The student is able to
- read and understand philosophical texts;
- characterize a number of important philosophers from the history of philosophy and their points of view on communication;
- explain some central philosophical concepts and debates;
- analyze some contemporary societal issues from a philosophical perspective;
- offer a better substantiated and critical judgment of these issues.
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This course offers you a philosophical reflection on the fundamentals and the limits of your discipline, communication studies. By means of a reflection on the theme of communication, this course also offers an introduction to some of the canonical western philosophers.
In the history of philosophy, the topics of language and communication are of central. The reflection on these topics begins with the controversy between philosophy and sophists and the question of how language is to be used - does it only serve the purpose of convincing other people or should one be oriented towards the goal of obtaining the truth on a certain subject matter? From this question, different other questions arise: Can we understand language (and communication) as a mere instrument or tool for humans to use of are language and communication much more intricately connected to being-human? What is an ethics of communication? When is communication rational and when is it a tool of power?
There will be one assignment during the term: a group presentation plus small report on one of the texts from the course book. |
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