Economics (English)
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE: Level 6 QF-EHEA: First Cycle EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code: UNI249
Course Name: Freewill
Semester: Fall
Course Credits:
ECTS
5
Language of instruction: English
Course Condition:
Does the Course Require Work Experience?: No
Type of course: University Elective
Course Level:
Bachelor TR-NQF-HE:6. Master`s Degree QF-EHEA:First Cycle EQF-LLL:6. Master`s Degree
Mode of Delivery: E-Learning
Course Coordinator: Dr. Öğr. Üy. İBRAHİM EYLEM DOĞAN
Course Lecturer(s): İbrahim Eylem Doğan
Course Assistants:

Course Objective and Content

Course Objectives: This course aims to discover, explain, and discuss various philosophical arguments about the notion of free will both historically and thematically.
Course Content: The objective of this course is to provide students with an introductory knowledge about the fundamental philosophical questions on the concept of free will. An efficient and comprehensive philosophical study requires first of all a reflective thinking about the conceptual framework of the problem in question. In accordance with this principle, the course starts with an introductory session focusing on the concepts of will, free will and determinism. Then, following an historical order, it analyses the approaches of ten different thinkers under four modules, from Ancient Greek to twentieth century. On the grounds of our discussions throughout the semester, we will try to get an insight about several crucial philosophical issues that are closely linked to the concept of free will such as individual responsibility, the problem of evil, autonomy and possibility of morals, and philosophical foundations of law and justice.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
1) Students will learn to read actively philosophical texts.
2) Students will become familiar with the discussions about some of the major philosophical issues throughout the history of philosophy.
3) Students will learn to reason creatively with precision.
4) Students will learn to think critically about major philosophical problems.
5) Students will develop a historical perspective on different disciplines of philosophy.

Course Flow Plan

Week Subject Related Preparation
1) Conceptual Framework: Will, Free Will and Determinism
2) Plato: Moral Determinism Selection from Plato, Gorgias, Phaedo, Phaedrus
3) Aristotle: Moral Knowledge and the Problem of Free Will Selection from Aristotle, The Nichomachean Ethics.
4) St Augustine: Free Will, the Reality of Evil, and Dependence on God Reading: Selection from St Augustine, On Free Choice of Will
5) St Thomas Aquinas: Reason, Will and Freedom of Decision Selection from St Thomas Aquinas, De Veritate
6) Catching up and Review for the Midterm Exam
7) Midterm Exam
8) Descartes: Infinite Freedom with Limited Power Selections from René Descartes, Meditations
9) Spinoza: Human Freedom in a Deterministic World Reading Material: Baruch Spinoza, Selections from The Ethics
10) Kant: Free Will and Practical Reason Selection from Immanuel Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Ethics
11) Schopenhauer: Free Will and Determinism Reading: Selection from Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Freedom of the Will
12) Nietzsche: Mythology of Free Will and Genealogical Analysis of Human Decisions Selection from Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Human, All Too Human.
13) Sartre: Condemned to be Free Reading: Selection from Jean Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness
14) Catching up and Review for the Final Exam

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks: - Aristotle, The Nichomahean Ethics
- Descartes René, Meditations
- Kant Immanuel, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Beyond Good and Evil
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Human, All Too Human
- Plato, Gorgias
- Plato, Phaedo
- Plato, Phaedrus
- Sartre Jean Paul, Being and Nothingness
- Schopenhauer Arthur, On the Freedom of the Will
- Spinoza Baruch, The Ethics
- St Augustine, On Free Choice of Will
- St Thomas Aquinas, De Veritate
References: - Aristotle, The Nichomahean Ethics
- Descartes René, Meditations
- Kant Immanuel, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Beyond Good and Evil
- Nietzsche Friedrich, Human, All Too Human
- Plato, Gorgias
- Plato, Phaedo
- Plato, Phaedrus
- Sartre Jean Paul, Being and Nothingness
- Schopenhauer Arthur, On the Freedom of the Will
- Spinoza Baruch, The Ethics
- St Augustine, On Free Choice of Will
- St Thomas Aquinas, De Veritate

Course - Program Learning Outcome Relationship

Course Learning Outcomes

1

2

3

4

5

Program Outcomes
1) They have a broad and interdisciplinary perspective on economics using other social sciences and mathematics.
2) They have knowledge and skill about different functions and interactions of economy.
3) They use different theoretical approaches to comprehend and solve various economic problems.
4) They are aware of the needs of society and use their knowledge of economics to meet these needs.
5) They have in-depth knowledge on the current issues of the Turkish economy and the global economy.
6) They have in-depth knowledge on the history of the Turkish economy and basic level knowledge on the history of the global economy.
7) Using various statistical techniques and numerical methods, they establish correct economic models and make analyzes by using statistical programs effectively.
8) They use a foreign language at least at the B1 General Level in terms of European Language Portfolio criteria according to the level of education.
9) They improve their skills of teamwork, negotiation, leadership and entrepreneurship.
10) They have universal ethical values, social responsibility awareness and adequate knowledge of business law.
11) Being able to develop positive attitudes with regards to lifelong learning, they identify their individual learning needs and carry out studies to fulfil them.
12) They express their ideas and solution proposals concerning their field both written and orally, and present and publish them on both national and international platforms.
13) They use information and communication technologies together with a computer software required by the field at least at advanced level of European Computer Driving License .

Course - Learning Outcome Relationship

No Effect 1 Lowest 2 Average 3 Highest
       
Program Outcomes Level of Contribution
1) They have a broad and interdisciplinary perspective on economics using other social sciences and mathematics.
2) They have knowledge and skill about different functions and interactions of economy.
3) They use different theoretical approaches to comprehend and solve various economic problems.
4) They are aware of the needs of society and use their knowledge of economics to meet these needs.
5) They have in-depth knowledge on the current issues of the Turkish economy and the global economy.
6) They have in-depth knowledge on the history of the Turkish economy and basic level knowledge on the history of the global economy.
7) Using various statistical techniques and numerical methods, they establish correct economic models and make analyzes by using statistical programs effectively.
8) They use a foreign language at least at the B1 General Level in terms of European Language Portfolio criteria according to the level of education.
9) They improve their skills of teamwork, negotiation, leadership and entrepreneurship.
10) They have universal ethical values, social responsibility awareness and adequate knowledge of business law.
11) Being able to develop positive attitudes with regards to lifelong learning, they identify their individual learning needs and carry out studies to fulfil them.
12) They express their ideas and solution proposals concerning their field both written and orally, and present and publish them on both national and international platforms.
13) They use information and communication technologies together with a computer software required by the field at least at advanced level of European Computer Driving License .

Assessment & Grading

Semester Requirements Number of Activities Level of Contribution
Midterms 1 % 40
Final 1 % 60
total % 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK % 40
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK % 60
total % 100

Workload and ECTS Credit Calculation

Activities Number of Activities Preparation for the Activity Spent for the Activity Itself Completing the Activity Requirements Workload
Course Hours 13 4 3 91
Midterms 1 10 2 12
Final 1 15 3 18
Total Workload 121