PHIL248 MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE PHILOSOPHY
| Course Code: | 2410248 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 4 (4.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 6.0 |
| Department: | Philosophy |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assist.Prof.Dr JAMES EDMOND CARR GRIFFITH |
| Offered Semester: | Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
Generally speaking, medieval philosophy is taken to run from around the fifth through fifteenth centuries CE, roughly corresponding to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire through the beginning of the Renaissance, which itself is taken as running from the mid-fourteenth through mid-seventeenth centuries. These two periods, then, overlap. To the extent they can be genuinely teased apart, the medieval period is marked by adherence to monotheistic religious tenets and authority as well as to Aristotle, while the Renaissance sees the rediscovery of pre-Christian thought and a decreasing reliance on prior texts and thinkers. However, none of these qualifications can be taken as fully descriptive of either period and their similarities and differences will become apparent in equal measure as we move through the material.
As this is a survey course covering approximately 1200 years of philosophy, it is impossible to do justice to either period, more so than in other survey courses. That said, we will read many of their most important thinkers. We begin with Augustine of Hippo (354-430) and his sermon on the sacking of Rome in 410. We then move to selections from the Roman senator Boethius (477-524); the great Islamic philosophers Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980-1037) and Ibn Rushd (Averroes, 1126-1198); and the high watermarks of medieval Christian thought as found in Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and John Duns Scotus (1265/6-1308). With that, we move into the Renaissance with readings from Nicholas of Cusa’s (1401-1464) On Learned Ignorance, Niccolò Machivelli’s (1469-1527) Prince, Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) “Ninety-five Theses,” the Coimbra Commentaries (1591-1606), and closing with Francisco Suárez’s (1548-1617) Metaphysical Disputations.
Course Content
Survey of post-Aristotelian and medieval philosophies. philosophy in the Renaissance; Humanism; controversy between the Platonists and the Aristotelians; scepticism, and Reformation.
Course Learning Outcomes
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Have the knowledge and skills of research method which is a requirement in order to be successful in academic studies. | ✔ | |||
| 2 | Have the capacity for applying philosophical knowledge to scientific and social issues. | ✔ | |||
| 3 | Examine and analyze a subject matter and make philosophical interpretations on it. | ✔ | |||
| 4 | Have the skills of critical thinking, analytical approach, problem solving, multi-dimensional view, making inferences and interpretations regarding to philosophical texts and scientific facts. | ✔ | |||
| 5 | Identify the basic concepts and issues in philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 6 | Evaluate and understand the underlying philosophical assumptions of fundamental and social sciences. | ✔ | |||
| 7 | Have capacity to make interdisciplinary readings and analysis. | ✔ | |||
| 8 | Have verbal and written presentation and effective communication skills, be open to team work and do interdisciplinary study. | ✔ | |||
| 9 | Make connections between contemporary ethical, social, cultural, esthetic and politic issues. | ✔ | |||
| 10 | Interpret the historical development of scientific and philosophical questions. | ✔ | |||
| 11 | Have knowledge about contemporary philosophical issues and their relations to other disciplines. | ✔ | |||
| 12 | Use modern information tools in order to make research in philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 13 | Improve their professional and personal skills lifelong. | ✔ | |||
| 14 | Use information technologies effectively in domain applications in philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 15 | Have self-confidence and develop original ideas regarding to philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 16 | Have social and ethical responsibility regarding to contemporary issues. | ✔ | |||
| 17 | Have good knowledge of English, research method and computer skills and use these skills effectively. | ✔ | |||
| 18 | Comprehend the basic theories and issues in sub-disciplines of philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 19 | Have an advanced knowledge in certain specific fields such as environment, technology, culture, art etc. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution