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The seminar will deal with a topic in the area of practical philosophy to be determined by its members, in relation to research projects they are working on. Attendance at meetings of the seminar and active participation in discussions is strongly encouraged. Professors and other researchers from the UCL interested in the topic, as well as other specialists on the topic from outside the UCL, may participate in the seminar.
Upon completion of the seminar the student should be able to :
- Handle a particular research topic in the area of practical philosophy (ethics, political philosophy, social philosophy), basing work on a critical analysis of major works and texts by authors that deal with the topic in question, and on contributions presented within the framework of the seminar ;
- Write a scientific paper on a precisely delimited research topic that is germane to the topic of the seminar ;
- Participate actively in cooperative research on practical philosophy, especially through discussion of contributions made within the framework of the seminar.
The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
The final evaluation will take into consideration
- the regular and active participation;
- the oral presentation of a paper;
- the quality of a written version (15 pages) of this paper. The final version of this text can be in French.
There won't be any oral exam. The active involvement in the research dynamics of the seminar cannot be replaced by any other kind of evaluation.
After some introductory lectures given by the professor, the students will be responsible of preparing and presenting papers and discussions. The seminar will be in English with regular meetings in February and March and a one day workshop open to the public in May.
Freedom of Speech
The freedom of speech is a key issue in democratic and pluralistic societies. The seminar will discuss its justifications and its limits from the point of view of moral and political philosophy. Dealing with a theoretical framework and a selection of case studies participants will have the opportunity to improve their skills in ethical argumentation combining classical philosophical sources and interdisciplinary dialogue.
Some texts will be available on Moodle. Bibliographical research will be a part of the activities at the beginning of the seminar.
The seminar will start on Monday, 08-02-2016. The professor's office hours are every Monday between 13:30 and 15:00. Office d175 (Collège Descamps, Grand-Place 45).
