Course for international guest/part time students

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences

Organization

TÁTK Department of Historical Sociology

Code

ESZOCBA77

Title

Philosophy (for social scientists)

Usual semester

Spring

Published semester

2025/26/2

ECTS

3

Language

en

Learning outcomes

Philosophy for social scientists Domonkos Sik Tuesday 08:30-10:00h room 0.100A Similarly to any other disciplines, social sciences originate from philosophical reflection. Accordingly, the aim of the course is to highlight those philosophical challenges, which motivated the emergence of social sciences. In the first thematic cluster, an attempt is made to overview those specific difficulties of modernization, which motivated social philosophical reflection. Prior to the substantive analyses, a philosophical method is chosen: ‘phenomenology’ is discussed according to Husserl’s ideas. The substantive topics are discussed from a broad phenomenological perspective: Hobbes’ and Rousseau’s social contract theories are compared in order to introduce two contrasting answers to the question concerning the possibility of modern societies; Marx’s historical materialism is discussed with a special emphasis on the phenomenon of estrangement; Arendt’s political existentialist analysis reveals the stakes of public sphere in modern democracy; Habermas’ theory of communicative action reveals the epistemological and moral importance of interactions from the perspective of transcendental pragmatics; and Foucault’s theory of discursive power reveals the hidden levels of governance. Secondly, an attempt is made to reflect upon those philosophical solutions, which are elaborated in order to handle the challenges of modernity: based on Kant’s moral philosophy and Rawls’ political philosophy the possibility of justice is analysed; based on Levinas’ moral phenomenology those pre-cognitive sources of morality are revealed, which are indispensable for any cognitive concept of justice; based on Koselleck’s philosophy of history the various concepts of historical time are overviewed. Following this curriculum, the students have a chance to be introduced to philosophical reflection through substantive problems, which are closely related to social scientific inquiry. Accordingly, the course also provides introduction to topics, which are at the centre of contemporaries’ attention, such as inequalities, new forms of power, solidarity and care, surveillance and democracy, the social constructivism and individualization. Grades are based on written exam. Introduction: philosophy and science Methodological introduction: Husserl’s phenomenology The challenges of modernity Hobbes and Rousseau on the possibility of a modern society Marx’s criticism of capitalism Discussion Arendt and the public sphere Habermas and the normative structure of interactions Foucault’s theory of power Discussion Philosophical solutions Kant and Rawls on justice Lévinas on responsibility Koselleck on the historical horizon of modernity Discussion Primary literature Arendt: The human condition. chapters 4-5. Foucault: Subject and power. Habermas: Some further clarifications of the concept of communicative rationality. Hobbes: Leviathan chapters XIII-XIV. Husserl: The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology chapters §33-40. Lévinas: Totality and infinity chapter III/B Ethics and the face Marx: The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts. chapter ‘Estranged labor’ Rawls: A theory of justice chapters 21-24. Koselleck: Futures past. chapter 14. Secondary literature https://plato.stanford.edu/index.html

Course content

Introduction: philosophy and science Methodological introduction: Husserl’s phenomenology The challenges of modernity Hobbes and Rousseau on the possibility of a modern society Marx’s criticism of capitalism Discussion Arendt and the public sphere Habermas and the normative structure of interactions Foucault’s theory of power Discussion Philosophical solutions Kant and Rawls on justice Lévinas on responsibility Koselleck on the historical horizon of modernity Discussion

Assessment method

written exam

Bibliography

Primary literature Arendt: The human condition. chapters 4-5. Foucault: Subject and power. Habermas: Some further clarifications of the concept of communicative rationality. Hobbes: Leviathan chapters XIII-XIV. Husserl: The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology chapters §33-40. Lévinas: Totality and infinity chapter III/B Ethics and the face Marx: The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts. chapter ‘Estranged labor’ Rawls: A theory of justice chapters 21-24. Koselleck: Futures past. chapter 14. Secondary literature https://plato.stanford.edu/index.html

Programmes of the course