6 ECTS credits
170 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 1023479BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.
This course focuses on critical and radical freethought from a topical perspective. A historical-philosophical genealogy will be drawn that focuses on subversive, revolutionary or radical freethinking that has played a role in political-ethical emancipatory changes. The themes of critique, naturalism (freedom and equality) and freedom of speech and writing will be central. The genealogy goes back to antiquity, and will focus on freethought in the early modern period (e.g., Spinoza, Bayle and the lesser-known libertine and clandestine literature of that period). We will also consider how this movement of critical freethinking has continued in time, the critical theory to contemporary critical freethought.
Study material: Syllabus made available digitally; Source texts; Critical articles; Powerpoints.
In 2021-22, due to a sabbatical leave of the primary instructor, this course will be taught by Liesbet De Kock. For more information about program and practicalities, please contact: Liesbet.DeKock@UGent.be.
The students have knowledge and insight into the theme of critical freethought, especially in early modern
philosophy; they can situate the theme in the history of philosophy, in relation to contemporary philosophy
and in relation to the social challenges of the current global world. The students can develop their own point
of view in the discussion about freethought and modern ethical and political thinking. They can analyze a
primary text on freethought (and the related themes) of modern and contemporary philosophy, reproduce its
argumentation and critically comment on it. They can relate primary early modern texts to each other and to
contemporary philosophical texts that deal with freethought and issues of contemporary society (democracy,
freedom of speech, equality and diversity versus biopolitics, crisis and state of exception).
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
SELF Paper determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the SELF Paper category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Assessment by paper
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Philosophy and Moral Sciences: default (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Arts in Philosophy and Moral Sciences: Default track (only offered in Dutch)
Preparatory Programme Master of Arts in Philosophy and Moral Sciences: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)