly using technical terminology.

(c) Quality of contributions and group work (0–2 points)
- 0 points: vague contributions or lack of participation in group work,
- 1 point: correct contributions, basic participation in group work,
- 2 points: substantive contributions, constructive participation in group work.

Over the course of the program (15 exercises), a student can earn a maximum of 30 points.

Regarding criterion no. 2, the student must pass TWO written tests. A maximum of 20 points can be earned on each test. The questions—comprising both closed-ended (50%, 10 points) and open-ended (50%, 10 points) formats—cover topics addressed in class and texts studied during the course. The open-ended questions require an analysis of source texts discussed in class; the student is expected to reconstruct and analyze the arguments found in selected texts (5 points) and define specific concepts (5 points). Grading scale for criteria nos. 1 and 2 (final grade for the practical classes):
- 64–70 points (91–100%) – very good (5.0)
- 57–63 points (81–90%) – good plus (4.5)
- 50–56 points (71–80%) – good (4.0)
- 43–49 points (61–70%) – satisfactory plus (3.5)
- 36–42 points (51–60%) – satisfactory (3.0)
- 0–35 points (0–50%) – unsatisfactory (2.0)

THE GRADE FOR THE PRACTICAL CLASSES TRANSLATES TO THE FIRST-SITTING EXAM AS FOLLOWS:

1. Achieving a final grade of 5.0 for the practical classes means the student receives an additional 6 points on the exam.
2. Achieving a final grade of 4.5 for the practical classes means the student receives an additional 4 points on the exam.
3. Achieving a final grade of 4.0 for the practical classes means the student receives an additional 2 points on the exam.
4. Achieving a grade of 3.0 or 3.5 has no impact on the score obtained on the exam.

None

General introductions:

1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/
2. "Przewodnik po literaturze filozoficznej XX wieku", T. 1-5, pod red. B. Skargi ; przy współpr. S. Borzyma, H. Floryńskiej-Lalewicz, Warszawa 1994-1996.

Scholarly literature:

1. L. Kołakowski, "Bergson", different editions.
2. A.J. Noras, "Historia neokantyzmu", Katowice 2012.
3. J. Woleński, "Kierunki i metody filozofii analitycznej" w: "Jak filozofować? Studia z metodologii filozofii", red. J. Perzanowski, Warszawa 1989, s. 30-77.
4. J. Woleński, "Filozoficzna szkoła lwowsko-warszawska", Warszawa 1985.
5. "The Oxford Handbook of the History of Analytic Philosophy", Oxford 2013.
6. "Wprowadzenie do fenomenologii. Interpretacje, zastosowania, problemy", red. W. Płotka, Warszawa 2014.
7. D. Zahavi, "Fenomenologia Husserla", Kraków 2012.
8. C. Głombik, "Husserl i Polacy: pierwsze spotkania, wczesne reakcje", Katowice 1999.
9. A. Przyłębski, "Gadamer", Warszawa 2006.
10. T. Kisiel, "Genesis of Heidegger's Being and Time", Berkley 1995.
11. "A Companion to Phenomenology and Existentialism", red. H. Dreyfus, M.A Wrathall, Oxford 2008.
12. L. Kołakowski, "Główne nurty marksizmu", Część III, Poznań 2001.
13. V. Descombes, "To samo i inne. Czterdzieści pięć lat filozofii francuskiej (1933-1978)", przeł. B. Banasiak i K. Matuszewski, Warszawa 1997.
14. J.-F. Lyotard, "Kondycja ponowoczesna. Raport o stanie wiedzy", przeł. M. Kowalska i J. Migasiński, Warszawa 1997.
15. "Filozofia amerykańska dziś", red. T. Komendziński i A. Szahaj, Toruń 1999.
16. R.P. Tong, Myśl feministyczna. Wprowadzenie, przeł. J. Mikos, B. Umińska, Warszawa 2002.

Sources:
1. H. Bergson, "O bezpośrednich danych świadomości", different editions.
2. B. Russell, "Autobiografia", different editions.
3. L. Wittgenstein, "Tractatus logico-philosophicus", different editions.
4. K. Twardowski, "Wybrane pisma filozoficzne", Warszawa 1965.
5. L. Wittgenstein, "Dociekania filozoficzne", different editions.
6. E. Husserl, "Idee czystej fenomenologii i fenomenologicznej filozofii. Ks. 1", przeł. i przypisami opatrzyła D. Gierulanka, different editions.
7. M. Heidegger, "Bycie i czas", different editions.
8. E. Levinas, "Całość i nieskończoność", Warszawa 1995.
9. M. Merleau-Ponty, "Fenomenologia percepcji", Warszawa 1999.
10. J. Habermas, "Teoria działania komunikacyjnego", Warszawa 1999-2002.
11. H. Putnam, "Wiele twarzy realizmu i inne eseje", Warszawa 1998.
12. W.V.O. Quine, "Z punktu widzenia logiki", Warszawa 1997.
13. A. Mbempe, "Polityka wrogości. Nekropolityka", Kraków 2018.
14. J. Butler, "Uwikłani w płeć: feminizm i polityka tożsamości", Warszawa 2008.

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

• Philosophy - full-time first cycle studies

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

• Description of WF-FI-N11-HF4 in USOSweb