INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMME COURSE DESCRIPTION

Code	Name of the Course Unit	Semester	In-Class Hours (T+P)	Credit	ECTS Credit
SOC118	INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY	1	3	3	4

GENERAL INFORMATION
Language of Instruction :	English
Level of the Course Unit :	BACHELOR'S DEGREE, TYY: + 6.Level, EQF-LLL: 6.Level, QF-EHEA: First Cycle
Type of the Course :	Compulsory
Mode of Delivery of the Course Unit	-
Coordinator of the Course Unit	Assist.Prof. TUĞBA AKMAN KAPLAN
Instructor(s) of the Course Unit
Course Prerequisite	No

OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS
Objectives of the Course Unit:	At the end of this course, students will be able to recognize the most important arguments of religion, metaphysics, epistemology and morality and analyze, evaluate and criticize these arguments with logical reasoning.
Contents of the Course Unit:	Contents of the course include the examination of most effective arguments on the philosophy of religion in Western philosophy (St. Aquinas, Pascal, Plato and Nietzsche); metaphysics (Parmenides, Plato, Berkeley, Epicurus, Sartre); epistemology (Descartes, Gettier, Hume) and moral philosophy (Plato, Aristotle, Kant and Mill).

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE UNIT (On successful completion of this course unit, students/learners will or will be able to)
Recognize the most important arguments of Western philosophy about religion, metaphysics, epistemology and moral philosophy.
Question whether these arguments can be derived from the results and precessors or not.
Differentiate valid, coherent and robust reasoning from invalid, inconsistent and inaccurate reasoning.
Interpret the most important arguments of western philosophy.
Interpret moral dilemmas based on philosophical thought experiments and hypothesis.
Discuss with each other in order to better predict and avoid counter-arguments.

WEEKLY COURSE CONTENTS AND STUDY MATERIALS FOR PRELIMINARY & FURTHER STUDY
Week	Preparatory	Topics(Subjects)	Method
1	Reading	Discussion on the nature of philosophical arguments	Lecture, discussion
2	Reading	Philosophy of Religion: Five Evidences of St. Aquinas	Lecture, discussion
3	Reading	Argument of Word, Onthological argument	Lecture, discussion
4	Reading	Pascal's gambling, James' desire to believe	Lecture, discussion
5	Reading	Problem of evil, Defense of free will	Lecture, discussion
6	Reading	Euthyphron dilemma, Nietzsche’s argument of "God is Dead"	Lecture, discussion
7	Reading	Metaphysics: Parmenides' rejection of change, Platon's argument of ideas	Lecture, discussion
8	-	MID-TERM EXAM	-
9	Reading	Metaphysics: Parmenides' rejection of change, Platon's argument of ideas	Lecture, discussion
10	Reading	Berkeley's idealism, Epicurus' argument on death, Sartre's argument on freedom	Lecture, discussion
11	Reading	Epistemology: Descartes's Cogito argument, Gettier problem, Hume's problem of reasoning	Lecture, discussion
12	Reading	Philosophy of ethics: Platon's State, Aristoteles' argument on function	Lecture, discussion
13	Reading	Kant's categorical command	Lecture, discussion
14	Reading	Kant's categorical command	Lecture, discussion
15	Reading	Mill and utilitarianism	Lecture, discussion
16	-	FINAL EXAM	-
17	-	FINAL EXAM	-

SOURCE MATERIALS & RECOMMENDED READING
Bruce, M. & Barbone, S. (2017). Batı Felsefesindeki 100 Temel Mesele. Çeviri: Mustafa Topal, İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları.
Platon (2018). Devlet. Çeviri: M. Ali Cimcoz, Sabahattin Eyüboğlu. İstanbul: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.
Nietzsche, F. (2010). Ahlakın Soy Kütüğü Üzerine. Çeviri: Turan Erdem. İstanbul: Arya Yayıncılık.
Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2014). Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life. Essex: Pearson.
Dennet, D. (2013). Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking. New York: Norton.

ASSESSMENT
Assessment & Grading of In-Term Activities	Number of Activities	Degree of Contribution (%)	Description

Level of Contribution
0	1	2	3	4	5

KNOWLEDGE
Theoretical
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to identify the main characteristics of literary movements such as modernism, postmodernism, and postcolonialism during the process of analysing a literary text verbally or in an essay.	0
2	The graduate will be able to relate language structure to its functions in a literary text.	0
3	The graduate will be able to explain and generate ideas on literary texts or visual work such as films.					4
4	The graduate will be able to identify the language and the writing style of a wide range of authors, poets, and playwrights from different periods.	0

KNOWLEDGE
Factual
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to explain the key terms and concepts associated with language, literature, and culture.	0
2	The graduate will be able to historically categorise various centuries or periods of time such as the Renaissance or the 20th century according to the literary, theoretical, social, and political developments reflected in literary texts.				3

SKILLS
Cognitive
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to compare and contrast characteristics of different literary genres.	0
2	The graduate will be able to interpret literary works produced in various cultures with different ethnical background.	0
3	The graduate will be able to compare and contrast different periods of time such as the Middle Ages and the Victorian Era in accordance with their distinctive literary, theoretical, social, and political background verbally or in an essay.					4

SKILLS
Practical
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to apply literary theories and develop argument of their own in the process of writing a research paper.	0
2	The graduate will be able to formulate a sophisticated argument/thesis in compliance with the ethical requirements needed to avoid plagiarism during the process of writing a research paper.	0
3	The graduate will be able to apply research skills to gather, organise, and present information skills in a research paper.	0
4	The graduate will be able to employ translation methods while translating a text from English to Turkish or vice versa.	0

OCCUPATIONAL
Autonomy & Responsibility
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to organise occupational and academic activities including meeting, seminars, and conferences.	0

OCCUPATIONAL
Learning to Learn
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to determine his or her own learning requirements and goals to develop sustainable attitude towards life-long learning.						5

OCCUPATIONAL
Communication & Social
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to develop effective oral and written communication skills in English.	0

OCCUPATIONAL
Occupational and/or Vocational
	Programme Learning Outcomes	Level of Contribution
		0	1	2	3	4	5
1	The graduate will be able to appraise and criticise development of the social rights, democracy, social justice, gender and racial identity, cultural and ethical values.						5

WORKLOAD & ECTS CREDITS OF THE COURSE UNIT
Workload for Learning & Teaching Activities
Type of the Learning Activites	Learning Activities (# of week)	Duration (hours, h)	Workload (h)
Lecture & In-Class Activities	14	3	42
Preliminary & Further Study	13	1	13
Land Surveying	0	0	0
Group Work	0	0	0
Laboratory	0	0	0
Reading	0	0	0
Assignment (Homework)	0	0	0
Project Work	0	0	0
Seminar	0	0	0
Internship	0	0	0
Technical Visit	0	0	0
Web Based Learning	0	0	0
Implementation/Application/Practice	0	0	0
Practice at a workplace	0	0	0
Occupational Activity	0	0	0
Social Activity	0	0	0
Thesis Work	0	0	0
Field Study	0	0	0
Report Writing	0	0	0
Final Exam	1	1	1
Preparation for the Final Exam	7	4	28
Mid-Term Exam	1	1	1
Preparation for the Mid-Term Exam	5	3	15
Short Exam	0	0	0
Preparation for the Short Exam	0	0	0
TOTAL	41	0	100