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2022/2023

Applied Philosophy Seminar

Code: 100296 ECTS Credits: 6

Degree	Type	Year	Semester
2500246 Philosophy	OT	3	1
2500246 Philosophy	OT	4	1

Contact

Name:: Daniel Gamper Sachse
Email:: daniel.gamper@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:: catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:: No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:: Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:: No

Prerequisites

None.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The course will focus on the concept of freedom as it is found in constitutional orders and in the liberal tradition. In the first part, the freedoms of speech and conscience will be discussed on the basis of the various philosophical defenses in the field of politics (Milton, Locke, Kant, Mill, Berlin, Rawls). In the second part, the legal aspect of the freedoms of expression and conscience will be presented. In the third part, we will raise the philosophical questions: what is conscience, what is the usefulness of public speech. In the last part, both freedoms will be treated from a perspective that combines political, sociological, legal and philosophical analysis, paying attention to objection of conscience, civil disobedience, exemptions on religious or ideological grounds, offenses, insults, mockery, harassment, etc., taking into account the contexts of diverse societies and the information age.

Competences

Philosophy

Analysing and summarising the main arguments of fundamental texts of philosophy in its various disciplines.
Applying the knowledge of ethics to the moral problems of society, and assessing the implications about the human condition of changes in the world of contemporary techniques.
Placing the most representative philosophical ideas and arguments of a period in their historical background and relating the most important authors of each period of any philosophical discipline.
Recognising and interpreting topics and problems of philosophy in its various disciplines.
Recognising the philosophical implications of the scientific knowledge.
Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.

Learning Outcomes

Analysing historical cases about scientific facts.
Assessing the legitimacy of the thesis defended by participants of the most important contemporary controversies.
Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
Carrying out a planning for the development of a subject-related work.
Correctly drawing up a previously analysed non-regulatory text.
Distinguishing and analysing representative texts of the main genres of the philosophical literature.
Documenting a philosophical issue and contrasting its sources.
Explaining the philosophical importance of contemporary science and its implementation area.
Explaining the specific notions of the History of Philosophy.
Identifying the main ideas of a related text and drawing a diagram.
Judging the moral impact of new technological developments on humans.
Leading working groups, overseeing collective tasks and working with commitment in order to bring together various positions.
Organizing their own time and work resources: designing plans with priorities of objectives, calendars and action commitments.
Relating elements and factors involved in the development of scientific processes.
Relating several ideas of the current philosophical debates.
Relating the various orders of the philosophical ideas of different authors and historical moments.
Solving problems autonomously.
Specifying the general impact of new technological developments on humans.
Summarising the topics and arguments exposed in a classical philosophical debate.
Using computing tools, both basics (word processor or databases, for example) and specialised software needed in the professional practice of archaeology.

Content

1. The Liberal Tradition: from Locke to Rawls
Milton, Areopagitica
Locke, Letter on Toleration
Kant, What is the Enlightenment?
Mill, On Liberty
Berlin, Two Concepts of Liberty
Rawls, Political Liberalism
2. Freedom of conscience
Definition of conscience and religion
Justification and limits of freedom of conscience
National and international norms and jurisprudence
Exceptions, exemptions, accommodations on grounds of conscience
3. Freedom of expression
Justifications for freedom of expression
National and international norms and jurisprudence
Limits: offenses, insults, insults, mockery, violence
The context of the Internet: lies, harassment, concelation
4. Analysis of cases

Methodology

It is mandatory that students read the texts, which will be indicated throughout the course, given that the lectures in class presuppose knowledge of them. However, some of the texts will be worked on directly in class. On this way, the lecture sessions will be combined with a seminar-type part and an argued debate in class.
We will use moodle to share materials and post grades.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title	Hours	ECTS	Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed
Reading & Study	45	1.8	6, 7, 8, 10, 2, 11, 12, 18, 15, 16, 19
Type: Supervised
Preparació exposició i treball	18	0.72	3, 9, 5, 14
Type: Autonomous
Classes	75	3	3, 6, 7, 4, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19

Assessment

1. In-person exam: 4 or 5 short questions on freedom of conscience and freedom of expression based on the texts covered in the first part of the course 33%.
2. Writing an opinion article (4,000 characters with spaces) on a specific case (florist refusing to sell to homosexuals, laws in favor of same-sex marriage, freedom to make jokes in bad taste, publication of pornography, etc.). 33%
3. Group presentation on some of the controversies surrounding the freedoms of conscience and expression: cancellation culture, conscientious objection, limits to freedom of expression, political correctness, accommodation on the grounds of conscience, etc. Drafting of a written paper based on the presentation and subsequent discussion (previous tutorial with the members of the group to discuss the contents of the paper). 34%

Assessment Activities

Title	Weighting	Hours	ECTS	Learning Outcomes
1. Examen presencial	33%	4.5	0.18	1, 3, 9, 5, 14
2. Paper	33%	4.5	0.18	1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 2, 11, 12, 13, 18, 16, 14, 17
3. Class presentation and paper	34%	3	0.12	3, 6, 7, 4, 10, 13, 5, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20