HS301 Philosphy (2018-19)

Instructor: Amrita Banerjee

Course Name: Introduction to Philosophy (HS301)

Course Type: Theory (HSS Core)

Credits: 6

Prerequisites: None

Course Content: 

Ancient Philosophy: Plato's Apology, Daodejing, Katha Upanishad, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta

Modern and contemporary philosophers: Rene Descartes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Bentham, Simon de Beauvoir, Judith Butler

Books:

No books are required. Lecture slides and philosophical texts of different philosophers form the core of the course

Lectures:

The prof teaches from slides. Interaction and discussion is encouraged in class. The course is a 101 in Philosophy. It exposes you to views of various different philosophers of various different times. You may not agree with several of them. But the aim of the course is not to make you decide right from wrong. It aims to just cultivate a philosophical attitude in you exposing you to different approaches to some of the most fundamental questions about the world

Exams and Grading:

There were only two written exams (midesm-35% and endsem- 45%). Both were completely objective. Attendance weighs 10%. For the remaining 10% we had to write a philosophical essay on a given topic. It is a new form of writing we were exposed to

Online Study Materials:

The prof provides links to any online sources needed for the course

Follow-Up Courses:

The HS Dept offers several more specific philosophy electives. You can choose one of them based on what you liked in this introductory course. Philosophy of Life, Philosophy of Law, Religious Philosophy, Gandhian Philosophy, to name a few.

Pro-Tips:

Attend all the lectures. If you have paid attention in all the class discussions, then just the lecture slides are enough before the exams

Personal Comments:

The professor is extremely engaging and fun to interact with in class. However, this course can become tedious due to the sheer amount of extra reading provided.

Respondent: Manu