Philosophy of the Cultural Sciences, 7.5 ECTS
The Department of Philosophy offers this course in the autumn semester 2024 as part of the Doctoral School in the Humanities. The course is offered on campus.
Course content
The aim of the course is to provide an opportunity for reflection on methodological and philosophical aspects of research in the humanities. Students are expected to present their projects in class, from a methodological perspective, and the course content will to some extent be tailored to the specific interests of the group.
The course begins with general questions about science and scientific method, with special emphasis on the humanities and the social sciences. Central questions concern the concepts of knowledge, justification and truth; the similarities and differences between different kinds of sciences; what distinguishes scientific knowledge from other forms of knowledge; the concepts of explanation and understanding and their importance; the distinction between qualitative and quantitative methods; conceptual frameworks and relativism. The notions of meaning and interpretation are treated at length, with emphasis on the differences and similarities between different kinds of meaning and interpretation.
Learning outcomes
In order to pass the course, students are expected to be able to:
- show a good understanding of fundamental concepts in the philosophy of the cultural sciences, and be able to relate them to their own research
- reason about questions concerning the epistemological, methodological and conceptual status of different kinds of research, with specific regards to one’s own discipline
Previous experience
What has been most positive about the course?
- "The course gave me new ways (and theories) to look at the material I am studying which I hadn’t reflected on before."
- "The involvement of students in the discussion and presentation assignment was the best part of the course, in my opinion. Ilearned a lot from the presentations given by PhD students from other disciplines. I truly enjoyed hearing how they applied philosophical viewpoints to their own research."
- "This has been probably the most difficult course I have ever attented. However, opposite to my prior expectations, it turned out to be also one of the most interesting courses that I've had in my PhD studies."
- "This has been one of the best courses during my PhD."
Would you recommend the course?
- Autumn 2023: 10/10
- "I would recommend it as it was rather rewarding. The way texts and concepts were approached were pedagogically and informative. The course felt well balanced through the sessions and James reading guide was beneficial for triggering understanding of the readings that became supplementary to the in class discussions."
- "Especially in our discipline, theoretical approaches have been changing over time and vary depending on the paradigm applied. Sometimes, understanding the discussion requires a comprehensive grasp of the human sciences or philosophical questions. Taking this course could be beneficial for students as it helps them understand why a particular approach or theory emerged during specific time periods and how it has evolved over time."
- "I highly recommend this course to everyone I talk to. I still think it works as an introductory course, but also recommend them to take it a little later in the process in order to be more well-read and make reflections on the own work."
Last time the course was offered: Autumn 2023
Number of participants: 10
Number of respondents on course evaluation: 10 (100 %)
Practical information
Mandatory elements
Participation in the seminars is mandatory.
Examination
Apart from participation, the examination comprises two oral presentation and two written assignments.
Instruction
The course comprises ten three-hour seminars.
NB. The course is offered on campus only.
Period: Autumn semester 2024
Course dates:
- 3 sep 10-13
- 10 sep 10-13
- 17 sep 10-13
- 24 sep 10-13
- 1 okt 10-13
- 8 okt 10-13
- 15 okt 10-13
- 22 okt 10-13
- 29 okt 10-13
- 5 nov 10-13
Language of instruction: English
Course syllabus:
Course Syllabus FI1001F (431 Kb)
Apply to the course
Application
Applications for courses starting in the autumn semester 2024 are received between May 15 and June 15, 2024. Notifications of acceptance are sent out as soon as possible after the final date.
All applications are sent by the supervisor to: doctoralschool@hum.su.se. Official transcript of records, or certificate of registration, verifying the applicant's status as doctoral student should be enclosed with the application.
All courses are free of charge, and they are open to all who are admitted to studies on PhD-level, regardless of faculty or university. Prerequisites and special admittance requirements may apply for some courses.
How do I apply?
The application form (document link below) is used to apply for a place in a course. The supervisor (or equivalent) must support the doctoral student’s application with a motivation as to why the doctoral student should participate in the course. The supervisor also submits the proposal to the following address: doctoralschool@hum.su.se.
Application form for place in a joint faculty course (294 Kb)
Who can apply?
The Faculty of Humanities’ doctoral students have priority for places, and external doctoral students (from Stockholm University or another university) can be admitted to a course subject to availability. External doctoral students will be registered in Ladok in order to enable the Board to monitor all participants in a course.
Contact
Course director: James Nguyen
Course name in Swedish: Humanioras vetenskapsfilosofi
The course is offered by the Department of Philosophy.
Last updated: March 26, 2024
Source: Faculty of Humanities