Contemporary Period

History of Philosophy

Aim of the Course

This course seeks to provide a general survey of the main current Western philosophical thoughts found in the 19th and 20th centuries. It examines its socio-political connection and links with contemporary issues. It also sees the recent development in Non-Western philosophies.

Course Content

This course will be taught in a series of topics: Dialectical Materialism, Contemporary Atheism, Trends of Positivism, Pragmatism, Thomism, Existentialism, Analytic Philosophy, Vitalism, Personalism, Recent Non-Western Philosophies.

Assessment

A seminar style individual class presentation during the course and a written examination at the end of the course.

Credit: 6

Select Bibliography

Cooper, E, World Philosophies: An Historical Introduction, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 2003²

Copleston, Frederick A History of Philosophy Vols IV, V & VI, New York: Image Books Doubleday, 1946

Jones, W.T., A History of Western Philosophy Vols IV, V. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1952

Russell, B, History of Western Philosophy, London: Routledge, 1961²

Tarnas, Richard, The Passion of The Western Mind: Understanding the Ideas That Have Shaped Our World View, New York: Ballantine Books, New York, 1991

White, M, The 20th Century Philosophers: The Age of Analysis. Boston: Meridian Rock, 1955

Lecture Hours

To be confirmed

Lecturer

Fr. Stephen Lim